The build record for Old Town serial number 149297 shows a 15 foot long lapstrake boat so that isn't a good match. Can you provide any pictures of the serial numbers from both ends? Thanks,
Hello,
Here is a photo of the serial number and the canoe. The seller was way off with the number...and isn't great with a camera. Lol. To me, it appears to be 169097. This is the only serial Pic she had to send me. Will see if she can do better tomorrow.
Thanks again!
The Old Town canoe with serial number 109697 is a 13 foot long fifty pound model so that isn't a good match either. My guess is that you may have number 149097. This is a 16 foot long, CS (or middle) grade, Otca model with red western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, and a keel. It was built between June and November, 1947. The original exterior paint color was bright red. It shipped on March 1st, 1948 to Fenton or Flint, Michigan. 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 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 renew.
It is also 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.