Old Town 51632 17
- Thread starter dscarolina
- Start date
Kathryn Klos
squirrel whisperer
Hello--
Old Town 31632 is a 17' CS (common sense, or middle) grade Charles River model canoe with closed spruce gunwales, ash decks, thwarts, and seat frames that was originally painted dark green. It was shipped to Easton, MD, on June 17, 1914.
Old Town 51632 is a more likely fit to the canoe in your pictures--- it is a 17' AA (top) grade Charles River model, completed February-December 1918 with closed mahogany gunwales, Western red cedar planking, mahogany decks, thwarts, and seat frames, a keel, and a floor rack. Originally it was painted khaki brown. It was shipped to Philadelphia on January 9, 1919.
Neither record mentions the half ribs. If the Philadelphia location seems wrong, we can keep looking. Other than the half-ribs, what's mentioned on the 51632 scan appears (to me) to fit-- unless that's a 20" deck with coaming, in which case we should be looking for an Otca. The scans of these records are attached below-- click to get a larger image.
This scan and several hundred thousand others 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 and anyone else reading this will join or renew membership in the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to renew.
Kathy
Old Town 31632 is a 17' CS (common sense, or middle) grade Charles River model canoe with closed spruce gunwales, ash decks, thwarts, and seat frames that was originally painted dark green. It was shipped to Easton, MD, on June 17, 1914.
Old Town 51632 is a more likely fit to the canoe in your pictures--- it is a 17' AA (top) grade Charles River model, completed February-December 1918 with closed mahogany gunwales, Western red cedar planking, mahogany decks, thwarts, and seat frames, a keel, and a floor rack. Originally it was painted khaki brown. It was shipped to Philadelphia on January 9, 1919.
Neither record mentions the half ribs. If the Philadelphia location seems wrong, we can keep looking. Other than the half-ribs, what's mentioned on the 51632 scan appears (to me) to fit-- unless that's a 20" deck with coaming, in which case we should be looking for an Otca. The scans of these records are attached below-- click to get a larger image.
This scan and several hundred thousand others 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 and anyone else reading this will join or renew membership in the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to renew.
Kathy
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dscarolina
Curious about Wooden Canoes
the #s are very hard to make out
I will take some pics of the #s to post.
I will take some pics of the #s to post.
pklonowski
Unrepentant Canoeist
You could use the Ohio registration number, & check with the OH DNR for info on it. That record should have the serial number with it. They would probably know who the last Ohio owner was, and its last known legal disposition (at least as far as Ohio is concerned).
Kathryn Klos
squirrel whisperer
Also, a picture of the deck to confirm whether Charles River may be the correct model... or you can go to www.dragonflycanoe.com/id/ and scroll to Old Town on the left, and compare pictured deck styles to what you see on your canoe.
dscarolina
Curious about Wooden Canoes
#s and deck
I will look into the registration #, good idea thanks. The deck is right at 20" from center at widest point to the very end of the canoe. There is a patch covering the detail but the shape may give it away. There is also an extra strip of wood he screwed to each gunwale which may be disguising the canoe a bit. My uncle says he is sure the canoe was pulled out of 1917 flood waters in Indiana by my Grandfather. See pic's and thank's so much for the help.
I will look into the registration #, good idea thanks. The deck is right at 20" from center at widest point to the very end of the canoe. There is a patch covering the detail but the shape may give it away. There is also an extra strip of wood he screwed to each gunwale which may be disguising the canoe a bit. My uncle says he is sure the canoe was pulled out of 1917 flood waters in Indiana by my Grandfather. See pic's and thank's so much for the help.
Attachments
Kathryn Klos
squirrel whisperer
It does have the traditional Old Town short deck, which was used on the Charles River model. I need to look more carefully at the s/n... are any of the numbers on the other stem easier to see?
dscarolina
Curious about Wooden Canoes
forget the 1917 flood reference
I can hardly remember our anniversary. Best stick to the facts.
I can hardly remember our anniversary. Best stick to the facts.
