Need help identifying type of boat

[Jack63ss]

I am looking to verify the type of a wooden boat we inherited from my father-in-law. It is an all wood 14' Square Stern boat and we were led to believe it was an Adirondack Guide Boat. However, I have not found any pictures of an Adirondack guide boat that look like ours, and it actually looks more like a Rangeley or Maine Square Stern. We estimate the boat to have been built in the 1940's, and probably in the Schroon Lake area, as my father-in-law grew up there.

The boat has been stored indoors for the last 40 years and overall this is in fair condition. The hull is good but gunnel, bow and stern need some work, as do the seats (pictures tell it all). I am looking for someone who can help me identify the boat, as we would like to do "something" with it and knowing what it actually is would be very helpful. Is there anyone who might be able to help please let me know, I have more detailed pictures.
Thanks, Jack

 

[Dan Miller]

It definitely has guideboat construction - the flat bottom board, ribs sawn from knees, the seat risers and portage yoke. It was obviously built to support an outboard motor.

The Adirondack Guideboat: Its Origins, Its Builders and their Boats by Stephen Sulavik (with Ted Comstock and Chris Woodward), is an excellent book for identifying guideboat builders. I flipped through very quickly and didn't see any obvious connections to a builder, but perhaps with book in hand alongside the boat, something more might be learned.

 

[Maxtoon]

Absolutely agree with Dan. It looks like it was built by a guidebook builder, but more along the line of a "church" boat. Great looking watercraft, would be challenging to restore by worthy of the effort.

 

[John Sand]

You might try asking on the WoodenBoat Forum too.

 

[Jack63ss]

Thanks for your replies. As long as you believe I am not off base with it being a guideboat, I think I'm okay. My wife told me her stepfather told her it was built by his father, who lived in Schroon Lake. Or, I read someplace (need to review my notes) that there was a guideboat builder in Schroon Lake at some point. Either way fits my need.

At this point we are NOT interested in restoring it, we are probably more interested in finding someone that is and would like to take it off our hands. Our purpose is to save it as a piece of history. We already did something similar with a mid-50s Correct Craft Atom Skier. We returned it to the kid that my father-in-law bought it from, who is now restoring it. The kid now owns a car dealership. As for the guideboat, I think I still have the outboard that it came with as well.

Anyway, when we decide what we are going to do with it I'll put up a post. Again, thanks for your help.
Jack