Old Town Trapper

[smallboatshop]

The Old Town Trapper model was introduced in 1968 and had a reinforced plastic covering instead of canvas. Has anyone had experience with this covering?

Thanks, Dan

 

[Todd Bradshaw]

I used to sell them, if that helps. "Reinforced plastic" basically meant a polyester resin composite, most likely fiberglass, though somewhere I have also heard nylon cloth mentioned. The boatbuilding nylon that I have seen though (as in Phoenix kayaks) was quite prone to delamination and nowhere near as clear as the cloth on a trapper. The Trappers generally sold to rich people, as they cost two or three times the price of most canoes, and an amazing number of those we sold were impulse buys. People really like the wood showing on the outside.

I don't know if they ever shifted to epoxy resin or not (they should have as it became available, because it works and lasts without delamination a lot better). As for durability, I can't say much. The people who bought ours generally were not the type to take it out and grind it down a rocky river or leave it outside in the back yard on saw horses. Those canoes had a pretty pampered life.

 

[smallboatshop]

Thanks Todd that really helps. We got a call today to look at a canoe that the owner says needs much restoration and only as the call ended did it register that he said Trapper. Having never worked on one, we looked it up and found the plastic covering. We'll see it tomorrow and now I'll know what I am looking at.

Thanks again.

Dan

 

[Todd Bradshaw]

Trappers were also available in the standard colors, painted (around $75 cheaper back in the day because they didn't need to be as picky about matching plank colors) though I suspect most dealers sold mostly the clear finished ones like we did. Old Town advertised the Trapper's composite skin as being tougher for shallow, rocky streams than filled canvas was. This was, and still is, somewhat debatable, as filled canvas is pretty tough itself and repair/replacement of damaged wooden parts would be easier with canvas. You should be looking for delaminated spots and if it's clear finished, signs of water damage or weathering of the wood under the skin. Those would qualify as pretty serious problems.

 

[smallboatshop]

Well it turned out to be a 1952 11' 50 Pounder in really good shape. The auctioneer had said it was a Trapper - and the auctioneer also let it go for $25...