Captain Pete
New Member
I recently acquired a canvas and wood, Old Town canoe, hoping to get some background information on this boat #173384 1
Serial number
- Thread starter Captain Pete
- Start date
Welcome and congratulations, the Old Town canoe with serial number 173384 is an 18 foot long Guide model with a keel. It was built between October and November, 1963. The original exterior paint color was G. S. (Guide's Special) green. It shipped to New Brunswick, New Jersey on May 12th, 1964. 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/catalogs/old-town/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 renew.
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
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/catalogs/old-town/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 renew.
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
Captain Pete
New Member
The boat was stored in the rafter of a work shed for over 25 years. The present manager of the property was going to throw it in a dumpster, unless somebody claimed it. The otter rails and canvas had been removed. But the remaining wood was in good condition. I jumped at the opportunity, saving it from the certain death, not knowing it's lineage.
I have restored an Oldtown before, but need a source for rails, wicker caning, canvas and other missing parts
I have restored an Oldtown before, but need a source for rails, wicker caning, canvas and other missing parts
MGC
Scrapmaker
Nice save. It's a shame when a perfectly restorable canoe is trashed or turned into shelves.
The WCHA is a valuable resource for anyone who has fallen into the wooden canoe tar pit.
Here is a link that will help you to locate all of the supplies and materials you need.
www.woodencanoe.org
It would be helpful to know roughly where you are located. Someone nearby might recommend where you can source 18 foot rail material quasi locally.
That canoe should have spruce rails. In a perfect world, those should be one piece but it is also possible to splice them from smaller pieces.
The WCHA is a valuable resource for anyone who has fallen into the wooden canoe tar pit.
Here is a link that will help you to locate all of the supplies and materials you need.
BuildersSuppliers
Whether you're looking to have a canoe restored, or to find the products or information to restore it yourself, you'll find what you need in our Builders and Suppliers listing.
www.woodencanoe.org
That canoe should have spruce rails. In a perfect world, those should be one piece but it is also possible to splice them from smaller pieces.
Captain Pete
New Member
I live and work in Norwalk CT. During the warmer months you'll find me on the water delivering boats up and down the east coast, from Maine to the Caribbean.
