Serial # search: 4500

[MountainTradingPost]

We finally found a serial # under orange-peeled varnish.
We found "4500" and "18" nearby.
Any help on identifying the origin would be awesome.
Thanks,
Nick

 

[Benson Gray]

The 18 on the end indicates that you have an 18 foot long canoe but the Old Town and Kennebec records for serial number 4500 don't show 18 foot long canoes as shown below. My guess is that you have at least one hidden digit. There are several 18 foot long canoes in the 4500x range for example. The information at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?791 may help. Can you provide some pictures of the numbers from each end with the surrounding areas? Some images showing the decks and interior could also be useful, along with a confirmation of the extreme overall length in a straight line. Thanks,

Benson

 

[MountainTradingPost]

Benson,
Thank you for your reply.
The canoe was originally canvas that was fiberglassed by my friends grandfather... along with other modifications & "repairs"... including screws that got in the way of the last digits on the other end.
We believe the last digit is a "5"... and the 2nd to last digit could be a 6 (but skeptical).
I would first go with "45005" first, then try 0 thru 9 in the last digit (with preference to round bottom numbers ie: 3, 5, 6, 8, 0)... then the same with a 6 in the 2nd to last digit.
Here is an image for you to see as well.


The OAL is 18' 4"
The beam measures: 38.5" (outer) & 34.25" (inner)
Here are some images of the canoe:






Thanks in advance for your willingness to assist.
Sincerely,
Nick

 

[Benson Gray]

My guess is that you have the Old Town canoe with serial number 45005 as you suggested. This is an 18 foot long, CS (common sense or middle) grade, Otca model with red western cedar, open spruce gunwales, maple decks, maple thwarts, maple seats, and a keel. It was built between September, 1916 and January, 1917. The original exterior paint color was bright red. It shipped on February 28th, 1917 to Minneapolis, Minnesota. A scan showing this build record can be found by following the link behind the thumbnail image attached below. Several other 18 foot long canoes from the 4500x range are also attached in case the woods used in their construction provide a better match.

These scans 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 join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-the-wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://store.wcha.org/WCHA-New-Membership.html to join.

You may have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Please reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[MountainTradingPost]

Dear Benson,

Thank you so very much for your knowledgeable assistance!

You nailed it! The description fits all the way through... and my friends' grandfather brought the canoe from Minnesota to Oregon... so everything matches!

Greatly appreciate your responsiveness.

Sincerely,
Nick