Old town 63839 -17

[obriengreg]

I have just bought a 17 foot Old Town with the serial number 63839 -17.
Can someone let me know what year it is?
The diamond seat bolts either had the heads cut off or did Old Town originally recess seat and thwart bolts?

Thanks,

Greg

 

[Benson Gray]

The Old Town canoe with serial number 63839 is a 17 foot long, CS grade, HW (Heavy Water) model with Western red cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, birch decks, birch trim, and a keel. It was built between November, 1920 and July, 1921. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on July 19th, 1921 to Wenham, Massachusetts. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.

This scan was 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 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.html to join.

Old Town did not start using diamond headed bolts until the early 1920s so this one was built in the old style. 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. Good luck with your restoration,

Benson