Kennebec Canoe Build

[Jamie Dunn]

Any body out there have a Kennebec Torpedo? We have the form from the factory here at the Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Museum. We will be building a 17' Torpedo off of it as a museum/shop project. Trying to gather as much information as possible before construction. I would love a chance to put my eyes and hands on one. Here are a few of my questions:
Type 4A (fancy) TYPE 4A-Mahogany 24-inch decks, finish wales, seats and thwarts, birch, maple or oak keel.
Rib specs width, length of taper and, radius of round over edge.
Thwart specs. Dimensions and design.
Deck and coming construction and details.
Planking details/layout.
I know I'm not asking a lot. If anyone in the upper Midwest has one I could look at that would be great. Otherwise, any pictures, drawings, dimensions would be appreciated.
If you are ever in Norther Wisconsin swing on into Spooner and check out the museum (also a great cone shop were restoration/new builds are usually going on.

Jamie Dunn
Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Museum
jamiedunn1959@gmail.com

 

[pklonowski]

The Wisconsin Canoe Heritage museum is definitely worth touring! https://www.wisconsincanoeheritagemuseum.org/ for more info

 

[Gil Cramer]

Having worked on a few Kennebecs, here are some of my observations: The rib tapers varied from center to end. It appeared as though either all the ribs were cut to the same size , or at most two sizes, and then tapered. Therefore the taper variation. Rib radii were much like Morris' radii. Planking width was variable. One 15' Kennebec had 3 1/2" planking on one side and 3 5/8" planking on the other.
I never worked on a Torpedo, but the sponsoned square stern had less "quick and dirty" techniques than the others.

 

[Benson Gray]

Your best option may be to contact Ric and Wendy Fetridge. They have a nice one as shown at the first link below. He appears to have a Facebook page at the second link. The third link has a few pictures of one here from a former member. The picture at the fourth link appears to show one in New York City from 1927. The fifth link shows an old model that looks like one. The stem line shown at https://www.canoetripping.net/threads/looking-at-stem-curves-and-geometry.128056/#post-145024 is very distinctive.

The next best options will be old catalogs. This model was first shown on page 18 of the 1917 catalog shown at the sixth link below. It was last shown in the 1927 catalog as shown in the images attached below. Good luck,

Benson

2016 Finger Lakes Chapter ACBS Winner - ACBS - Antique Boats & Classic Boats - International Boat Club

Finger Lakes Chapter announces the 2016 BEST of SHOW Award Winner. This 1920 17 foot Kennebec Torpedo canoe is owned by Ric and Wendy Fetridge. The canoe won BEST of SHOW at the Finger Lakes annual judged ACBS Boat Show held at Skaneatles, New York on July 30, 2016.

acbs.org

Ric Scott Fetridge

Ric Scott Fetridge is on Facebook. Join Facebook to connect with Ric Scott Fetridge and others you may know. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected.

www.facebook.com

Thread '1920 Kennebec Torpedo'

Apr 9, 2012

Here are a couple of photos of my 1920 Kennebec Torpedo, #13770. When I found it, the serial number was on a tag affixed to the stern deck. The bow deck had a circular, cast iron fitting, held on by three screws, in the center of which, was a vertically threaded, female fitting. Coming out of the side of the vertical fitting, was a smaller, horizotal, female threaded fitting.

The Torpedo is 17' long. Apparently my Subaru isn't.........

• workingbadger
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Canoe Photo Index

An Iroquois Indian canoes in Central Park

It’s all a very culturally insensitive stunt from the 1920s, apparently. According to the caption on the back of this Getty Images photo, with the city skyline in view: “Often romantici…

ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com

Looking at Stem Curves and Geometry

I've been noticing how the stems of different wood-canvas canoes have different stem curve shapes or radii. For example, this 1916 Old Town OTCA was made for Percy Rockefeller, and its stem curve shape is close to circular. My Rollin Thurlow reproduction of a circa 1900 Morris, which I assume...

www.canoetripping.net

Kennebec 1917 | Wooden Canoe Museum

woodencanoemuseum.org

 

[Jamie Dunn]

So, we are moving along with the Kennebec Torpedo Form canoe build. So we are ribbed, planked, canvased and filled. I love this form. The curves! Getting the canoe off the form with this much tumblehome was a bit of work. My question for today is, does anyone have a paint color card from Kennebec - 1920's? In stock colors were green and Italian red. "Other colors and types we can furnish, the length of time required varying one week to three weeks according to the extras called for by the order. Color card on request." So just wondering what the other colors offered were. Thanks

 

[Todd F]

Jamie, mind sharing any photos. Very interested in your efforts.

 

[Jamie Dunn]

A couple through planking.

 

[Benson Gray]

does anyone have a paint color card from Kennebec - 1920's?

I haven't found one. The Kennebec catalogs may be your best source of information. This canoe is looking great. The link below has an Old Town color card from that era. My usual advice is to just pick colors that you like. Good luck,

Benson

Thread 'Old Town color chart circa 1920'

Apr 15, 2011

Well, eBay has proven me wrong again. People have been asking about the exact colors used on their Old Town canoes for years and I have been advising them to pick a color that they like since no one will probably ever know what precise shade was originally used. The undated Old Town Canoe color chart shown below was described by the seller as circa 1920 which seems about right. It only shows 12 colors so this will not help with the more than 150 others mentioned in the build records. These colors may still not be accurate but it should provide a better approximation than anything I've...

• Benson Gray
• Replies: 20
• Forum: Research and History

 

[Jamie Dunn]

Maybe "Italian Red".

 

[Dan Miller]

Google "Italian Red Color" - you'll get all kinds of suggestions.

 

[Jamie Dunn]

Another couple of question. 1) thwart dimensions. I know Kennebec had a wide flat thwart in many of the drawings/pictures I have seen. I am ready to cut out the thwarts and wondering what the width, thickness and profile/shape was. 2) Seats. Anything special about the seats and caning pattern. Any measurements and pictures will be helpful.