Peterborough Huron

Todd F

Lifetime Member
Recently picked up an old canoe from a generous gentleman. Been told with good credibility it may be a Peterborough Huron. 13.5 ft in legnth, will get other dimensions and pics tomorrow. Aside from additional specs will help with an identification? Yes..pics...no serial numbers of markings in sight, decks etc. Planks seem narrow, not stripper narrow, but narrow. Thanks in advance.
 
Not sure if this is a Peterborough Canoe Co boat. Peterborough catalogs as far back as 1927 list the HURON model as a 2nd grade, 16 foot cruiser model, not 13.5ft. The company was pretty consistent with imprinting their model number on the stem after 1940-1941. The four digit code for the HURON was "1440"

The "Huron" name has also been used to describe the style of canoe built by various small family-run companies living near Quebec City where the Huron/Wendat people settled in the late 1600s. The reserve took on many different names over time; including Huron Village, Lorette, Loretteville. They adopted the name Wendake in 1986.

Examples of companies would be
• Bastien Brothers
• Big Chief Canoes
• Gagnon Bros. Limited
• Picard Canoes

Mike Elliot has a chapter on these "Huron" canoes listing some identifying features in his book. Apparently builders tended to use green cedar for planking which resulted in major shrinkage of the planking. Perhaps that is why they look narrow. The seats also tended to be woven with rawhide in a snowshoe lacing pattern described here. Decks were often heart-shaped like this image:

huron-canoe-deck.jpg

Once you get some pics, I'm sure folks might be better able to identify.
 
Thanks Murat. Posting pics shortly. Looks like this MAY be an older canoe but has had some modifications.
 
20230525_132907[1].jpg

20230525_132924[1].jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20230525_133210[1].jpg
    20230525_133210[1].jpg
    237 KB · Views: 52
  • 20230525_133324[1].jpg
    20230525_133324[1].jpg
    169.1 KB · Views: 53
  • 20230525_133408[1].jpg
    20230525_133408[1].jpg
    185 KB · Views: 51
  • 20230525_133429[1].jpg
    20230525_133429[1].jpg
    225.9 KB · Views: 49
  • 20230525_141255[1].jpg
    20230525_141255[1].jpg
    154.8 KB · Views: 50
  • 20230525_141301[1].jpg
    20230525_141301[1].jpg
    137.4 KB · Views: 52
Overall length 13'9", width 35". depth amidships 14". copper tacks, looks like it had a keel, decks obviously replaced, light colored thwarts appear new. Ribs rather thin near the stems and get thicker toward the middle. no serial numbers or markings yet. My first thought is a homemade canoe but not sure, any shared knowledge would be appreciated.
 
The canoe in my avatar is an unidentified 15'x35" canoe. The guy who sold it to me told me that a previous owner identified it as a "Huron". Mine has a keel, which may be a replacement. The outwales are routed to fit over the top of the planks. They very much look like replacements, not being finished as smoothly as the rest of the boat. Inwales are probably spruce, frames don't taper, decks are curved like your replacements, babiche seats. I believe mine is a Faber.
 
Back
Top