Kennebec Boat & Canoe Company - Looking for Canoe information

[Steve Millett]

I have a Kennebec Canoe. Serial #15523 I believe it is a Maine Guide's model. Looking to find any info about the canoe
that I can get. It belonged to my great uncle Allen "Zeke" Millett who lived in West Minot, Maine. He had it restored in 1975
at the Waterville Boat & Canoe Company in Waterville Maine

 

[Benson Gray]

The Kennebec canoe with number 15523 is a 20 foot long Maine guide model type a as shown on page 277 of volume three in the Kennebec ledgers. It was planked by Cameron on November 26th, 1921. The canvas covering and first filler coat were applied by Tuttle on the same day. Soucie applied the second filler coat on May 27th, 1922. It was railed by Shepard on the same day. The original color was green. It shipped to Bridgton, Maine on June, 15th, 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/about-the-wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://store.wcha.org/WCHA-New-Membership.html to join.

Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[Steve Millett]

Thanks for the quick reply Benson. We are trying to put a value on this canoe as my dad is looking at selling it. He brought it back from Maine in 1984 and it has hung
in his garage since. It has only been in the water 4 times since it's restoration in 1975. It's in excellent shape. Any clue how or who to contact to get it appraised??
We live in the Syracuse NY area

 

[MGC]

Steve, the stock reply to that question is a referral to the following:
http://www.wcha.org/frequently-asked-questions/
& then:
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?57-How-much-is-my-old-wooden-canoe-worth
20 foot canoes tend to be a bit harder to sell than more popular 16 footers. Folks simply are not as interested in the challenge of handling and storing the bigger boats. I know that I will never be able to sell my 20 footer for anywhere close to it's replacement cost.

There is a nearby WCHA chapter with members in the Syracuse area. To find out if there is anyone nearby that can help you assess the value of your canoe you might try giving the Western Chapter head a call;
Western NY – Chapter 1
Pete Shea
585-257-5013
Email: pshea1@rochester.rr.com

I will be passing through Syracuse in the next week or so. If you want me to take a look at your canoe please send me a PM with your phone number. I'll call when I get back to the states next week.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

In promoting this canoe, it might help to mention to prospective buyers that Kennebec will be the featured canoe at the 2016 WCHA Annual Assembly.