Looking for info on my old Town Canoe

[thebeewrangler]

Hi! I'm trying to find info on my canoe which I believe is an Old Town Canoe.
Serial Number: 43304.
Thank you! - Mark

 

[pklonowski]

Someone who has the files can look up the serial number, but pictures of the decks, stem profile, seats, stems can help verify it's not from a different manufacturer. And besides, we like pictures of old canoes!

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome, the Old Town canoe with serial number 43304 is a 17 foot long, AA (or top) grade, Otca model with red Western cedar planking, open mahogany gunwales, mahogany decks, mahogany thwarts, mahogany seats, half ribs, and outside stems. It was built between May and July, 1916. The original exterior paint color was dark red. It shipped on July, 8th, 1916 to Allentown, Pennsylvania.

This scan and several hundred thousand more were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will donate, join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/pricing-plans/join to join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match the canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[thebeewrangler]

Hey Benson, Thank you so much! That definitely sounds like it. There are no Old Town markings but the description is accurate.I think it was fiberglassed at some point. So maybe down the road I can recanvas it. But for now it is in good shape. Also had rope rings and I believe diamond shaped flag holders and someone added a motor mount. Also a "hook" on the bottom Don't know what the value is but I liked it. I paid $750.

 

[thebeewrangler]

Is that a typical price range for this era and this particular model and condition?

 

[Michael Grace]

Wow, you got a great one at an excellent price. $750 would be a reasonable price for an old one in rougher condition, but this is an outstanding canoe from what I can see in photos. Teens-era Otcas were well built and this one is at the very top with its mahogany trim and outside stems. In this model and era, Old Town really paid attention to the details - beautifully chamfered rails and those gunwales that transition from open to closed at the ends (and more). And on top of all this, the canoe is exceptionally fine condition for its age! Great canoe!

By the way, it LOOKS like canvas to me, but maybe in person it's more obviously 'glass. Hope not but if it is, it can be reversed.

 

[thebeewrangler]

Thank you Michael. Maybe it isn't fiberglassed. I was told it was. I included the photo where the paint is missing to show what kind of material is underneath. Kind of new at this. Ha ha.

 

[Dave Osborn]

Wonder what the loop on the keel was for?

 

[thebeewrangler]

Thats what I was wondering too.

 

[JClearwater]

Just a wild thought but maybe it was put there to hold a strap in place when trying to transport the canoe on a small car. Or maybe it's there to make people like us ask questions.

 

[thebeewrangler]

Perhaps so. Heres a few more pics.

 

[thebeewrangler]

Some close ups.

 

[thebeewrangler]

Here's a few more pictures of the paint. I'm not sure if fiber glass and canvas wear the same over years as far as cracking but maybe these pics will help.also I tried to sharpen up the pic of the material that was exposed where some paint had come off.