Old Town cane seats

[EarleVermonter]

I have an Old Town Yankee that needs canvas replacement and restoration. Per build record it was shipped in 1951 (#155168). Seats in it need repair. They have pressed cane. Is this accurate for that era Old Town seat? Should i replace with woven cane? When did Old Town begin using pressed cane in their seats? Was woven cane ever an option when they offered pressed?

 

[Benson Gray]

Is this accurate for that era Old Town seat? Should I replace with woven cane? When did Old Town begin using pressed cane in their seats? Was woven cane ever an option when they offered pressed?

Yes, hand caned seats were replaced with the pre-woven cane alternative at Old Town as a result of the introduction of minimum wage in the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 so your seats are the style that shipped with it. The transition was gradual as they used up old stock so there are some canoes with hand caned seats that shipped well after that date. The mitered right angle corners were used until around 1979 when the curved radius corners first started to appear. Old Town canoes with wooden slat seats date from the Second World War when cane was not available. Hand caned seats were not ever offered as an option once the transition to the pre-woven cane began. Let me know if this doesn't answer your questions. Thanks,

Benson

 

[mmmalmberg]

I was going to ask the same question! But now I have to ask, what caused the unavailability of cane during WWII?

 

[Benson Gray]

I have to ask, what caused the unavailability of cane during WWII?

Most cane comes from "Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia" according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caning_(furniture) and they were occupied by Japan during the war so supplies were not readily available.

Benson

 

[mmmalmberg]

Thanks Benson I don't tend to think about materials for canoes coming from outside the continent!

 

[EarleVermonter]

Thanks. That is exactly what I was looking for.