Seliga and some Old towns spotted last week

[monkitoucher]

My wife and I took the week off to kick around the South West last week. We spotted what the shop keeper said was a Seliga hung up in a bookshop.

Later in the week we saw a AA grade Otca with keel and mast thwart along with a OT war canoe hanging from the ceiling of the Ralph Lauren shop in Cesars Palace in Vegas. They were accompanied with another Canoe that I couldn't really ID.

 

[SWTransplant]

I’ve looked at the canoe in Maria’s Bookstore in Durango, CO many times. Although, I’m not sure it is a Seliga. While the deck plates match a Seliga, it does not appear to have the associated numbers stamped in the stems. I’ve been super curious for years, but haven’t got a straight answer in its origin.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

I wish there were more pics of this canoe. To me it looks like an early one, with the ash deck and likely ash seats/thwarts. I don't "think" the yoke is Joe's. The keel has a screw in each rib, as he did early. And the decal outline looks a bit like his early decals.

It would be interesting to hear the story of this canoe.

Dan

 

[monkitoucher]

Here is a higher resolution photo. As to the authenticity... I'm not really sure. It did look like it had be restored once before. I remember it having diamond head bolts. If you want I can take some more shots of it in a couple weeks. I'll be down for the Iron Horse. I think I remember it there from 30 years ago when I went to school down there.

 

[SWTransplant]

I’ll stop by tomorrow and take a couple more pictures - the bookstore is quietly for sale. I bet the Canoe goes with the store.

 

[monkitoucher]

SWT, my wife and I are planning on moving down there next summer. If you're up for it we could go for a paddle.

 

[SWTransplant]

That would be great. Lake Nighthorse opened to the public last summer and is a great place to paddle on a hot day.

 

[SWTransplant]

Took a couple pictures this morning. The staff did not know anything about the canoe. It looks like 49 4114 16 (or possible 18) is stamped in the bow stem. What remains of decal on the deck plate does look like the older Seliga decal that Dan posted a picture of. Ive paddled many vintage Seliga canoes and I don't remember ever seeing a decal like that. But then again my memory is not as good as it used to be. Does it match a canoe in the Seliga registry?

 

[Benson Gray]

Does it match a canoe in the Seliga registry?

Yes, Dan Lindberg's records show that to be a 16 foot long green canoe with number 114 which was actually number 36 from 1949. It was his fifth canoe that shipped to Camp Northland in Minnesota that year. It was "Ordered about 3/20/49, Scrapped and repainted about 5/x/52 $12 each" so Dan can probably provide more background.

Benson

 

[Dan Lindberg]

The is an old canoe.
The #36 Benson mentioned, is just a number in my record and is the consecutive number of canoes Joe built, ie; the 36th canoe Joe built total.
As he said the canoe was originally sold to Camp Northland, when they closed, they either merged with Widji or possibly their Seliga's went to Widji, the history is a bit clouded. Joe only made 27 16 ft double end'ers and the last one was made in 1950. I was asked about this canoe about 10 years ago but didn't learn where it was or what happened back then.
More pics are always welcome.