RMR
Curious about Wooden Canoes
Okay, please forgive me if I screw up my first post.
I have in my possession a 1915 B.N. Morris, Model A, 17', open mahogany gunwales, #12286. It was a 'front yard purchase' back around 1997 in St. Paul, MN., for around $250.00.
It's history: Purchased from Morris and used as a 'livery canoe' - by the City of St. Paul - and they likely purchased more than just one, as mine was used at Lake Como, a lake that is part of the St. Paul Parks, there is a 'city' tag right in front of the Morris serial tag,,,,,of course it probably found it's way around other lakes/waterways as well. I'm hoping to be able to gather more info on the Morris order from the City of St. Paul. The canoe was stored in a garage for an unknown number of years, when the fellow I purchased it from came across it, to find the canvas falling off but the wood-work basically intact.
He then proceeded to pull off the canvas, keel, etc. and put a really basic, single layer of 'glass over it. I've used it a few times and I'm quite impressd with it; even with the glass. My canoeing experience before this has been in 'tin and synthetic canoes', but they don't feel anything like this.
So, I scrubbed it out a few weeks ago with a mild soap, rinsed, dried, and now is in our dry basement where I have begun the process of educating myself about Morris by reading and enjoying much info here (thank you all) and speaking with restorationists around the country who have kindly answered my many questions.
Okay, I posted some pictures under RMR here on the Forum - please look and let me know any comments. Too, today, I examined the keel, and though it is basically bare, I carefully examined the few small patches of paint to find that it was originally Red, followed by Green, followed by a light Blue.
Okay that's enough for now. Thanks for having an awesome site.
I have in my possession a 1915 B.N. Morris, Model A, 17', open mahogany gunwales, #12286. It was a 'front yard purchase' back around 1997 in St. Paul, MN., for around $250.00.
It's history: Purchased from Morris and used as a 'livery canoe' - by the City of St. Paul - and they likely purchased more than just one, as mine was used at Lake Como, a lake that is part of the St. Paul Parks, there is a 'city' tag right in front of the Morris serial tag,,,,,of course it probably found it's way around other lakes/waterways as well. I'm hoping to be able to gather more info on the Morris order from the City of St. Paul. The canoe was stored in a garage for an unknown number of years, when the fellow I purchased it from came across it, to find the canvas falling off but the wood-work basically intact.
He then proceeded to pull off the canvas, keel, etc. and put a really basic, single layer of 'glass over it. I've used it a few times and I'm quite impressd with it; even with the glass. My canoeing experience before this has been in 'tin and synthetic canoes', but they don't feel anything like this.
So, I scrubbed it out a few weeks ago with a mild soap, rinsed, dried, and now is in our dry basement where I have begun the process of educating myself about Morris by reading and enjoying much info here (thank you all) and speaking with restorationists around the country who have kindly answered my many questions.
Okay, I posted some pictures under RMR here on the Forum - please look and let me know any comments. Too, today, I examined the keel, and though it is basically bare, I carefully examined the few small patches of paint to find that it was originally Red, followed by Green, followed by a light Blue.
Okay that's enough for now. Thanks for having an awesome site.
