Penn Yan

[fred capenos]

How thick is the planking on a 16 foot Penn Yan Rainbow? I’m measuring 3/16 inch.

 

[Dave Osborn]

The one I have in the shop is 5/32”

 

[fred capenos]

Thanks Dave. The owner “thinks” the canoe is a Rainbow. I used my micrometer to measure several pieces of the planking and all are 3/16. I’m wondering if Penn Yan produced anything that heavy,

 

[Gil Cramer]

Some Penn Yan boats had 3/16" planking. Since PY had an assembly line, production was of utmost importance. If 3/16" planking was close at hand, it would likely have been used on whatever was the next to be built.

 

[fred capenos]

Thanks Gil. It’s very noticeable when picking it up.

 

[fred capenos]

One last question. This canoe has a cane stern seat and a plank bow seat. Witch one is correct?

 

[Benson Gray]

Penn Yan canoes are known for cane seats but they may have made some plank ones during the Second World War. Have you found any steel fasteners? The pictures below show some typical Pen Yan bow seats. Can you provide any pictures of your seats and the serial number?

Benson

 

[fred capenos]

Benson, Unfortunately, the numbers have been deliberately removed from both stems. There are some steel fasteners but their from a repair sometime after the canoe was made.

 

[Benson Gray]

My guess is that the bow seat is not original.

Benson

 

[Dan Lindberg]

These seats are interesting, at least to me.

I had a early 30's ONS, I believe it was all (or mostly) original, and the seats looked nothing like those.
Both were hand cained, and one had an odd construction with diagonal splines holding the frame together.
(When I "freshened" it up, the only pieces of wood I replaced was 2 seat frame stretchers, and only then because 1 was missing.)

Unfortunately, I no longer have the canoe and/or have any pics of the seats.

Dan
Note, this is the only canoe I regret selling, and I tried to get it back but was not successful.
This canoe also had a large oval decal that I've never seen any other of, though I have heard of it's existence from others.

 

[fred capenos]

The one I have in the shop is 5/32”

 

[crosscuts]

To change the subject from planking. I have been given a tired Penn Yan, 18' with a plywood insert in the seats. Are there any dates in wartime when webbing was not used that would establish a rough age for this canoe. There are remains of a rectangular decal.

Many thanks, R.C.

 

[Benson Gray]

There is very little information available about Penn Yan. Your best chance at a rough age will probably matching the model code from the serial number to the table at the link below. Good luck,

Benson

Penn Yan Boat Company | Wooden Canoe Museum

woodencanoemuseum.org

 

[Gil Cramer]

The canoes in the 1953 catalog all have cane seats. If my memory serves correctly, PY went back to cane canoe seats circa '47. They never went back to cane for their boats. ( Cane came from either the Philipines or SE Asia, and as soon as they were liberated, cane was available.)

The 1953 catalog has almost all of the canoes listed with heavy composite construction, which was defined as 3/16" planking. PY's 3/16" sometimes was closer to 5/32". As Tom McKenzie used to say" they were building boats".