Serial Number 06874 16

[DOOGMAN98]

Hello,
I was hoping to get some information on an Old Town Canoe I just purchased. The serial number stamped on the stem is indicated above. There may be a "1" in front of this number, however. The spacing between what may be a "1" and the "0" is slightly larger than the space between the other numbers. It may just be a scratch in the stem, but coincidently it's on both ends. Any help is much appreciated.
Thanks,
Cody

 

[Benson Gray]

Serial numbers typically do not begin with a leading zero and spacing variations are not ususual so my guess is that you have the Old Town canoe with serial number 106874. This is a 16 foot long, CS grade, Yankee model with red Western Cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, and a keel. It was built between June and August, 1930. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on June 8th, 1931 to Taconic(?), Conn. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.

This scan was 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 join or contribute to 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.html to join.

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.

Benson

 

[DOOGMAN98]

Yankee

Mr. Gray-
Thanks for your quick response and the information provided. The Yankee model was my guess, I had no idea on the year. There was a little piece of canvas still caught under one of the Gunwales with dark green paint on it. Of course, a high percentage of them were painted that color, huh? Thanks again for your help.
Cody

 

[Benson Gray]

About half of the Old Town Canoes were dark green as shown at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/records/colors.jpg on the web. Good luck with your restoration.

Benson