Old Town deck shape question

[patrick corry]

In what era did the Old Town company use this deck shape? The image is from a Facebook ad for what the seller calls a "Portage" model. I suspect it's a 50 pounder, but then my familiarity with Old Town canoes is limited.

 

[Benson Gray]

This shorter deck on the fifty pound model appears to first be shown in the 1949 Old Town catalog. The serial number's build record can confirm the year this canoe was built. I don't recall ever hearing of an Old Town "Portage" model before.

The 1948 and 1949 pages describing this model are shown below for comparison. The examples in the classified archive at https://wcha.org/classified-archive/Old-Town-50.html indicate that the change may have started in the late 1930s.

Benson

 

[patrick corry]

Thanks Benson. I've been messaging the owner to glean a little more info, such as the serial number, but he's resistant. I suspect he's an older person who thinks my probing questions about the model name 'Portage' are a scam. He won't give me "his serial number" because of this fear. I sent him an example of an Old Town serial number stamp, but no success so far! Thanks for your answer.,

Pat

 

[MGC]

Hey Patrick,
Check your PM's.
The seller has previously been informed that he is selling a 50 pounder. You are not the first one to approach him about that. Good luck!
Mike