Peterborough Champlain

[davelanthier]

This canoe is clearly stamped 1434 on the stem but has no serial number. Can any one explain why it is missing? The canoe appears to be quite old, high end model with the outwales fastened through the inwales. Thanks

 

[Dick Persson]

Hello Dave,

Is there a decal identifing the canoe as a Peterborough? It might be a canoe from builder xxxxx with serial number 1434!

However, if this is a Peterborough Champlain with model number 1434 it was built after 1939, before 1939 the Champlains had the model numbers 26 P and 26 C.

Cheers
Dick Persson

 

[davelanthier]

Hi Dick, I should have mentioned that the deck is the traditional triangular Chestnut/Peterborough shape with a under cut base lip. The fore deck face also has a remaining oval shadow that is the same size and shape as a Peterborough decal. The rocker is very pronounced like my Peterborough Minetta but with about a 25" rise. Depth is 12.5", width is 34.5". Seats and thwarts are missing but it appears to have had 2 seats and only one center thwart. The general condition is very poor including 29 broken ribs and as many feet of missing planking.

 

[Larry Bowers]

Hi Dave,
that sounds like fire wood from peterborough in the shape of a canoe?

 

[sandpiper]

Good day everybody.
It sounds like a good project to me....if you have time and space for it. Too bad we don't have a picture of it. Bye for now.

Sandpiper

 

[Dick Persson]

Hi Dave,

Larry is right; it is a Peterborough “Firewood” #1434. Likely built and stamped a couple of minutes before quitting time some Friday in the past.!?

Seriously there seems to be only one company, Old Town, which had a real accurate and trustworthy system of serial numbers.
I’ve worked on Peterborough’s that had one stem with one number and the other stem with a completely different number.
Cheers
Dick Persson
Headwater Wooden Boat Shop

 

[davelanthier]

Quandary???????

I was hoping it might be rare or unusual enough to be worth restoring. It now appears that it is not worth the cost of a burning permit either. What's a guy to do?

 

[Splinter]

That bad?

Well geeezzzz. Just how ugly can it be? Got any photos of the little monster? Splinter

 

[Blue Viking]

I have a White boy scout canoe that sounds like it is in the same condition....I have abunch of broken or split ribs and some planking that is just plain rotted. I am going to restore it no matter what...Love that lapstrake style of fitting in the planking...It was glassed but will be canvassed when I am done...Glass is already off...Got the tip from Bill Clements on how to do it and it worked great...
I was once told that if you can save just ONE rib its a "Restoration"
Good luck, I dont think it would give off much heat in a campfire, so go for it.

"Life is not determined by how many strokes of the paddle it takes, but rather in the JOY of the journey." (Blue Viking)

 

[davelanthier]

It's Real Ugly

"BUT" I've repaired worse. Sorry, no pictures. Aside from all the broken and missing rib pieces "all" the bottom planking was once repaced with 1/8" vaneer plywood of assorted sizes. It was then re-canvased; then later fiberglassed over the canvas; then interior horizontal slats were added to support the broken ribs. Today the vaneer plywood has, for the most part, de-laminated and most of the fiberglassed canvas has fallen off. I'm sure you can find a few road side pieces of it if you were to trace our route home. Call it Peterborough road kill. UPDATE ---Dick P.--- I found the serial number. It is 7540 and was located 5" above the model number under many layers of varnish. Probably won't help to date it any way.

 

[Dick Persson]

Dave,

Don't take my word for it, but who knows, a canoe with only a partial serial number might be really valuable among collectors.

Cheers
Dick Persson

 

[Dan Miller]

Dave, your description of this canoe keeps getting better and better. Please don't ever, ever offer to sell me a car...

Dan

 

[Splinter]

But you might want him to SELL your car for you. Splinter