Old Town 20514 and 173753

[Warren Richardson]

I need the details on these serial numbers; 20514 is a 17 ft. Octa or HW and 173753 is a 25 ft. war canoe.

 

[Ric Altfather]

Warren,

Canoe #20514 was completed on 4/13/1912 and built as a 16' Charles River in CS (common sense) grade with spruce gunwales and birch seats, decks and thwarts. It had no keel and the original color was dark red. This description does not match with your request...you might want to double check the SN on both stems. A build record is attached for your review.
Canoe #173753 is in fact a 25' War canoe, shipped on 6/18/1964 to Canaan, ME. It was built with a keel, outside stems, floor rack, narrow (2 3/4") planking and the original color was white. Build record attached.

If you are not already a member of the WCHA please consider joining to help support this and many other services available to the preservation and restoration of these fine boats. If your plans involve restoration/repair of these canoes, you have come to the right source for valuable information from the experts.

Ric Altfather

 

[Warren Richardson]

Thanks for the response. I suspected that the serial number and the physical canoe would not match up because this canoe in in excellent shape, not what you might expect for a 1912 canoe. There are no indications that it has ever been dissaembled for a canvas replacement! However, there is no doubt that the serial number 20514 is the same on both ends (it is very legible) and a "17" is also very visible where it should be, a few spaces after the serial number. Perhaps the last digit could have been removed. Could you check the numbers 205141 to 205149 and see if we find a match.
The war canoe is as expected.

 

[Warren Richardson]

Try the number 205142. I just went out and took another look at the stems on this canoe. When I ran my finger over the serial number I felt a slight depression right where the next or last digit should be! After careful scraping with my pocket knife the impression of the number 2 was barely but certainly visible. The same thing happened on the other stem. Looks like someone tried to make this canoe older than it is.

 

[Ric Altfather]

Is it Dark Green?

Warren,

If this is the one, it was shipped on March 21, 1975 to Exton, PA. Number 205142 was built as a 17' Chipewyan and painted dark green. The build record is attached.

Hopefully this is it,

Ric

 

[Dan Miller]

Chipewyan is an ABS (plastic) canoe model.

Attached is the build record for the Carleton canoe with the serial number 20514. Compare the details there with yours to see if it is a match.

 

[Warren Richardson]

Thank you, Dan. I think you have got it right. I went to your website and read about the curved carry thwart just behind the front deck that is a characteristic of a Carlton. This canoe has one. Thanks for the help.