Hi everyone! I restored my first wood canoe when I was 17 years old, and 20 years later, I found myself returning to the hobby after locating an Old Town on Facebook Marketplace for $350, just outside of Corning, NY.
This canoe has certainly been repainted a few times, but it still wears the original canvas, has no broken ribs, and seems to be free of any rot. I was truly amazed by how nice the wood was, it's just not what I expected for the price. The big issues are some tears to the canvas, seats that need new caning, and some sloppy paintwork on the gunwales and decks. The serial number is 123215, and any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
A little about me:
My first wood canoe was a little 12' that my dad found when he was a member of WCHA in the early 2000s. We never figured out who made it, but it has Robertson screws on the gunwales, and the traditional heart shaped decks that Chestnut used. We drove up to northern Vermont to purchase it, and I restored it in tandem with his circa 1929 Old Town OTCA 17'. That summer, we took our restored canoes on a several day long camping trip through the Adirondacks on the Raquette River with our Boy Scout troop, and it was a very memorable experience.
With the Old Town, my plan is to restore it and take my girlfriend on similar camping trips. That little 12' I restored 20 years ago is just a bit too small for the two of us, but it sure looks good on top of my '66 Volvo Amazon wagon!
I just registered for my own membership to WCHA and I am looking forward to being a part of the community!
This canoe has certainly been repainted a few times, but it still wears the original canvas, has no broken ribs, and seems to be free of any rot. I was truly amazed by how nice the wood was, it's just not what I expected for the price. The big issues are some tears to the canvas, seats that need new caning, and some sloppy paintwork on the gunwales and decks. The serial number is 123215, and any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
A little about me:
My first wood canoe was a little 12' that my dad found when he was a member of WCHA in the early 2000s. We never figured out who made it, but it has Robertson screws on the gunwales, and the traditional heart shaped decks that Chestnut used. We drove up to northern Vermont to purchase it, and I restored it in tandem with his circa 1929 Old Town OTCA 17'. That summer, we took our restored canoes on a several day long camping trip through the Adirondacks on the Raquette River with our Boy Scout troop, and it was a very memorable experience.
With the Old Town, my plan is to restore it and take my girlfriend on similar camping trips. That little 12' I restored 20 years ago is just a bit too small for the two of us, but it sure looks good on top of my '66 Volvo Amazon wagon!
I just registered for my own membership to WCHA and I am looking forward to being a part of the community!
