Old Town 45745 18

[Ernest Child]

I have to apologize, 35+ years ago when we lived in New Jersey, a friend visited Old Town and brought us back a photocopy of the original sales receipt. That slip of paper has, as we say ..."gone under". I am sure it's somewhere in a box in the barn.

We're currently re-covering, preparing the canoe for another few generations of graceful use.

We will greatly appreciate any and all assistance! Serial No. 45745 18 Thank you.

Ernest "Jim" Child - Midcoast Maine

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome, see https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/5361/ for a copy of this build record. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions, Good luck with the project,

Benson

 

[Ernest Child]

Well, here I am apologizing again!

Benson, thank you for your extremely speedy reply! Unfortunately, my wife obviously erred when reading the number stamped in the wood. We know from remembering the 35+ yearly info we had that our canoe was delivered to our relatives in NE Connecticut ...pretty sure that was in the later 1920's (1927 ?).

We will have to go visit the canoe and record the correct SN -- watch this space!

Jim

 

[Ernest Child]

Benson! I just located a number I copied down a few weeks ago when we visited the canoe. It's a different format than I see here but here goes: 18 V4J9135 -- is this anything helpful?

 

[Benson Gray]

Old Town serial numbers are all numeric so that one doesn't seem correct. The charts at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/oldtown_chart.html indicate that an Old Town from 1927 should have a serial number around 90,000. Please take some pictures when you get a chance to show the serial numbers from both ends and post them here. The tricks described at https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/791/ may help if the numbers are not clear. Good luck,

Benson

 

[Ernest Child]

Okay! We retrieved the canoe yesterday ...and hopefully found all of its "parts".

The person with the best eyesight managed to locate and read "94755" -- the wood had been lightly sanded which didn't improve legibility. My fingers are crossed!

Jim

 

[Benson Gray]

The Old Town canoe with serial number 94755 is a 16 foot long, AA (or top) grade, HW (Heavy Water) model with red Western cedar planking, open mahogany gunwales, mahogany decks, mahogany thwarts, mahogany seats, keel, and a floor rack. It was built between May and June, 1927. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on June 30th, 1927 to North Thetford, Vermont.

If you have an 18 foot long canoe then my guess is that you may have the one with serial number 94155. This is an 18 foot long, GS (Guide Special or utility) grade, Guide model with red Western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, ash decks, ash thwarts, ash seats, and a keel. It was built between March and June, 1927. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on June 28th, 1927 to Henderson, North Carolina. Scans showing both of these build records are shown below.

These scans 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/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will donate, join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See https://www.woodencanoe.org/about to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/shop to donate or join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if these descriptions don't match your canoe. This a situation where some pictures could help. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson