Old Town Charles River?

[Ray Kepler]

Hi,

My name is Ray Kepler; I just joined the forum. What an amazing site!
I joined because I just purchased a 1960 Old Town Canoe and I hope to restore it. I believe it to be a Charles River. In attempting to post a serial number request, I've run into snags. I can't seem to figure out how to post a new subject or do the 3 requisite posts. Can you help? (I think I've figured it out)
Anyways, the serial number is 260008 . 16

Thanks in advance!

Ray Kepler

 

[Benson Gray]

Hi Ray,

I'm sad to report that the scanned records stop just over 250,000 so no one here can help. Your canoe should have a hull identification number on the starboard stern. The information at http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/hin.htm will help you decode a date from this. You could try contacting the factory to see if anyone there is willing to go search the paper records to find yours. Let me know if they can help or if there is anything else that I can do to help. Sorry,

Benson

 

[Ray Kepler]

Thanks, Benson. I'll take a look.

 

[Ray Kepler]

Much of the gunwhale is rotted. Not sure where to look. Inside or outside? Either way, I don't see any numbers.

 

[pklonowski]

It won't be on the gunnel... look on the hull itself, somewhere within a foot or two of the starboard stern. Usually they're just 2-4 inches below the gunnel... and they can be hard to see, if there's been some previous work done on it. Let us know what you find!

 

[Benson Gray]

Much of the gunwhale is rotted. Not sure where to look. Inside or outside?

The tag should be similar to one of the examples shown below. The wooden Charles River models were last listed in the 1929 catalog so you probably don't have one of those since it would have a five digit serial number. The chart at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/oldtown_chart.html indicates that an Old Town from 1960 should have a serial number around 170000 and 260008 is probably circa 1985. It may help if you can post some pictures of your canoe and serial numbers here.

Benson

 

[Ray Kepler]

Thanks for the help, guys. I got the records today from the previous owner. Turns out it's a Guide, 1985. Lots of learning going on!

 

[Benson Gray]

Better late than never?

Benson

 

[Ray Kepler]

Wow, that's amazing!
I also came up with some information on the canoe.
My restoration/salvage work is coming along slowly. It's hard to varnish in Connecticut's cold!