Old Town Double Ended Boat

dhansen

Curious about Wooden Canoes
Did the OT DEBs have a serial number on the stem just like the canoes? If not, where would it be?

Thanks!
 
Did the OT DEBs have a serial number on the stem just like the canoes?

Yes, some of the suggestions at https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/791/ may help if it is hard to read. Several other builders made similar boats so it may not be an Old Town. The example at https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?attachments/28277/ shows the serial number from an Old Town double ended boat that shipped in 1907 and https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?attachments/28275/ has the build record. Please post some pictures if you can,

Benson
 
I figured that was the case. I just brought it home today from Bass Harbor so I haven't had a chance to examine it closely. Just looking at the stem under the seats I couldn't see any numbers. I am 99.9% sure it's Old Town. If it isn't pouring rain tomorrow I might pull the bow and stern seats to have a closer look. All the wood looks like it will clean up well. Might replace the outer gunnels and the keel. My biggest concern is that one end has a bit of a twist to it. I'll post pictures as soon as I can get some.
 
I found the serial number, 157579 16. Benson, if you would please...........

Not much to look at now but it is solid. Is there any reason why the seats were built differently over the years?
Another one saved from the dump.

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The Old Town with serial number 157579 is a 16 foot long Double Ended Boat model with a keel, outside stems, and a floor rack. It was built between April, 1952 and January, 1953. The original exterior paint color was light gray. It shipped to East Holden, Maine on May 11th, 1953. A scan of this build record can be found below.

This scan and several hundred thousand others were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others as you probably know well. 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 donate, join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See https://www.woodencanoe.org/about to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/shop to donate or join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match. See https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/18210/ for a similar boat that shipped to the same destination. There was quite a bit of variation in the seats over the years. See http://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/12705/ for several other seat styles in this model from various decades. These are hand made boats so minor differences are common. Did you get the canoe that was listed in Bass Harbor as well? Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson



OTC-157579.gif
 
Thanks Benson.

It was shipped 3 days before I was born. It will go nicely with 17" HW that was on the shop floor the day I was born. I love the connections.

At what point was the serial number assigned to a given canoe or boat?
 
Maybe this should be moved to the Serial Number Search thread. I'll get it right one of these days.
 
At what point was the serial number assigned to a given canoe or boat?

The serial numbers were typically assigned on the "Half Built" date when it came off the form. It is fine to leave this thread under Research and History. These forums are small so everyone typically reads all new postings, regardless of where they are located. Good luck with the project,

Benson
 
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