Research on Old Town Canoe SN 140147_16

[Deirdre Jo]

Hello,
My father’s Old Town Canoe, a gift he received from his father on his 16th birthday or graduation sometime in the mid-1940s, just came out of long term storage. I fondly remember spending hours in the canoe during summers at my grandparents cottage on Green Lake in Wisconsin.

Can you tell me how I can get more detail on the place and date of manufacture, and where it was shipped to? We always wondered if it was new or used when it came to dad in Ripon, Wisconsin, and the specs. We plan to restore to its original beauty - though it’s amazing how good it looks given its age. We believe it may have been partially restored in the early 80s.

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome, the Old Town canoe with serial number 140147 is a 15 foot long square end paddling model so that isn't a good match. My guess is that you have serial number 140417 as shown in the picture. This is a 16 foot long, AA (or top) grade, Yankee model with red Western cedar planking, open ash gunwales, number ten canvas, a keel, outside stems, and a floor rack. It was built between July and September, 1944. The original exterior paint color was white. It shipped on September 29th, 1944 to Ripon, Wisconsin. A scan showing this build record can be found below.

This scan and several hundred thousand more 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/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will donate, join, or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See https://www.woodencanoe.org/about to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/shop to donate or join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match the canoe. Canoes with a family connection are always extra special. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[Deirdre Jo]

Benson, thank you so much for your prompt response and yes you are correct...I mistyped the serial number in my email subject line - glad I sent the photo with the actual number and you were able to read it ). It appears my father must have ordered and purchased the canoe for himself when he was 15...as it's his name on the invoice/receipt. It makes it all the more special to me.

It's also great to know the original color was white. It's been green since the 70-80s when he had it restored...I had forgotten it was white when we were younger in the 60s. Since my email to you I have watched several Youtube videos on canvas and wood canoe restoration (the very best is the MaineTripper three part series:

). They were extremely informative and educated me enough to do a proper inspection for wood rot and other problems. As well I was able to 'see' prior 'repairs' that had been done (scarfing of the in-wales near the stem, etc).

Thank you for all the work on the forum, answering questions and maintaining such a great repository of information. More questions and updates to follow from me I am sure

 

[lilyelliott4]

Hello,

What a treasured family heirloom you have! To find more details about your father’s Old Town Canoe, including the date of manufacture and where it was originally shipped, you'll want to locate the serial number, which is typically stamped on the stem of the canoe. With this number, you can reach out to the Old Town Canoe Company, as they maintain records going back to the early 1900s. They should be able to provide you with the original build record, which includes details such as the manufacturing date, materials used, and the original shipping location.

If the canoe underwent restoration in the 1980s, it might be helpful to consult with a canoe restoration expert to ensure that your restoration aligns with its original craftsmanship. Wishing you all the best in bringing this beautiful piece of history back to life!

Best regards,
Lily Elliott.