Flourishy cursive.....we don't see much of it anymore. I wonder if the government was able to hire all of the people they needed to decode old documents? Or, if any of them are still employed?
Your very nice canoe is an Otca model.
It is said that the Otca model refers to a telegraph code for Old Town Canoe Company. Whatever the case, the Otca name is one of the most known of all canoe models. I'm guessing that most wooden canoe enthusiasts have owned at least several of them. I know I have.