Penn Yan information

RyanS

Curious about Wooden Canoes
I am looking for any information on the Penn Yan Company and their canoes. I have read what there is on the Company on this site but looking for more.
Thanks
Ryan Scott
 
Penn Yan

I will be restoring my Grandfathers boat so any building/restore information would be great. I also would like to know more about the company history and such. Sort of wondering about why this boat. Any direction you can point me to would be greatly appreciated.
I posted the serial number before. Do you know what the series of numbers mean, date, model..etc..
 
First thing you need to do is determine whether it is a Penn Yan or not - the serial number you posted, FX 49138, is certainly consistent with Penn Yan. In this case, as Benson described in a different post, the FX would indicate a Carry Canoe, 15' x 33" x 11-1/2" in dimension. Penn Yan records for their wood canoes and boats were reputedly destroyed when they switched over to fiberglass production, but it would be believed that this was number 138 of 1949. I've attached the 1949 catalog page describing this model below.

Now, the reason that we need to look at your identification a little closer is that the photos you posted previously show it had at one time a shoe keel. A shoe keel is wide (about 3") and thin (about 1/4"), and fastened with screws that are staggered across the centerline of the hull. I am not aware that Penn Yan, or any other U.S. builder used shoe keels - this is pretty much a feature of Canadian-built boats.

In addition to the catalog page, I've posted images of another Penn Yan Carry Canoe. You can compare this with yours to see if it is similar. Note that according to the 1949 catalog, the fancy yoke has been dropped in favor of a simpler shaped bar thwart.

Its a start anyway...
Cheers,
Dan
 

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Penn Yan

Dan the catolog pictures generally look like the canoe however the thwarts in my boat are simple straight edged 'boards'. In addition this canoe has never had any seats to anyones' memory, nor does it appear to have had any.( no indications on the inwale ) Is there something else one can one use to ID a boat like this?
Ryan
 
Start by posting an overhead shot of the deck, including the ends of the gunwales.

I should add that the Carry Canoe was intended to by ultralight, and as such, has fairly delicate scantlings.
 
Penn Yan

Here are some shots of the decks. Please note the gunwales are not original. The canoe did have brass stem bands prior to it being glassed, in addition to the keel, which if I recall was approx. 3" wide and 1/4" thick. The boat was light but all I had to compare it to at the time was a aluminum canoe. The way it slipped through the water is my fondest memory of the canoe and honestly I do not think I have paddled anything since that gave me that feel.
 

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Here's a PY guide

I did not take as many photos as I wish I had but here is a PY Guide-18. Not a shoe keel. The gunnels are concave near the stems, like yours. You get an idea of the stem profile.
 

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Given that the gunwales have been replaced, it may be hard to pin it down further... The way the ends taper (or don't) and are joined to the stem is a good clue as to origin. This also suggests the thwarts may be replacements as well.

I don't see anywhere that you posted dimensions?

To summarize, the SN is consistent with Penn Yan, the shoe keel suggests Canadian origin.

Cheers,
Dan
 
Hunter

here's the yoke on my PY Hunter. I think it's original. And doesn't look like yours.
 

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Dave Wermuth said:
here's the yoke on my PY Hunter. I think it's original. And doesn't look like yours.

Isn't mine. Nonetheless it doesn't look like yours because yours isn't a Carry Canoe. Unique little buggers.
 

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Penn Yan catalog

In that catalog description they mention a 'Rubber Cup' auto carrier. My grandfather had such a device though I doubt these would be unique to the PY. I have not submitted any measurements since the canoe is 3000 miles away, the pictures I took a few years ago during my last visit. I did not, at the time, think of actual measurements.
To revisit a few facts ; no seats, straight board thwarts, serial number FX49138, shoe keel. Is any of this consistant with Penn Yan or is that just part of the game we are playing?
Ryan Scott
 
Penn Yan FX

I did indeed list the number as FX 49138. I see on our web site that suffix is listed as a carry canoe. Are you looking else where?
 
yep

I missed it. I went back an looked agina and there it was big as life. Maybe someone rebuilt your canoe and put the shoe keel on it? When you get the canoe in person you can check for extra holes and other signs of work.

Regards, Dave.
 
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