Kennebec #16357

[G. D. Fox]

Can you provide any information on this canoe. I found it hanging on the exterior of a Florida restaurant. It appears to be a 16' boat. S/N tag is still on the deck. She's solid and restorable but in poor condition. I'll be needing a source for mahogany and cedar rib and planking stock if anyone has any suggestions.

Thanks,

Greg Fox
Central Florida

 

[Benson Gray]

The Kennebec canoe with serial number 16357 is shown on page 191 of volume three in the Kennebec ledgers. This was assigned to a 17 foot long Kennebec model, type a. It was planked by Gilmore and Lantigue(?) on June 10th, 1922. The canvas covering was applied by Tuttle and the first filler coat was applied by Polgorskoy(?) on the same day. The second filler coat was applied by Grant on June 17th, 1922 (which appears to be an error since this is after the shipping date). It was railed by Mansell on on June 10th, 1922. The original color was green. It shipped to Lakemont, Georgia on June 13th, 1922.

The scans of these build records can be found by following the links at the attached thumbnail images below. These original Kennebec records are reproduced through the courtesy of the Maine State Museum.

The microfilms and scans of these records were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA). I hope that you will join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to renew.

More information about this and other Kennebec models can be found in the Kennebec catalogs contained on the Historic Wood Canoe and Boat Company Catalog Collection CDs available from http://www.wcha.org/catalog/ and http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/cdrom.htm on the web.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match the canoe. Many of the restorers listed at http://www.wcha.org/buildsupply/ are willing to sell small amounts of mahogany and cedar. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[G. D. Fox]

Thanks for the information.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Folks here love to see pictures of others working on their canoes... I hope you'll keep us informed!

I see you're in Florida... far from the sources we use up here in Michigan. WCHA member Michael Grace lives in Florida and may have suggestions for you. His contact information is on his forums page at http://forums.wcha.org/member.php?u=37. Somebody else from your part of the world may jump in too.

There's information on the Kennebec, with suggestions for other resources, at www.dragonflycanoe.com/id/ scroll to Kennebec on the left.

I hope this helps.

Kathy

 

[G. D. Fox]

Folks here love to see pictures of others working on their canoes... I hope you'll keep us informed!

I see you're in Florida... far from the sources we use up here in Michigan. WCHA member Michael Grace lives in Florida and may have suggestions for you. His contact information is on his forums page at http://forums.wcha.org/member.php?u=37. Somebody else from your part of the world may jump in too.

There's information on the Kennebec, with suggestions for other resources, at www.dragonflycanoe.com/id/ scroll to Kennebec on the left.

I hope this helps.

Kathy

Hi Kathy

Thanks for the information. I took pictures of the Kennebec at the entrance to the restaurant before we took it down. They actually had two wood canvas canoes. The 2nd one was hanging in the dinning room. That one has no serial number or identifying tags/decals. It appears to be a non factory boat.

We have a vacation home in NE Indiana near the Michigan line. Do you know of any suppliers I could access from there?

Thanks,

Greg Fox
I'll try to post some pics of the Kennebec when I can.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

LL Johnson Lumber & Johnson's Workbench in Charlotte, MI 800-292-5937

Also, the other wood/canvas canoe in the restaurant may be interesting too... and we love trying to figure out a mystery... so if you ever get any pictures of that one, it could be fun.

Kathy

 

[Dave Wermuth]

mahog supply

Armstrong has high quality Honduran Mahogany. M-59 east of US-23. Johnsons may have their inventory online.

 

[Denis M. Kallery]

Check with Armstrong before heading there. The last time Kathy and I were there the Mahogany came in 17 feet as the longest. That was, however, a number of years back.
Denis

 

[G. D. Fox]

Kennebec Pictures

Thanks for the Michigan supplier information. I'm in that general area quite frequently. Hopefully, There is a source in central Florida if I look hard enough.

Here are a few pictures of the Kennebec canoe still hanging in front of the restaurant. The green canoe was inside in the dinning room. This one is a mystery. No serial numbers, tags, decals or brands. It's crudely made so I suspect it's homemade. Interestingly enough, they also have a canoe bookcase that looks like half a twin to the green canoe.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

The mystery canoe appears Canadian-built to me, based on the babiche seats and lack of taper to the ribs... someone else here will probably know. Could be a Faber... but I don't know the Canadian builders as well as some of the others here do.

Kathy

 

[Dave Osborn]

I was thinking Faber, too.....