Need help identifing canoe!

1905Gerrish

Loves Old Maine canoes
This canoe was thought to be a unmaked Gerrish but has to many different features. 16' 7" long closed gunwale canoe. The rails extend 3/4" over the stems. The rails are tapered on the outside to receive the ribs and are square on the inside. The canoe is built very rugged. The ribs are 1/2" thick and as the pics show the half ribs are installed in a manner that they did not care if they were neat and even. The stems tapers like that of a Gerrish but extend much further towards the middle of the canoe( 1 3/8" at widest point), almost 4" further. The decks are shaped different then a Gerrish also and there was no tag installed. There is also no lashings on the canoe. When the deck was installed in the canoe the builders installed a peice of wire completely through the deck at the widest point and bent it over 180 Degrees. Held very good thought the years. The deck is either made of cherry or maple, not mahogany. The one and only rear seat is very Gerrish like. The same type of caning. The seats and twarts are either make of ash or chestnut. The tacks that were used are the large copper type made before the cut sharp tacks used today. The canoe resembles old Maine style canoe but have not found out much info. Any help would be appreciated!
 

Attachments

  • P3060378.jpg
    P3060378.jpg
    598 KB · Views: 366
  • PC140673.jpg
    PC140673.jpg
    718.3 KB · Views: 339
  • PC060670.jpg
    PC060670.jpg
    575.3 KB · Views: 356
  • P3060387.jpg
    P3060387.jpg
    351.1 KB · Views: 364
  • P3060380.jpg
    P3060380.jpg
    541.9 KB · Views: 349
  • P3060379.JPG
    P3060379.JPG
    951.2 KB · Views: 357
Maybe an Old Carleton?

Just guessing, but I'll throw it out there. The deck reminds me of a Pre-Old Town Carleton.

I'm not convinced whatsoever, so carry on.
 
Last edited:
Well finished restoring the canoe a few days ago and got her in the water yesterday. Came out fairly well I think. My father and I spent some serious hours on it. When we tried to strip it we found that there was no varnish under the green paint ( we think that was original) which meant that the green penetrated deep into the wood. The ribs stripped ok but the planking was another story. In the end we decided to remove all of the planking, sand it and re-install. A lot of work and a lot of time. Found that someone had done some repair work to it many years ago installing new tips on the stems and gluing a broken thwart together. In the end it needed 4 ribs, 4 half ribs,rails,caps and 30 ft of planking. Hopefully this will be at the assembly!
 

Attachments

  • DSCN1034.jpg
    DSCN1034.jpg
    224.9 KB · Views: 286
  • DSCN1037.jpg
    DSCN1037.jpg
    162.2 KB · Views: 293
  • DSCN1042.jpg
    DSCN1042.jpg
    128.2 KB · Views: 287
  • DSCN1044.jpg
    DSCN1044.jpg
    168.2 KB · Views: 295
  • DSCN1043.jpg
    DSCN1043.jpg
    129.9 KB · Views: 292
Last edited:
Came out fairly well I think.

Gorgeous actually....very nice lines.
What I find interesting is that the ribs are very similar (I would same the same) as the ribs in my Gerrish.
The ribs in my canoe are equally "large", shaped and finished identically but spaced very close (no half ribs).
When you first posted I did not own that boat so it's a revelation after seeing your finished canoe.
 
Its a stunner. Mike, your Gerrish wont look like that, dont even try. Might as well just sell it to me now...
 
Back
Top