Wounded Fox
Curious about Wooden Canoes
Is the original build record available for serial number 127728?
Edited title. Originally said "OTCA" not "Yankee".
Edited title. Originally said "OTCA" not "Yankee".
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Old Town Yankee 16 Serial Number 127728
- Thread starter Wounded Fox
- Start date
The Old Town canoe with serial number 127728 is a 16 foot long, CS (Common Sense) grade, Yankee model with open spruce gunwales, half ribs, a keel, outside stems, and a bang plate along the full length of the keel. It was built between May, 1939 and May, 1940. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It was shipped on June 5th, 1940 to East Haddam, Connecticut. 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. The link below shows a similar canoe that shipped to the same location a few years later. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
forums.wcha.org
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. The link below shows a similar canoe that shipped to the same location a few years later. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
Looking for information on an lot town I just was given
The Old town serial # is 135502 16 and also has the name Nelsen stamped on one of the ribs, my uncle gave the canoe to me yesterday and I drove it from Winchester Wi. To St. Louis Mo. He said he bought it in 1956 from a man who had been using it for some years. Any and all information would be...
OP
OP
Wounded Fox
Curious about Wooden Canoes
Thank you very much. I am looking at buying this canoe, and it is really interesting to me that it is still in Haddam, CT!
I think I recall reading somewhere that the "Yankee" was the predecessor of the OTCA, which is how the current owner described it. In any case, despite being re-canvassed twice since then it is still dark green. If I buy it, I do intend to join to support your work.
I think I recall reading somewhere that the "Yankee" was the predecessor of the OTCA, which is how the current owner described it. In any case, despite being re-canvassed twice since then it is still dark green. If I buy it, I do intend to join to support your work.
The 34 inch wide by 16 foot long Otca model was retired and replaced with the 36 inch wide by 16 foot long Yankee model in 1957. This was an era when wide canoes were popular. The page at the link below has more details about the model changes at Old Town.
Benson
Old Town Canoe Company | Wooden Canoe Museum
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OP
OP
Wounded Fox
Curious about Wooden Canoes
OK, so reading the history:
If it had been built before 1920, the same (or very similar) canoe would have been called a Livery model.
If it was built after 1957, it would have been called an Otca 16.
Being a Yankee, it has standard decks, where a 1940 Otca 16 would have had a longer deck.
It is not surprising to me that they eliminated the near duplication in 1957, since reading the catalogs from the 1930's and 1940's, I couldn't figure out which one I would have preferred, assuming I could have ordered either.
I have to say though that it may be mostly an artistic / aesthetic thing, but I love the high ends on the Yankee.
- Livery Model (1913-1919): Old Town’s most stable offering, it was renamed the Yankee for 1920.
- Otca Model (1908-present): The name “Otca” comes from Old Town Canoe Company’s telegraph code. The Otca has a distinctive 20″ long deck with a coaming. In 1957, the 16′ Yankee model was substituted for the 16′ Otca, and the standard deck became the norm.
- Yankee Model (1920-1956): Originally called the Livery Model, the Yankee name was adopted in 1920. In 1957 the Yankee became the 16′ Otca and the original 16′ Otca forms retired.
If it had been built before 1920, the same (or very similar) canoe would have been called a Livery model.
If it was built after 1957, it would have been called an Otca 16.
Being a Yankee, it has standard decks, where a 1940 Otca 16 would have had a longer deck.
It is not surprising to me that they eliminated the near duplication in 1957, since reading the catalogs from the 1930's and 1940's, I couldn't figure out which one I would have preferred, assuming I could have ordered either.
I have to say though that it may be mostly an artistic / aesthetic thing, but I love the high ends on the Yankee.
OP
OP
Wounded Fox
Curious about Wooden Canoes
Benson, looking back at that scanned work order, I can make out all of the handwritten parts except for the words after Keel and Railed. It looks like:
Keel MAY 24 1940 Doucette
Railed MAY 24 1940 Chalaix
Are you able to read this better than I am? Or from context can you figure out what those might say?
Keel MAY 24 1940 Doucette
Railed MAY 24 1940 Chalaix
Are you able to read this better than I am? Or from context can you figure out what those might say?
I can't read those names any better but they are likely to be the last names of the people who handled those functions.
Benson
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