Old Town Serial Number search
- Thread starter agnesmacy
- Start date
Welcome and congratulations, the Old Town canoe with serial number 170623 shows an 18 foot long canoe which doesn't match the trailing 17 in the serial number you provided. Can you confirm the extreme overall length of the canoe and provide pictures of the serial numbers from each end? The suggestions at the link below may help if the numbers are hard to read. Thanks,
Benson
forums.wcha.org
Benson
How do I find a serial number on an old wooden canoe or boat?
Many old wooden canoes and boats have a serial number on both inside stems and a decal or tag with the manufacturer's logo on the bow deck. The number is usually stamped on the top of the lower part of the stems. The inside stems are the long curved pieces of wood that form the ends of the...
My guess is that you have the Old Town canoe with serial number 110623, especially after seeing the pictures on Facebook. This is a 17 foot long, CS (Common Sense or middle) grade, Otca model with red western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, ash decks, ash thwarts, ash seats, oval outside finish rails, a keel, and a bobstay on the bow. It was built between November, 1931 and April, 1933. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on April 11th, 1933 to Chicago, Illinois. A scan of 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 possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match the canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
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 possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match the canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
Benson,
Thank you for this detailed information! After looking at the serial number again, I think you’re right. It must be 110623. Thank you for your help! I’m really enjoying working on restoring it, even though it’s in great shape given how old it is. I can see small spots of dark green paint on the gunwhales, which much be left from its original canvas color.
Thank you for your help,
Agnes
Thank you for this detailed information! After looking at the serial number again, I think you’re right. It must be 110623. Thank you for your help! I’m really enjoying working on restoring it, even though it’s in great shape given how old it is. I can see small spots of dark green paint on the gunwhales, which much be left from its original canvas color.
Thank you for your help,
Agnes
