Old Town Canoe Serail #16 11915

[Wacanoe]

Hello,

I just purchased a classic wood/canvas Old Town Canoe to restore http://forums.wcha.org/images/smilies/smile.gif (time permitting). I purchased it in Tacoma, WA but I doubt it was originally delivered here. It appears to be an Otca from roughly 1910. Can you provide build and delivery info for me? Serial # 16 11915.

Many Thanks, jim

 

[Benson Gray]

The Old Town canoe with serial number 11915 is a 16 foot long, CS grade, XX model with red Western cedar planking, closed spruce gunwales, ash decks, ash trim, spruce outside finish rails, a keel, and outside stems. It was built between September, 1909 and February, 1910. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It was shipped on March 3rd, 1910 to Seattle, Washington. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.

This scan 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 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.

I saw pictures of this canoe on eBay at http://cgi.ebay.com/_W0QQitemZ170056657100 and it may have had some extensive repairs at some point. It currently appears to have open gunwales and long decks like an Otca model. The Carleton model with this serial number had sponsons and no outside stems so that doesn't seem like a better match.

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

 

[Wacanoe]

More Questions

Hi Benson, thanks for the good info. This seems to match the boat in most regards. By closed gunwales I believe you mean that the gunwales were contoured to fit over the ribs and therefore there would be no slots between the ribs at the inwales ... correct? I looked over the document you sent and was unable to find mention of closed gunwales anywhere. Is that assumed if nothing else is mentioned?

The decks appear to be Ash, and planking Red Cedar. The boat is 16 ft. The thwarts and seats are probably Ash but I have not scraped through the build up on them to get a close look at the actual wood yet.

Also, I've never seen a 1910 OTC catalog so I do not know what model XX is? Is this a special build-to-suit boat and therefore could have any number of different options? I have ordered one of the reproduction 1910 catalogs to reference.

As your document indicates, this boat was delivered to Spelger & Hurlbut in Seattle. A little digging shows Spelger & Hurlbut to be a provisioner of some sort on 2nd Ave in Seattle during the height of the Alaska Gold rush. Apparently the boat was purchased there.

Concerning possible repairs. You're right that it has had some repair, but judging from the consistent dark color of the interior varnish from bow to stern, I would say that none of the ribs have ever been replaced. Unfortunately there are several that need replacement now. Concerning planking, there are several areas where I question if it was original or not. Again, the interior color of all planking is consistent so I'm not sure. It seems that during originally building the boat there would never be short sections of planking which only cover from one rib to the next. There are several short peices of planking like this, so these probably indicate repairs. One in particular which was photographed for the eBay auction was done very poorly and will need to be replaced along with the rib in that area. My challenge on all of these repairs is matching any replacement parts to that beautiful hard color which the interior has taken on. Alternatively I'd have to scrap everything back to wood. Which is the more recommended approach?

The remains of the canvas indicate Dark Green and in some spots what looks like gray paint but I'm not sure. Who know how many times it was re-covered or repainted.

Thanks for your help. And wish me luck with restoration.

Cheers, jim