Detroit Boat Company Canoe

[Kathryn Klos]

Uploaded video footage to YouTube of the Detroit canoe owned by the Canadian Canoe Museum. Denis and I filmed this a year ago, on our way to the 07 Assembly. Thought this would be a good thing to have in the archives, for future reference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaIZYbgn9Uc

Detroits have a short deck similar to Old Town's, which can lead to misidentification (especially when many believe any w/c canoe is an Old Town).

Serial numbers are on bow or both stems, with canoe's length either before or after the numbers, with a space between the s/n and length. We have a Detroit with a three digit s/n and have seen two with four digits. Serial numbers appear to be sequential-- a simple numbering of the canoes.

There don't seem to be a lot of Detroit canoes around, despite the fact that they advertised heavily.

If you have or know of a Detroit Canoe Co. canoe, let me know. I've started a file...

Kathy

 

[chris pearson]

Kathy,
Jack McGreivey made a mold after lofting one. It's a smaller canoe, 15'? Anyhow a really neat looking canoe that would solo great, looks like a very old design and very fine entry. Quintin Hausser has an original Detroit that Gil restored, he lives in New Jersey, I think it has a long fore deck? Ask Gil, he did the work.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

I think the long-deck Detroit is the Takoma Special, which was a limited-edition model (100 per year).

The Detroit has very nice lines-- as you can see in the video of the canoe at the CCM-- so it isn't surprising that it's being built today. One of ours (the one that doesn't shed cedar every time it's moved) is a 15 footer that should be a dandy paddler... some day...

Will add a couple images-- the typical short deck and a frequently-offered-on-eBay-ad.

 

[Genehopkins]

Hi Kathy,

Don't know if you are still tracking Detroit Boat Co canoes or not but if you are I just purchased a really nice Hudson River at a yard sale yesterday here in Indiana. I know nothing about wood canoes and found this site bu Googling.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Welcome!

We're always interested in hearing about "finds", no matter what they are! You'll probably learn all there currently is to learn about Detroit canoes by using the "search" function on this site and reading past posts. Here is a video I made a while back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaIZYbgn9Uc

Please post pictures! And there are many here who are ready and willing to help if you have questions. Probably the best initial source of information is "The Wood and Canvas Canoe" by Stelmok and Thurlow... and HERE, of course!

Kathy

 

[Genehopkins]

Pics of Hudson River

Here are some pics of the Hudson River. Any and all information, comments, suggestions are welcome. I am in learning mode.

 

[Walter Peebles]

Hi Kathy, If you are still keeping track of Detroits, I bought a Belle Isle Special in Wisconsin this summer that was purchased used many years ago by the seller's grandfather. It has four or five broken ribs and is painted light orange inside, but does not appear to have been fiberglassed. The varnish on the decks and gunwales is very dark, but not excessively thick. Hard to read the serial number due to thick paint, but the photo shows a ghost of it. Came with a matched pair of fine-grained spruce paddles that might be original.

Walt Peebles, Eaton Rapids, MI