Mystery Canoe

[Max Peterson]

Can anyone help identify this canoe? It is 16' 2" long with about 32 or 33" beam, wood & canvas with outside stems that have been plastered with something like Zinzer. The ribs are about 5/16 - 3/8" thick, 15/16 wide and spaced on 3 1/4" centers. The seats and thwart have been moved and changed. There seems to be a number stamped on the bow stem that reads OX212 (1)?.

 

[Max Peterson]

I can't seem to get the photos to post. I'll try again.

 

[Max Peterson]

Mystery canoe photos attempt N0.?

 

[Dave Osborn]

Looks a lot like Shell Lake Canoe from the decks and shearline. The serial number doesn't match up, though. Could be Peterson Brothers. They made a 16'er in the Shell Lake style, and were an off shoot of Shell Lake.
Ribs look narrower than on my shell Lake, but then there is the stringers inside the hull with half ribs. Did anybody beside Shell Lake or Thompson use the stringers? I've always seen them with half ribs.
The serial number looks like something that Penn Yan would have used, but I couldn't match it up with the numbers posted on Dan Miller's ID site.

 

[Dan Miller]

I've seen other Thompson's with serial numbers similar to Penn Yans. My guess is that this is also a Thomspon. The deck style and other features are consistent.

Dan

 

[Max Peterson]

There are metal straps under each deck. With the narrow, widely spaced ribs the canoe is quite light in weight. It looks rough and several of the ribs and half ribs are cracked, but there is no rot. It would be easy to portage but not good in rough conditions. Thanks you all for the information. I may just bring it up to the Assembly tomorrow.

 

[martin ferwerda]

Looks like a Thompson to me also, we had one that looks very similar at one of our meets, it also had numbers stamped on the stems

 

[Dave Osborn]

Ya learn something everyday! Never seen a narrow ribbed Thompson. Good info!

 

[thompsonboatboy]

A Thompson canoe with a serial number??? I've never heard of such a thing as a serial number on a Thompson canoe.

Thompson Bros Boat Mfg. Co. did not start putting any type of serial number or hull ID on their boats until after WW II, circa 1946-47. But I have not heard of serial numbers on their canoes.

They made wood/canvas canoes up thru 1962, according to their price lists, even tho they do not appear in the brohcures after 1956.

Andreas

 

[Max Peterson]

Photos of other Thompson canoes that I've seen seem to have the same plugged hole in the decks. Is this just a plugged eye-bolt hole or is there another explaination? Also, any ideas about the model of this canoe with the narrow ribs widely spaced?

 

[Max Peterson]

Thompson Name Plate

If anyone happens to have a spare Thompson nameplate, zap me a note at max@maxwoodworking.com