External stems on Penn Yan Owasco?

[Howie]

I guess my question boils down to how much variations were there on Penn Yan canoes...
I picked up a 16' Owasco a few weeks ago. Here's the serial # - if you can make it out.

It's had work done on it in the past, so I'm not sure whether it originally had external stems or not. One pic I've seen from Penn Yan catalogs shows external stems present ( http://www.flbm.org/collection/canoe_pennyan_owasco_ons_02.php ), another doesn't - unless they are painted ( http://www.flbm.org/collection/canoe_pennyan_owasco_ocs.php). My canoe doesn't have 'em. Or rather, it has a 1/4" thick 'external stem' that's used to hold the canvas tacks (see pic).

So is this 1/4" strip original? or did it replace the original external stem?
Maybe it would help me if someone were to send me pics of their Owasco showing the end of the keel. My keel tapers down to a thin strip at both ends which holds about 6" of the brass stem band. I imagine there'd be a different keel design in this area if external stems were used.
Opinions?

 

[Dan Miller]

It looks to me like the leading letters of your serial number are "ONS" which would indicate a 16' Owasco model with spruce trim. The spruce trimmed canoes did not come with outside stems (the mahogany trimmed models did). I have seen that 1/4" sacrificial stem on other Penn Yan canoes - it was put on at the factory. My guess is this is because the stems for a canoe with outside stems are thicker at the leading edge, and this allowed them to use the same stems regardless of whether it got outside stems or not.

Dan

 

[Howie]

Interesting. Another bit of info: in spite of the ONS designation, the seats & thwarts are mahogany! I'm sure they are original - they are nearly identical to those on my Rainbow. I do agree with your assessment - what I have is likely the original sacrificial stem you mention. But I note that its size is quite narrow where it's nailed to the inner stem. Which would suggest that the inner stems were shaped differently depending on whether external or sacrificial stems are used. Thanks!

 

[Dan Miller]

Another bit of info: in spite of the ONS designation, the seats & thwarts are mahogany! I'm sure they are original - they are nearly identical to those on my Rainbow.

This is correct for canoes built 1942-1947. Before that the spruce trimmed models (spruce referring only to the gunwales) had hardwood maple (circa 1933 or early to 1939) or elm (1940 and maybe 1941) - still filling in gaps on the catalog collection. In 1947, outside stems became standard for the OxS and RxS models. In 1948 Penn Yan went to a single grade (dropping the third letter from the serial number), building with spruce gunwales and mahogany decks, thwarts and seats, but now with outside stems as well.