Ot 126823-15
- Thread starter RCBovee
- Start date
MikeCav
Restorer/Videographer
Interesting boat
Rick,
Welcome to the WCHA Forums. Seems like an interesting canoe. 126823 was assigned to a 15' Ojibway model in CS (Common Sense) grade. This one had some unusual features from the usual production run. It has juniper decks (usually birch, ash, oak), oval oak finish rails (usually rounded on top, square on bottom), hand holds in the decks (not standard, special spruce thwarts instead of seats and was painted aluminimum. It was originally delivered to a camp in Big Moose, NY in June of 1939, was returned to Old Town in January of 1940 for refinishing and replacement of the thwarts with 3 standard thwarts. A copy of the front and back of the build record is attached.
Scans of approximately 210,000 records were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others. Additional information about the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. Please join WCHA or make a tax deductable contribution so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA, http://www.wcha.org/wcha_video.php to watch a 10 minute video about WCHA and our programs and http://www.wcha.org/join.html to join. If you are already a WCHA member, THANK YOU!
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Rick,
Welcome to the WCHA Forums. Seems like an interesting canoe. 126823 was assigned to a 15' Ojibway model in CS (Common Sense) grade. This one had some unusual features from the usual production run. It has juniper decks (usually birch, ash, oak), oval oak finish rails (usually rounded on top, square on bottom), hand holds in the decks (not standard, special spruce thwarts instead of seats and was painted aluminimum. It was originally delivered to a camp in Big Moose, NY in June of 1939, was returned to Old Town in January of 1940 for refinishing and replacement of the thwarts with 3 standard thwarts. A copy of the front and back of the build record is attached.
Scans of approximately 210,000 records were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others. Additional information about the project to preserve these records is available at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. Please join WCHA or make a tax deductable contribution so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA, http://www.wcha.org/wcha_video.php to watch a 10 minute video about WCHA and our programs and http://www.wcha.org/join.html to join. If you are already a WCHA member, THANK YOU!
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Attachments
Al Sienkiewicz
LOVES Wooden Canoes
Rick: The Old Town canoe with serial number 126823 is a 15 foot long, CS grade Ojibway model built with juniper decks, thwarts and seats and a keel. It was built between February and April 1939. The original exterior paint color was aluminum. It shipped on June 10, 1939 to Big Moose, NY north of Old Forge in the western Adirondacks. Reference is made that hand holds were placed in the decks and special spruce thwarts replaced both seats. It also states that the canoe was returned for refinishing on January 23, 1940. Sounds like an interesting canoe. 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. 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/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to join.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
- Al
This scan and several hundred thousand others 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/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/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to join.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
- Al
Attachments
Al Sienkiewicz
LOVES Wooden Canoes
Wait til i'm retired!
Thanks!! - Now where to start?
Guys,
Many thanks for the info and welcome to your site.
Being an Assistant BSA Scoutmaster in the Hudson Valley NY area, it is especially of interest that it was delivered and used at a BSA Camp. That would definitely explain why it was returned to OT for repairs soon after purchase too. If it's the one I'm thinking of, I believe this camp was shut down due funding
I've always been a woodworker and canoeing entheuist, and now I can put the two hobbies together
. This site is a GREAT resource however, a little overwhelming for a first timer like myself.
It appears that a number of years back someone started to refinish it and just gave up and then left it sit in a barn. So in its current condition; the canvas was removed, there are several ribs that cracked and have some ill attempts at glued pieces on them. About a third of the planking was removed to expose these ribs. The stems and desks appear solid with the exception of one crack in the front deck. The Wales and "hand holds" will need replacement too.
OK, so I maybe bit off more than I can chew but Mom always said I did things the hard way
I'm just itching to start this project but will probably have to wait until winter so I'm gathering info from you experts out there. I'd like to know if there are any good pictures of what my boat would have looked like especially with the added features and of course any recommended reading, aside from the "Wood & Canvas Canoe" by Stelmok/Thrulow?
Also, would it be "blasphemy" to replace the canvas/varnish with fiberglass?
