Dundee Molded Plywood Canoe
- Thread starter Ron
- Start date
Ron, I can't claim to be an expert on Dundee canoes, but I did look at the one at the Finger Lakes Museum a couple months back. Since it was in a not-well-lit and unheated warehouse, I didn't get to examine it as closely as I would have liked to. But the hull appeared to me to be 3-ply plywood with the two outside faces mahogany. I don't know when this canoe was built, nor the technique used to make it. If that information is available, please pass it along. Tom McCloud.
Tom,
Thanks for your reply. My father purchased the canoe shortly after WWII. The only think I know about how it was made is that it is molded plywood. An architect friend says the wood is Birch as well as another boat restorer but neither are 100% certain. A guy in Philadelphia (Chad Brenner) who restores old Chris Craft wooden boats is going to apply an additional layer of veneer to give is added structural strength and wanted me to research the kind of wood. I would really appreciate any help you might offer. Thanks! Ron
Thanks for your reply. My father purchased the canoe shortly after WWII. The only think I know about how it was made is that it is molded plywood. An architect friend says the wood is Birch as well as another boat restorer but neither are 100% certain. A guy in Philadelphia (Chad Brenner) who restores old Chris Craft wooden boats is going to apply an additional layer of veneer to give is added structural strength and wanted me to research the kind of wood. I would really appreciate any help you might offer. Thanks! Ron
I've not been back - live 200 miles from there - maybe in July. Ed Wightman would be the guy to contact. Send him an email at edwightman@empacc.net. And post here because I'd like to know what he says. TM.
Tom, Ed recently visited the museum and said it looked like it was made from Mahogany. I don't believe mine is. It looks more like Birch. I suppose the company could have used different materials at different times. I've taken the canoe to a Chad Brenner in Philadelphia who restores wooden Chris Crafts. He is recommending gluing an additional layer of veneer over the entire outside of the canoe for added strength. I have no idea what the cost may be or how lone it may take. He is to give me an estimate but after him having it for a month, I haven't heard from him even after several requests for him to contact me. I'm getting a little concerned that maybe I've made a mistake. I'd appreciate any thoughts you may have on this issue. Thanks. Ron
This is a picture (I hope) of my molded wooden plywood canoe. After seeing pictures of the Dundee at the Finger Lakes Boat Museum, I believed mine to be a Dundee. Contacts who have seen the Dundee say it is made from Mahogany but mine looks to be made of Birch. Is it possible that it is still a Dundee or could it be something else?
