Old Town Garage find

[Christopher Lovell]

I just picked up an all original 17’ Old Town canoe, serial number 70720 17 or 76720 17 (the second digit appears to be double struck and is hard to interpret) for what seems to be an extremely reasonable price. It’s been stored inside for the last 80 years. The canvas needs paint but is tight and the woodwork needs cleaning but structurally sound.

Can anyone provide information about this gem?

 

[Christopher Lovell]

 

[smallboatshop]

Hi Christopher, Your canoe is a 17' AA Grade (top grade) Ideal Model with western red cedar planking, open mahogany gunwales, mahogany decks, thwarts and seat frames. It was equipped with a keel and half ribs, painted dark red and shipped to Waterbury Connecticut in 1922.

The scan of this record is attached -- click on it to get a larger image. This scan and several hundred thousand others 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/ot_records/ if you want more details. I hope that you and anyone else reading this will join or renew membership in 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.php to renew.

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. Providing photographs would help with identification, as would an accurate measurement of the boat's length.

Dan

Daniel Eaton
smallboat shop
Denmark, Maine
www.smallboat-shop.com

 

[Christopher Lovell]

Thank you so much!

97 years later and still water worthy! The hull needs paint but the canvas is still tight without a sign of rot! White lead filler does wonders.