JClearwater
Wooden Canoes are in the Blood
Mike,
Sorry, my comments were not meant to offend and I certainly did not want to cast aspersions on the good name of John H. Rushton. He and his company designed great boats, of that there is no doubt. The fact that people today still build and copy his designs speaks volumes to the high regard they are held. The decked sailing canoe that Doug Fowler brought to the Assembly at Keuka in 2009 was absolutely stunning. Beautiful in form and function. Rushton was a driving force in the early days of the ACA to whom we owe the start of organized canoe recreation. At one point he considered opening a second factory in Newburgh, NY in order to be closer to the NYC metro area and that customer base. Sailing canoe races were held on the Hudson just south of Newburgh not far from where I live. As you correctly noted Rushton built w/c canoes to offer his customers that style canoe because he was losing market share to other builders. Not everyone wanted or could afford an all wood canoe. His w/c canoes were good but they had their equal in other builders. The Charles River area builders designed and built beautiful canoes with good hull shapes and gleaming mahogany. John R. Robertson worked for Rushton before opening his own shop in Auburndale, Massachusetts. He claimed that he was the one who designed at least some of Rushton’s boats. Whether he truly did or whether he was just trying the grab some of the 'shine' off Rushton we may never know.
My Rushton canoe is certainly a grade ‘B’. It is stamped on both stems, “JH Rushton, Canton, NY,” suggesting that it was built before J.H. died and before the company was incorporated. If I live long enough it will get restored, but it is way down the list. There being other canoes I would rather work on.
Kate and I are heading to the Adirondacks for a rare weekend away so I will not be in front of this computer for a few days.
Jim C.
Sorry, my comments were not meant to offend and I certainly did not want to cast aspersions on the good name of John H. Rushton. He and his company designed great boats, of that there is no doubt. The fact that people today still build and copy his designs speaks volumes to the high regard they are held. The decked sailing canoe that Doug Fowler brought to the Assembly at Keuka in 2009 was absolutely stunning. Beautiful in form and function. Rushton was a driving force in the early days of the ACA to whom we owe the start of organized canoe recreation. At one point he considered opening a second factory in Newburgh, NY in order to be closer to the NYC metro area and that customer base. Sailing canoe races were held on the Hudson just south of Newburgh not far from where I live. As you correctly noted Rushton built w/c canoes to offer his customers that style canoe because he was losing market share to other builders. Not everyone wanted or could afford an all wood canoe. His w/c canoes were good but they had their equal in other builders. The Charles River area builders designed and built beautiful canoes with good hull shapes and gleaming mahogany. John R. Robertson worked for Rushton before opening his own shop in Auburndale, Massachusetts. He claimed that he was the one who designed at least some of Rushton’s boats. Whether he truly did or whether he was just trying the grab some of the 'shine' off Rushton we may never know.
My Rushton canoe is certainly a grade ‘B’. It is stamped on both stems, “JH Rushton, Canton, NY,” suggesting that it was built before J.H. died and before the company was incorporated. If I live long enough it will get restored, but it is way down the list. There being other canoes I would rather work on.
Kate and I are heading to the Adirondacks for a rare weekend away so I will not be in front of this computer for a few days.
Jim C.
