O T Square End Boat With Sponsons

[Paul Fopeano]

I just got a new boat in the shop. It is an 16' Old Town square ender with sponsons. It has mahogany gunwales and seats making it a AA. It has short decks and removable floor boards. The previous owner thought it was from perhaps the 30's. The serial number is difficult to read. In fact every time I try I think I get something different. My last read was 117158 16 or maybe 177?58 16. I can really only be sure about the 1 to start, at least one 7, and ending in the 58 16....... or is it 68 16! Would anyone like to try to find a build sheet? I suspect that she has always been a Maine boat. Thanks!

 

[MGC]

Paul, have you tried making a rub over the numbers? Often rubbing a crayon or grease pencil on a piece of paper laid over the numbers will clear up some of the mysteries...Don't press too hard and rub back and forth long enough to allow the numbers to really pop...

 

[Benson Gray]

I've looked at the available 117x58, 117x68, 177158, and 177168 records but didn't find a 16 foot long square stern in AA grade with sponsons. This model was last listed in the 1964 catalog so it isn't likely to have a serial number in the 177xxx range since these were issued in 1966 and after. The rubbing as MGC suggested an other tricks described at http://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/791/ may help.

Could it be the Old Town with serial number 117888? This is a 16 foot long, AA (or top) grade, square stern model with red western cedar planking, open mahogany gunwales, mahogany thwarts, mahogany seats, a keel, outside stems, a floor rack, and sponsons. It was built between May and July, 1936. The original exterior paint colors were dark green with tropical green and lettered "G. L. H." in four inch gold letters on the right and left bow. It shipped on July, 21st, 1936 to Portland, Maine. A scan showing this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.



This scan and several hundred thousand more were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others as you probably know well. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/store/membership to renew.

Please post some pictures here showing the numbers from both ends. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[Paul Fopeano]

Nice work Benson! I will see the former owner and I will ask him about the GLH on the bows and the two green paints. He glassed the thing sometime before 1992 - I don't know if he removed the original canvas - I hope he remembers! Thanks. Paul