OT 20' Guide "20 7824 G"

[steve_hayes_maine]

Just swapped an ABS Tripper for the above, in need of modest restoration, recanvassing and a mental health check for the new owner.

Can you help as to its build history?

Thank you for your help, in advance.

Steve

 

[Benson Gray]

The Old Town canoe with serial number 7824 is a 16 foot long, AA grade, Charles River model that shipped to Lake Placid, New York. Old Town did not use letters in the serial numbers on the stems of wooden canoes so my guess is that you have the canoe with serial number 78246. This is 20 foot long, CS grade, HW (Heavy Water) / Guide's model with Western red cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, birch decks, birch trim, and a keel. It was built in 1923(?). The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on June 19th, 1923 to Readfield, Maine. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.

This scan was 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 join or contribute 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.html 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. This sounds like a much more interesting canoe than a Tripper, good trade!

Benson

 

[Chuck Hoffhine]

Mental Health Check- passed!

Steve,

I think you passed the mental health check quite nicely by doing what you did!!!

-Chuck

 

[steve_hayes_maine]

Thanks

Fascinating that after being in other places, the canoe has once again returned to Readfield, Maine. I may even know the original Morgan family (most folks in the neighborhood have roots that go back 200 years or so, and don't travel far).

Upon closer inspection, it looks good with a possible need to replace the stems and 5-6 inches of the center keel near the stern (how far can I push Gitrot?), as well as new canvas. Ribs and planks are in excellent condition for the age. From the looks of it, it has never been varnished or painted since it left the shop.

Now if I convince my wife to rake the lawn, stack the wood, paint the house and a few other items on her list for me, it may be in water by June.

Steve