Please identify this canoe

[David Dannenberg]

I am looking at buying the following canoe.

16' (according to owner)
half ribs on bottom
serial number 61650 (I think)

Does not appear to be an Old Town thought he owner called it an Old Town. Does not have diamond shaped seat and thwart bolts. I don't recognize the deck design.

Gunwales and thwarts and seats appear to be mahogany.

Any information greatly appreciated.

Thanks

David Dannenberg

 

[smallboatshop]

Hi David,
The canoe that you are looking at appears to be a 16 foot 1920 AA Grade Old Town Ideal with half ribs. It has open mahogany gunwales, mahogany decks, thwarts and seat frames. Originally painted dark green and sent to East Hardwich, VT.

Old Town began using the diamond head bolts in the early 1920's; I don't know if there is a good date for that but we have seen Old Town's from 1920 and, I think 1922, that did not have those.

The scan of this record is attached below-- click on it to get a larger image. This scan and several hundred thousand others were 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/ot_records/ if you want more details. I hope that you and anyone else reading this will join or renew membership in 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.php to renew.

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. Providing photographs would help with identification, as would an accurate measurement of the boat's length.

Dan


Daniel Eaton

smallboat shop

Denmark, Maine

www.smallboat-shop.com

 

[David Dannenberg]

Daniel,

Thanks! Very helpful information. Almost bought it, but logistics at the moment won't allow. Appreciate the help though.

David

 

[Benson Gray]

Old Town began using the diamond head bolts in the early 1920's; I don't know if there is a good date for that but we have seen Old Town's from 1920 and, I think 1922, that did not have those.

The Old Town Canoe factory inventory from January 1st, 1923 simply lists "Brass seat and Thwart Bolts" and the one from January 1st, 1924 specifies "Brass diamond head bolts" so it appears that these were introduced in 1923. These two pages are shown below.

Benson

 

[David Dannenberg]

That is very interesting!

 

[smallboatshop]

Terrific information once again! Thanks, Benson.