Interesting detailing with inwales and decking

R

revcp

Enthusiastic about Wooden Canoes
Folks,
I'm still looking at various canoes for the solo portion of my sabbatical next summer. I'm leaning heavily toward having a 16' built by the gentleman who has the Unity Solo posted in the for sale section, but taking a week or so to consider options.
I've run into a canoe in NC that the author says is a pre 1960 Chestnut Prospector. Decals on both deckplates, but anyone with twenty bucks could slap decals on. Looks like a nice, well cared for craft. It has some detailing that, in my limited exposure, I've never seen before with respect to the inwales and deckplates. Have any of you ever seen anything like this? Is this the signature of someone who restores canoes? It it specific to a particular brand? Very interesting. Forgot to mention too that I noticed the diamond head bolts, which, as I understand it, are decidedly NOT indicative of a Chestnut (although could very well have been a creative touch added by whoever restored it).

canoe bow.JPG
 
The "arrowhead" deck is a feature of the St. Louis Meramec Canoe Company-- go to www.dragonflycanoe.com/id/ and scroll to St. Louis on the left. I'm not saying that's what this canoe is... it could be a Chestnut that has been modified to look like this and had diamond-head bolts added too.
 
Likely had lots of rot in the ends and tips, they seem to have cut back the inner gunwales and put new outers on, and fabricated a deck to fill the void of the missing ends of the inners.
 
What Andre said - and with the diamond head bolts, has likely had a lot of work. Not saying this is bad, but I'd want to see a whole lot more photos.

Having owned one, a 16' Prospector is a heck of a lot of boat, especially for solo work. I'd be looking for a 15' prospector at largest for solo/tandem mixed, or a 15' Peternut pleasure canoe. The Unity is a nice canoe, but will never be more than a solo.
 
Thanks, all. The canoe certainly pretty in the photos, was probably embellished by whoever restored it.
You're probably right, Dan, that a 15' would be better. I'm thinking that's probably what I'll end up with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top