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instructor74

Curious about Wooden Canoes
Hi everyone I am new here and looking for some help on finding information on a Kennebec canoe. This canoe has been at our camp since at least the early 50's. I was told it was my great uncle's but where he got it from I have no idea. It has a complete sail rig not sure if its original I know my great uncles/grandfathers were artist and craftsman so they could have added it. I think its 19 ft long with a serial # plate 17608. Any information about it would be great. My plans for it once our house is built are to strip replace and repair any damaged planks and restore the canoe. It is the first canoe I took out on a lake and the first time I ever got to sail so lots of great memories would love to pass it on to my children when the time comes.
 
Pictures of the sail rig parts would help ascertain whether they're original or homemade. And we like pictures of canoes, whether they're restored, in process, or in the "Needs Work" department.....
 
The Kennebec canoe with serial number 17608 is shown on page 216 of volume three in the Kennebec ledgers. This was assigned to an 18 foot long Kennebec model type 3A. It was planked by Beaudry on January 12th, 1924. Tuttle canvased it and Grant applied the first filler coat on the January 19th, 1924. The second filler coat was applied by Dulac on January 26th, 1924. King railed it on January 26th, 1924 and the original color was a green body with a light green border and a gold stripe. This may have been similar to the Old Town design shown at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/designs/design10.gif and known as design number 10. It was shipped to location "24-48" on February 6th, 1924. This location is probably an order number but we don't currently have enough information to identify it.

The scans of this build record can be found by following the links at the attached thumbnail images below. These original Kennebec records are reproduced through the courtesy of the Maine State Museum.

The microfilms and scans of these records were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA). I hope that you will renew your membership 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.php to renew.

More information about this and other Kennebec models can be found in the Kennebec catalogs contained on the Historic Wood Canoe and Boat Company Catalog Collection CDs available from the WCHA store and http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/cdrom.htm on the web.

The pictures at http://canoesailingmagazine.com/index.php/Issue-6/A-1921-Kennebec-Sail-Rig.html show what an original Kennebec sail rig from this period looked like.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match the canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions. Good luck with the restoration.

Benson
 

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Thanks for the information Benson, looking at the photos of the type 3A that is what I have. Do you know the differance between the type 3A and the deluxe, was it paint related or were different materials used?. I know the paint isnt original (blue) on the canoe I am hopping that I can find some indication of the original when I pull it appart. I will get some photos up when I get home in 2 weeks. I can get a photo up is the
 
Do you know the differance between the type 3A and the deluxe

The type 3A had long decks and mahogany trim as described on the bottom of the page attached below from the 1924 Kennebec catalog. This and more information is available from the catalog CD mentioned previously.

Benson
 

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