Old Town Sponson Canoe

[canoeguybc]

Hi Benson,

A summer camp in Coeur d'Alene, ID has an 18' Old Town canoe fitted with sponsons and a sailing rig. The serial number is 177548. They said it was purchased in 1965, so I'm curious to see the build record for more information.

I'll be restoring this canoe and documenting the process for my second book -- This Fancy Old Canoe.

Cheers,
Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes
Grand Forks, BC

 

[Benson Gray]

Hi Mike,

The Old Town canoe with serial number 177548 is an 18 foot long Otca model with hand carry thwarts, a keel, outside stems, sponsons, a stem band along the full length of the keel, a mast seat, a mast step, a rudder and a complete sail rig. It was built between January and September, 1967. The original exterior paint color was pale blue. It shipped on September 19th, 1967 to Spokane, Washington. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.

This scan and several hundred thousand others 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/ot_records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-the-wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://store.wcha.org/WCHA-New-Membership.html to renew.

It is also possible that they could have another number or manufacturer if this description don't match your canoe. Good luck on the new book. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[canoeguybc]

Hi Benson,

Thanks for the reply and the build record for 177548. This is indeed the canoe that currently resides at a summer camp near Coeur d'Alene, ID. Attached is a photo.

Cheers,
Mike