How old is my Old Town canoe 16’. #125997

Jeffshaw

New Member
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Congratulations and welcome, the Old Town canoe with serial number 125997 is a 16 foot long, AA (or top) grade, HW model with open mahogany gunwales, mahogany decks, mahogany thwarts, mahogany seats, a keel, a floor rack, and a painter ring. It was built between December, 1938 and March, 1939. The original exterior paint color was bright green. It shipped on March 17th, 1939 to New York City. A scan showing this build record can be found below.

This scan and several hundred thousand more were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will donate, join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/pricing-plans/join to donate or join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer this description doesn't match the canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson



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Thank you Benson!
I spent many days with our family in this canoe in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. Since the later seventies it was hanging in my parents garage until yesterday. Its a beautiful canoe!
We are going through the house now as our father passed away in December. Do you have any idea on the value of the canoe? Id like to keep it but not sure i have a place to keep it and use it.
 
The information at the first link below along with similar canoes listed at https://www.woodencanoe.org/classifieds should help value yours. A key factor will be if it leaks badly. This usually requires a water test. Good luck,

Benson



 
Jeff,
I would say that your memories may be hinting that once the boat is gone, those memories will loose a lot of their glimmer. Consider losing your dad enough to deal with at the moment and give it and you a breather. Take a friend to dinner if there is no room in your living room and later take her for a paddle and tell the story of your dad's canoe. I know , a rather romantic notion.
And find a neighbor's pool and and buy another dinner for a canoe leak test , ideally with you two in it for a while. The higher pressure from the outside is the only good test. The canoe would not enjoy the cold bath and will it not be very effective unless you have a significant hole or something. As has been said, " that's the way it goes, and you're the only one that knows ".
Dave
 
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