inherited 17' Rushton serial #5182

jhepp

new owner of old Rushton
looking for help to identify what I have. Does anyone know what the serial number means? don't know the year. when did Rushton stop making canoes?

thanks for any help!
 
There's some basic information on the dragonfly.com site... scroll down to Rushton on the left.

http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/id/

Post pictures here. The records connecting a Rushton serial number to a build record aren't known to exist, but read through what's on the dragonfly site and you may get a general idea of the era your canoe dates from. Others here may have some additional clues too... and we love pictures!

Kathy
 
I'd like to help, Could you post a photo of the canoe.

Robert P. Ross
Ross Bros.
PO Box 60277
Florence, MA 01062
413.320.2306
 
JH,

As you can see, there are lots of folks here that are willing to assist. A few photos and a couple of measurements will go a long way towards getting your canoe identified. To move this along, let us know if this constructed entirely from wood or if it is wood and canvas. Then, a few photos of the decks, seats, thwarts and the profile of the canoe will help identify it. As was noted by Kathryn, the SN is not going to be very useful in dating the canoe. But not to worry, there are other distinguishing features that will help to pin it down. For example, is Rushton stamped into the bottom side of the thwarts?

For historical interest I suggest that you buy Atwood's book.
http://www.amazon.com/Rushton-His-Times-American-Canoeing/dp/0815601417
It contains a great deal of information that will help you to understand and appreciate your canoe. There are folks that will take issue with the details of his mechanical drawings... not to worry; they will help you to identify a Rushton. This book was Atwood's passion. He obsessed over the history and did collect a great deal of very interesting information for us to enjoy.

You should also look at buying the catalog re-prints available here on this site at the Online Store. You will likely find your canoe in one of these.
http://woodencanoe.org/catalog/prod...d=397&osCsid=d90dff86b5abd1cc287668935f67d0bf

http://woodencanoe.org/catalog/prod...d=425&osCsid=d90dff86b5abd1cc287668935f67d0bf

If you are in the area, the Clayton Boat Museum and the Blue Mountain Lake Museum have some of these canoes on display. Both museums are worth a visit (if not several).

Good luck with your canoe and enjoy it. These are among the most desirable old canoes around. Don't sell it before you know exactly what it is.

Out of curiosity, why do you think that the canoe is a Rushton?
 
has clean title that says Rushton, then I looked up Rushton online and saw a picture of one of the "decks"? with the heart shape for lack of a proper term.
 
I once bought a very nice Morris with an Old Town bill of sale from 1948. That caused quite a ruckus when I tried to correct to owner. It had sweet heart decks too. A photo is worth a thousand words. That's no bull.

Robert P. Ross
Ross Bros.
PO Box 60277
Florence, MA 01062
413.320.2306

Check us out on Face Book Too!
 
I started a new thread with pics under Research and History since the serial number won't do me much good....
 
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