Possible Kennebec?

[Paul Miller]

Hi All,

The attached are pictures of a recent canoe find.

My first thought was Kennebeck Torpedo, but the stem seems to be more pointed than the Kennebeck Torpedo.

Some of the building characteristics shown in the pictures;

1. Outwaled are D shaped and nailed from the inwale out and at every rib top.

2. The stem bands were originally rivited through the inside stem just like a Morris.

3. The ribs are about 2 1/4 to 2 3/8 wide, tapered like an OT and a mild chamfer like an OT.

4. One deck appears original and is heart shaped.

5. Planking is 3 3/4" tells me it may be an older canoe.

6. Canoe is 17' and about 31" wide at the outside of the inwale.

7. Not sure if the twart is original but could be.

8. It does have the small molding under the outwale as seen on some Kennebecs.

The roundness of the hull and the pronounced torpedo stem leads me to think it could be a Charles River builder if not Kennebec.

The serial number appears to be 11027 no other digits.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Paul Miller]

Few more pics

 

[Benson Gray]

If you are sure that the serial number is 11027 then my guess is a Charles River builder since the Kennebec with that number is 16 feet long. The Kennebec with number 11024 was a Torpedo model as shown below. These original Kennebec records are reproduced through the courtesy of the Maine State Museum.

Benson

 

[Paul Miller]

Thanks Benson,

I'll check again as it could be a 4 and not a 7.

I did some checking on the site and found detail about other Kennebeck torpedos and they did have rivited stem bands and outwales nailed from the inwale.

It would appear the molding under the outwale was orginal; any thoughts?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Gil Cramer]

Yep, original molding under the gunnels. One photo shows the nail holes for the rail caps over the deck joints. Certainly looks like a Kennebec.

 

[Dave Osborn]

What Gil said......