It's the Real Thing...

Kathryn Klos

squirrel whisperer
Newly listed on eBay is this refreshing boat. Reminds me of another recent listing-- a Budweiser Old Town with built in coolers. Could be an interesting bookcase project if the seller didn't want a grand for it!
 

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Attack of the eBay Gadfly

Dave-- I wasn't going to bug this eBay seller, but because of your question I HAD to ask if there was a maker's name on the canoe. All the seller says is that it's Kevlar. Delightful, lightweight (yet indestructible) Kevlar.

The person selling the Budweiser canoe several weeks ago didn't list the builder's name either, but because it looked so much like one that Benson took to the Assembly, I asked the seller... and sure enough, it was an Old Town. It didn't sell, and I wondered if it might have, had the seller made that fact known, making it one of those collectibles that appeals to Old Town collectors as well as "brewerania" (that is not my term-- it's an actual category).

Here's the listing, if anyone needs all the pictures:

http://cgi.ebay.com/16-ft-Kevlar-Co...goryZ423QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
My first thought was that maybe it's a Yankee Rebel (a cheap fiberglass line that Sawyer made to sell in places like K-Mart before the low end became dominated by Colemans and similar rotomolds). The single center thwart and lack of those little end thwarts to reinforce the end-caps don't indicate high-end construction for that type of boat. I'm also not at all convinced that it's Kevlar as it would be pretty unusual to have the resin on the inside colored red and hiding the Kevlar color. Perhaps it was specifically ordered that way by Coca-Cola for the promotion, but before I'd pay Kevlar prices like $1,000 for it, I'd want visible proof that there is any gold stuff hiding down in the layup under that red.
 
Yup

The eBay seller got back to me with this information:

Sawyer Canoe Company, Oscoda, MI
Model: Yankee Rebel 16'
 
Damn, I'm good :)
Do I win a prize for playing "Know Your Ugly Fiberglass Canoes"?
That pretty well settles the Kevlar question, too. I don't believe Sawyer would have ever wasted Kevlar on a Yankee Rebel hull, so unless he can show some gold fabric hanging out somewhere, he's most likely misinformed. This also means, of course, that it's worth about $300, not $1,000.
 
worth vs value

Normally I print off everything Todd writes that relates to sails and sailing, however I have to offer a correction - Its VALUE is about 300.00, its WORTH is whatever someone on Evil Bay will pay. Selling items on Ebay I'm constantly amazed by what they're worth compared to what I valued them at. Now if I could just concentrate on selling and quit buying....:p
 
Actually, it's value to Todd as a canoe is $300. To a collector of Coca-Cola memorabilia, it's value may be somewhat (even significantly) different... or maybe not. Value is determined when cash changes hands between two willing parties, not anytime else...
 
value

Dan, for what its worth I value your input. ;)
you must have had the most remote site at Killbear, didnt see you once.
 
Dan, for what its worth I value your input.

Ok, you owe me a plugged nickel now...

You won't believe the conspiracies against me this fall... no Killbear, no ROO, no St. Michaels. I am, however, going to learn bronze casting in November :D .
 
no more word play

Bronze casting? very kool
Too bad you missed it, a great event
and you missed my wing-on-wing display. No one ate the dinner I brought for you either.:p
 

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