Old Town Sponson Canoe16' Build Sheet

[Francis Cyr]

Looking at a possible restoration. The Serial number is 139513 or possibly 3's are 8's So 189518 is a possibility
Please look up the build sheet please. Thank you.

 

[Benson Gray]

The Old Town canoe with serial number 139513 is a 16 foot long, CS (Common Sense or middle) grade, HW (heavy water) model with red western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, a keel, a floor rack, sponsons, a bang plate along the full length of the keel, and polished brass swivel row locks. It was built between March and July, 1944. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on July 21st, 1944 to Old Town, Maine. 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.

Benson

 

[Dave Osborn]

Francis,
Hopefully you won’t have to deal with steel tacks.

 

[Francis Cyr]

That would be it. Thank you.

 

[JClearwater]

I couldn't help but notice the build dates of this canoe and wondering what was on the minds of the workers especially on June 7, 1944 when the 2nd filler coat was applied. June 7, 1944 was the day after the D-Day landings on Normandy. My father went into France through Normandy about a month later as a 19 year old Navy SeaBee. He went across Europe all the way to Berlin. After VE day he was shipped off to the Pacific. He came home a year after the war ended. We don't know how lucky we are.

Jim

 

[Todd F]

Kinda of high jacking the thread but I had a great-Uncle who jumped in to Normandy. He was studying Forestry at Syracuse and volunteered. When he finally returned home he worked in logging camps in New England and southern Canada. Eventually settled down and lived on an island on Tupper Lake. Never talked about things that he experienced or saw. Apparently he and his wife were prolific hikers blazing many trails over the years. After my 30 years in our military I wish I could talk with him. Maybe someday.

 

[Todd F]

OK, jumping back in. some folks seemed to not appreciate my post. I apologize with high jacking the thread. Lets get back to canoes.

 

[Francis Cyr]

It is a steel not brass hardware canoe. Steel tacks and Diamond head bolts. I think the screws are brass.