Welcome and congratulations, the build record for the Old Town canoe with serial number 177839 shows a 15 foot long Lightweight model with a keel. It was built between March and May, 1967. The original exterior paint design was similar to the one shown at
http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/designs/design46.gif which was known as their design number 46. It shipped on May 12th, 1967 to Dayton, Ohio. 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
http://www.wcha.org/about-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and
https://www.woodencanoe.org/pricing-plans/join to donate or join.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer this description doesn't match the canoe. Canoes with a family connection are always extra special. Feel free to reply if you have any other questions.
Benson