Thanks again....many more questions & posts to come, I'm sure!!
Rick
Guys,
Many thanks for the info and welcome to your site.
Being an Assistant BSA Scoutmaster in the Hudson Valley NY area, it is especially of interest that it was delivered and used at a BSA Camp. That would definitely explain why it was returned to OT for repairs soon after purchase too. If it's the one I'm thinking of, I believe this camp was shut down due funding
I've always been a woodworker and canoeing entheuist, and now I can put the two hobbies together
. This site is a GREAT resource however, a little overwhelming for a first timer like myself.It appears that a number of years back someone started to refinish it and just gave up and then left it sit in a barn. So in its current condition; the canvas was removed, there are several ribs that cracked and have some ill attempts at glued pieces on them. About a third of the planking was removed to expose these ribs. The stems and desks appear solid with the exception of one crack in the front deck. The Wales and "hand holds" will need replacement too.
OK, so I maybe bit off more than I can chew but Mom always said I did things the hard way
I'm just itching to start this project but will probably have to wait until winter so I'm gathering info from you experts out there. I'd like to know if there are any good pictures of what my boat would have looked like especially with the added features and of course any recommended reading, aside from the "Wood & Canvas Canoe" by Stelmok/Thrulow?
Also, would it be "blasphemy" to replace the canvas/varnish with fiberglass?
Thanks again....many more questions & posts to come, I'm sure!!
Rick
MikeCav
Restorer/Videographer
If you really want to open a can of worms, suggest fiberglassing a wood & canvas canoe on this site!!!
Three main reasons not to glass:
1) It's not a restoration, it a modification and a much heavier one at that!
2) You will ruin the value of the canoe.
3) The biggest reason, however, is that the canoe was designed for expansion and contraction as moisture levels in the wood change seasonally, or after a good paddle. Canvas allows this movement to occur. Fiberglass locks one side of the wood down, while the other side tries to move naturally - causing internal stresses that eventually destroy the wood. A few years ago I was asked to look at 2 canoes at the same lake for restoration. Both were the same approximate age, both stored outside for years. Boat A was a 1929 Otca, without canvas - laying on top of a firewood pile for 20+ years. It was in rough, but restorable condition. Boat B was a 1927 Otca, fiberglassed in the 70's and laying outdoors for about 20 years or so. It looked OK as I approached, but turned it over and the wood just crumbled in my hand leaving a thin fiberglass shell.
Here is a thread about Canoe A. http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=1933
I'm in the Albany area, feel free to give a shout
Three main reasons not to glass:
1) It's not a restoration, it a modification and a much heavier one at that!
2) You will ruin the value of the canoe.
3) The biggest reason, however, is that the canoe was designed for expansion and contraction as moisture levels in the wood change seasonally, or after a good paddle. Canvas allows this movement to occur. Fiberglass locks one side of the wood down, while the other side tries to move naturally - causing internal stresses that eventually destroy the wood. A few years ago I was asked to look at 2 canoes at the same lake for restoration. Both were the same approximate age, both stored outside for years. Boat A was a 1929 Otca, without canvas - laying on top of a firewood pile for 20+ years. It was in rough, but restorable condition. Boat B was a 1927 Otca, fiberglassed in the 70's and laying outdoors for about 20 years or so. It looked OK as I approached, but turned it over and the wood just crumbled in my hand leaving a thin fiberglass shell.
Here is a thread about Canoe A. http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=1933
I'm in the Albany area, feel free to give a shout
Fiberglass replacement
Thanks Mike.
I my had my reservations about the weight but then thought the trade off for strength might have been worth it. In the end I had a feeling that canvas was the answer but wanted to be sure. Guess I have a lot of reading to do before I get started. Oh boy....
Thanks, Rick
Thanks Mike.
I my had my reservations about the weight but then thought the trade off for strength might have been worth it. In the end I had a feeling that canvas was the answer but wanted to be sure. Guess I have a lot of reading to do before I get started. Oh boy....
Thanks, Rick
