Serial number search OT 20055 ?

Frank Smith

New Member
Hi all,

Just picked up this old canoe, it needs restoration (I think I’m ready to start this journey…). Can someone provide any information? Previous owner described it as a 1914 17’ Old Town HW. Thanks in advance.

Frank
 
The Old Town canoe with serial number 20055 is a 17 foot long, CS (common sense or middle) grade, Charles River model with red western cedar planking, closed spruce gunwales, ash decks, ash thwarts, ash seats, and a keel. It was built between 1911 and February, 1912. The original exterior paint color was auto gray. It shipped on February 28th, 1912 to Toledo, Ohio. A scan of 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/ot_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. The Carleton and Kennebec canoes with this serial number are 17 feet long from 1931 and 1929 respectively. The books at http://store.wcha.org/Books/ can help with the restoration. The ones at http://store.wcha.org/The-Wood-and-Canvas-Canoe.html and http://store.wcha.org/This-Old-Canoe-by-Mike-Elliott.html are particularly appropriate. Can you confirm the overall extreme length in a straight line and attach some pictures of the serial numbers from each end, the bow deck, and the interior to help confirm the manufacturer? Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson



20055.gif
 
Thank you Benson, I just measured the canoe and it measures 17 feet. It also has sponsons. Here are some pictures. Thanks again.
4BAC74BA-E326-4492-8987-0DDC2DC2AB4B.jpeg
4BAC74BA-E326-4492-8987-0DDC2DC2AB4B.jpeg
5D4BCE7A-7779-4CDD-8D33-9EFF97032024.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • A31A60CC-1786-4595-A5DA-B116656F8D95.jpeg
    A31A60CC-1786-4595-A5DA-B116656F8D95.jpeg
    171.7 KB · Views: 169
  • B1CF50B0-CE47-45BC-B16D-EDDD5D419D41.jpeg
    B1CF50B0-CE47-45BC-B16D-EDDD5D419D41.jpeg
    141.8 KB · Views: 170
  • 5B54690D-D28F-49F7-BD56-6CD44918C875.jpeg
    5B54690D-D28F-49F7-BD56-6CD44918C875.jpeg
    142.5 KB · Views: 167
  • 9CCE0067-AA74-4E39-A07A-7BC93D74D059.jpeg
    9CCE0067-AA74-4E39-A07A-7BC93D74D059.jpeg
    149.9 KB · Views: 166
  • C132FFCC-5587-45C4-9A40-8B4BE834869B.jpeg
    C132FFCC-5587-45C4-9A40-8B4BE834869B.jpeg
    187.3 KB · Views: 156
My guess is that you actually have the Carleton canoe with serial number 20055. This is a 17 foot long, regular grade, Carleton model with red western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, birch decks, birch thwarts, birch seats, a keel, and sponsons. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on March 23rd, 1931 to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A scan of this build record can be found below.

Benson



c-20055.gif
 
Back
Top