Guidance for an amature

[emandle]

I have just acquired what I am told is a 1927 Old Town HW. I am trying to confirm this and get some additional information about the specific model but I am at a loss. Both stems are clearly marked "17" but there is no serial number. They are both in good shape and they do not appear to have been sanded. The only thing I can guess is that they stems were replaced? This seems unlikely however. The rest of the canoe is fairly intact. Does anyone have any ideas? I can post some pictures if anyone thinks they can provide information on that alone.
I also have countless questions, some of which are addressed in the Stelmok book but others I am finding conflicting information. I have almost finished sanding the interior of the canoe and despite the fact that it cleaned up pretty good, the wood sounds brittle when I lift it and move it on and off the stands. I had read that some restorers apply a heated mixture of boiled linseed oil and turpentine to bring "spring" back to the wood. Another restorer told me that they do not use this method. I don't want to put my foot through after a full restoration so if this method works I will do it. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[mccloud]

Can't help with lack of serial number, but suggest you provide pictures of the canoe profile, decks, stems, and get some more eyes on it. Some restorers do not add linseed oil to old wood, but others, including me, do. However, do all wood repair work, new ribs, planking, and sanding prior to oil. If sanding has thinned the planking, oil doesn't strengthen it. Consider adding a floor rack even if the boat did not originally have one, or always have foam pads on the floor while you use it. Tom McCloud

 

[emandle]

Thanks for the reply Tom. Here are some photos of the canoe. As you can see the serial numbers are not readable but the lenght stamp is clear. Any information that could be offered would be appreciated. I am also looking for a section of the front seat that is broken. It is the shorter section. If anyone has salvaged parts from a canoe of the same era please let me know. It is 17' long and 34" wide at the center thwart.

 

[Benson Gray]

My guess is that someone sanded down the stem tops at some point to remove the serial numbers. Some of the tricks at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?791 may help you find them again. It appears to be considerably newer than 1927. The shape of the decks and the pressed cane seats are consistent with canoes made in the 1940s and early 1950s. The deck decal style was last used around 1953 so it is probably older than that. The 34 inch width and short decks indicate that it is probably an HW model. The use of linseed oil to help restore old wood has been a topic of much debate in these forums over the years. See http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?3136 and http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?1228 along with the other threads for more about this. Good luck,

Benson

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Your canoe should have a serial number and it looks like there may be a ghost of one there. Perhaps someone intentionally sanded it off. Anything is possible, but it seems unlikely it left the factory without a serial number unless there was some purpose to this (???). In any case, without a serial number it is impossible to get details on the particular canoe, but it given the deck cutout shape and the splined cane, it is a post-WWII boat, probably late 1940s or from the 1950s. It doesn't look like 1960s or later.

Looks like it cleaned up nicely. If you haven't already, you should consider using one of the 2-part cleaner/bleach systems like Snappy or Te-Ka on the interior and stripped seat frames, thwarts decks, etc.. As nice as the sanded canoe looks now, it may look much more blotchy when finish is applied. The cleaner/bleach will really even out the tones and make it gorgeous. Lots of threads here discuss how it's used and how well it works.

All old canoes sound brittle (and they usually are). They creak and pop at this stage. Linseed oil may really darken the interior over time, so most people avoid it today. But if you apply a very liberal coat of thinned varnish (50%) to the interior, and on the exterior do the same or thinned boiled linseed oil, this will soak in and give some life back to the wood. Be very generous, especially on the exterior - just slather it on and apply additional coats (1 or 2) whenever dry spots appear on the hull. You'll be amazed how muh the canoe changes with the cleaner/bleach and a heavy dose of thinned varnish and/or linseed oil.

All of this has been discussed many times here, so search the forums for more conversation.