Old town information please!

[Amos]

Recently acquired an old town canoe, gonna use it for a wall hanger in the cabin. Serial number is 70128 18.....any information would be greatly appreciated! And would anyone know what the original cost would've been? Thanks!

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome and congratulations, the Old Town with serial number 70128 is an 18 foot long, CS (Common Sense or middle) grade, HW (heavy water) model with red Western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, ash decks, ash thwarts, ash seats, a keel, and sponsons. It was built between March and April, 1922. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on April, 21st, 1922 to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A scan showing this build record can be found 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 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 your canoe. This model listed for $82 in the 1922 catalog. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[Amos]

Thanks you for the fast reply! I'm almost certain that is the correct serial number but this canoe does not have sponsons.....is that something that could have been removed? It is currently dark green but has a white stripe below the gunwhales that follow the contour down each end....it appears to the original decals on the side in this white stripe......would that have been included on the original order form?

 

[Benson Gray]

Are there screw holes showing on the inside of the canoe ribs where the sponsons would have been attached? I suspect that the sponsons may have been removed during a previous recanvassing. Decals were not put on the sides of canoes until the 1950s so yours would not have had them originally. Some pictures of the inside and the serial numbers from each end could help answer this.

Benson

 

[Amos]

Not currently with the canoe, but I will definitely inspect for signs of attachment when i am! Hadn't considered anything about a recanvas, but makes sense now! You are a wealth of knowledge and I truly appreciate your help!! One more question please! The canoe is in decent condition but of course the inside has grime and a hundred years worth of build up....is there anything I can do to simply clean it up for display purposes and to really show the wood work short of stripping it? Thanks again

 

[Todd F]

A picture would be very helpful. I have started on a couple of canoes to just get the crud out and see the ribs etc in better detail before I do full restorations. The work to date makes them look much better bit in my opinion it make a difference on the starting condition of the canoe. Again, pics will help. Look forward to seeing your project.

 

[Amos]

Thanks, will try to get pics soon!

 

[Amos]

 

[Amos]

Forgot that I had taken 1 photo once I had stored it in the cabin...can't see a lot of detail but can see how the interior needs cleaned?

 

[Benson Gray]

is there anything I can do to simply clean it up for display purposes

Ordinary soap and water with a sponge and brush will typically clean things up nicely. A full chemical stripping will usually need to wait until the canvas is off.

Your pictures might show holes for sponsons but it clearly shows short carry thwarts on each end. These were only installed by the factory on sponson canoes. The side decal dates from the 1960s or 1970s.

Benson

 

[Amos]

Very interesting.....thanks!