Brian King
Curious about Wooden Canoes
I've restored the canoe but wondering what color deck decal it originally had (Old Town Black Bar or Old Town Red Bar). I'm guessing black bar. Is the OT manufacturing data available?
Old Town 159311 13 ft
- Thread starter Brian King
- Start date
The Old Town with serial number 159311 is a 13 foot long, CS (common sense or middle) grade, fifty pound model with a center keel and bilge keels. It was built between February and June, 1953. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on June 29th, 1953 to Grayling, Michigan. A scan showing this build record can be found by following the link at the thumbnail image attached below.
This scan and several hundred thousand more were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/ot_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-the-wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://store.wcha.org/WCHA-New-Membership.html to join.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. There is no known manufacturing data available to determine which color decal was put on the deck of this canoe. This canoe was built during a gradual transition that occurred from 1953 and 1954. My records of existing canoes indicates that the first red decal is shown on serial number 157655 and the last black one is on number 164054 as shown below. Pick the one you like best. Please reply here if you have any other questions. Thanks,
Benson
This scan and several hundred thousand more were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/ot_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-the-wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://store.wcha.org/WCHA-New-Membership.html to join.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. There is no known manufacturing data available to determine which color decal was put on the deck of this canoe. This canoe was built during a gradual transition that occurred from 1953 and 1954. My records of existing canoes indicates that the first red decal is shown on serial number 157655 and the last black one is on number 164054 as shown below. Pick the one you like best. Please reply here if you have any other questions. Thanks,
Benson
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Brian King
Curious about Wooden Canoes
Appreciate the information Benson. This info is accurate since Ray's Canoe Livery is only 16 miles from where we have our cabin on the Ausable River in Grayling Michigan. Ray's is still in operation today and located in Grayling Michigan at the headwaters of the Ausable River. I'm the proud owner of several other Old Towns, having restored a few. I have a few yet to go (two 16 footers, a 17 footer and a "square stern" OT canoe with sponsons and you can still see the title of "Lady of the Lakes" painted on her front.... not sure they are original though. Again appreciate the info.