Kathryn Klos
squirrel whisperer
Look at what the scan for 51632 says and determine if it may be the right one. The numbers look like those to me, but maybe someone else here can see something different. I tried a few other searches and there was nothing close. Your canoe looks to me like a Charles River, and the deck style is the type of deck I'd expect to see on the CR. Length is correct, and often that's way off--- it's unusual that both 31 and 51 were both 17 footers, because length can be the deciding factor. The thwart looks like it's mahogany... so AA grade fits. Does the destination fit? Canoes tend not to go too far from their original destination... they certainly can, but one interesting thing I've noticed in the time I've been looking up build records, is how seldom they stray very far.
dscarolina
Curious about Wooden Canoes
We just looked at the other stem
We see no numbers on the other stem at all, however it is heavily covered in varnish. If I ever get it North to someone up there for restoration they can possibly figure it out. I would hate to haul it a thousnd miles to find out it's not salvageable. I will be keeping it high and dry anyway. I would luv to fish out of it again someday.
We see no numbers on the other stem at all, however it is heavily covered in varnish. If I ever get it North to someone up there for restoration they can possibly figure it out. I would hate to haul it a thousnd miles to find out it's not salvageable. I will be keeping it high and dry anyway. I would luv to fish out of it again someday.
pklonowski
Unrepentant Canoeist
Mapquest says you're a 2-hour drive from Tom MacKenzie, who I believe is one of this org's founding members:
http://www.wcha.org/buildsupply/us/sc.html
Might be worth giving him a call!
http://www.wcha.org/buildsupply/us/sc.html
Might be worth giving him a call!
Kathryn Klos
squirrel whisperer
Check out the registration number, as Paul suggested.
From what I see, the canoe should make it back into the water!
From what I see, the canoe should make it back into the water!
pklonowski
Unrepentant Canoeist
You also might want to use a heat gun on the stems, and scrape off the finish. When you scrape, though, use a pulling motion, as pushing can gouge out the wood... which you don't want to do!
This may reveal more detail in the serial numbers. Another option would be to try some furniture stripper, though it may take several iterations of coating & scraping to get through a heavy buildup of crud. Again, when scraping, pull, don't push.
This may reveal more detail in the serial numbers. Another option would be to try some furniture stripper, though it may take several iterations of coating & scraping to get through a heavy buildup of crud. Again, when scraping, pull, don't push.
dscarolina
Curious about Wooden Canoes
Just spoke with Tom MacKenzie
Yep, he's only about 2 hours from here, gonna send him some pics and talk about it. If it makes it back into the water I'll post some shots. Thanks to everyone for your interest and support.
Yep, he's only about 2 hours from here, gonna send him some pics and talk about it. If it makes it back into the water I'll post some shots. Thanks to everyone for your interest and support.
My guess is that you have the Old Town canoe with serial number 61632 and that the current closed gunwales are part of a prior repair. This is a 17 foot long, AA grade, Ideal model with red Western cedar planking, open mahogany gunwales, mahogany decks, mahogany trim, half ribs, and a keel. It was built between June and July, 1920. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on July 16th, 1920 to Newport, Kentucky. A scan showing this build record is attached below.
These scans and several hundred thousand others 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/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to join.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
These scans and several hundred thousand others 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/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to join.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
Attachments
dscarolina
Curious about Wooden Canoes
Newport Kentucky
My Grandparents moved to Cincinnati just across the Ohio river from Newport in the 1920's. I know that my other Grandfather lived in Newport Kentucky from about 1914 on. They were all 20 something years old in the 1920's. Maybe I should haul this canoe to the family reunion in spring :0)
My Grandparents moved to Cincinnati just across the Ohio river from Newport in the 1920's. I know that my other Grandfather lived in Newport Kentucky from about 1914 on. They were all 20 something years old in the 1920's. Maybe I should haul this canoe to the family reunion in spring :0)
dscarolina
Curious about Wooden Canoes
and Benson
the gunwales are filled in with what looks like auto body filler.
the gunwales are filled in with what looks like auto body filler.
