Morris #3822

[mccloud]

A bunch of WCHAers are at Gifford Pinchot State Park near Harrisburg, PA this weekend. On Saturday a local gentlemen showed up and looked things over, and said he had an old canoe which had been in the family forever. On Sunday he showed up with the canoe. It is a Morris, brass tag is rectangular with corners rounded, #3822, placed on the internal stem in parallel with the keel line. It's has probably 3 cant ribs. The 4th rib is half-covered by the stem. It's in pretty good shape, needing 2-3 ribs, some planking some stem tip work, a new deck, , and un-doing some previous repair work. He says he wants to do restoration himself. What can we tell him about his canoe (Kathy?), maybe even before he leaves today. Tom McCloud

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Thanks for this information, Tom! The canoe possibly dates from 1906. It probably has the heart deck, of mahogany, with mahogany thwarts and seat-frames and spruce rails. Anything extra-- like D-outwales of mahogany or outside stems-- would have been an add-on by the original buyer. And let the fellow know our 2015 Assembly will feature the Morris and he should come to that, with the canoe!

Yay-- one more!

Kathy

 

[mccloud]

Thanks, Kathy. The guy is not a computer user, but I'll phone him to pass along the information. Yes, both decks are the heart shape, one split down the middle (typical). Part of the wood looks like mahogany, but needs a really good cleaning to be sure. In 'cleaner' locations the deep red Morris stain is still there, but most likely the entire inside will have to be stripped. No outside stems. A previous repairer put aluminum stembands on it. Thwarts and seats look original. It has what looks like a really beefy, oversize keel on it. Any chance you can give me the proper dimensions for a keel on a canoe of this vintage? If there are any other 'fine points' to be looked at for identification purposes, let me know. I only live 70 miles away, so expect to see it sometime again. Tom McCloud

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Ooops-- did you say the plate is rectangular and on the stem? If so, the canoe likely has a "1" ahead of the "3"-- is likely 13822. The initial "one" is probably connecting the pin-holes and isn't easily seen. If the plate is, as you say, parallel to the keel and not the splay of the stem, there is a one before that three. They were put on in that direction with many of the canoes for several years in the teens. And the canoe is c.1916.

I don't know the keel dimensions of a "typical" Morris. My guess is it's whatever any non-shoe generally keel is. Maybe someone else can weigh-in there.