Early Old Town? sn 1012

[Dave Osborn]

I'm leading a restoration class in Cedarville MI at the Great Lakes Boat building School. We have a couple of interesting canoes being restored here.
One in particular has me thinking that it is a very early oLD tOWN.
Attached are a couple of photos.

There is also a Morris/Kennebec hybrid here... cool stuff!

 

[Gil Cramer]

Probably a Detroit canoe.

 

[Benson Gray]

I agree with Gil that this looks more like a Detroit Boat Company deck than an early Old Town based on the examples shown at http://dragonflycanoe.com/wood-canoe-identification-guide/features-decks/ on Dan's site. The serial numbers don't look much like the ones shown below from a similar vintage Old Town with a decal to identify it.

Benson

 

[Gil Cramer]

The Detroit Boat Co. had a brass rectangular name plate that was used on launches and other boats. Canoes usually had a round brass medallion indicating the model- Huron River, Belle Isle, etc. The holes and indentation in your deck photo look as if it had a rectangular plate. As a side note; I still remember the old,for sure, "Truscott" launch that had a Detroit Boat Company brass tag on one of the greasy coaming boards thrown in the bottom of the hull.

 

[Dave Osborn]

It all makes sense! Thanks guys!!

Marquette bound tomorrow! Midwest Regional Assembly.....
See you there, Gil??