Serial Number 172210 11

patharvey

New Member
Old Town family treasure - we wish to obtain information regarding the date of manufacture, model, material, original colour
and potential restored value.
 
Hello Pat,

Old Town 172210 is an 11 foot fifty pound model canoe that was completed June-July of 1962. It was fitted with a keel and was originally dark green. It was shipped to San Francisco, CA, on July 3, 1963. Image of 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 will join or renew your membership 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.php 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.

Build records from this period are sometimes a disappointment to the canoe owner, as they don't offer much detail. Canoes were no longer graded AA, CS, GS, but were generally CS (common sense), although could be special ordered with mahogany I suppose. The hull (planking) is most likely red Western cedar and trim would be a hardwood other than mahogany-- possibly ash or birch on a fifty pounder. Someone may jump in here with more information. This size canoe is popular because it is small and easily popped onto the top of a car and put into the water for poking-around interesting spots on a river or lake.

Value is a tough call, as it depends on "what someone is willing to spend". This canoe would be desired more for its use as described above rather than as a collector piece... but is a cute little canoe of a desirable size. Here is a discussion of "canoe value"-- someone else may have recent experience selling a similar canoe and will weigh-in. http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?57-How-much-is-my-old-wooden-canoe-worth

Kathy
 

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On a fifty pound model, the seats and decks may well be ash or birch, but at least on older ones (old enough for the build record to indicate the woods used), the gunwales were usually spruce, to save a bit of weight.
 
Hello Patharvey,
By coincindence yours is the second fifty pounder in two days. I don't know about the other one but I also have a fifty pounder #172091. It was shipped Jun 10th, 1963 and was in the factory at the same time as yours. It was a 15 footer. If I can supply any comparisons you are welcome to answer me, open or private message. Mine is right now hanging on the ceiling of he living room curing the filler I put on two weeks ago.
Tim
 
Hello Kathryn

Thank you for the information - we are very excited to know some of the history on this Old Town canoe as my father bought it from a friend some 40 years ago and Mom and Dad paddled around Lakefield, Ontario every summer. It will be a centerpiece in my basement this winter while I clean it up and the canvas will be restored professionally prior to our maiden voyage next summer. Looking forward to exploring the Trent-Severn Waterway in style.
 
Very sweet little canoe indeed! And it's always so much more special when it's a family treasure-- the real treasures are the special memories that are carried along with the canoe-- the sort of thing that has value greater than money! Now to get some pictures of smiling faces paddling this little ol' girl next summer!

Kathy
 
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