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[Benson Gray]

A TIME FOR REJUVENATION: Ferdy Goode paddles past in his 15 foot Wabanaki-style birch bark canoe with hand-carved black spruce paddle. Just one of many of the birch barks that Ferdy has built as owner/builder at Beaver Bark Canoes. A beautiful morning at the Great Rivers Chapter’s 2015 Jag Lake gathering near Boulder Junction, WI. Photo by Tim Feathers. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #birchbarkcanoe #jaglake #beaverbarkcanoe

 

[Benson Gray]

A PRESIDENTIAL CANOE: The very nice restoration of this 1922 St. Lawrence Boat Works 16 foot ‘Whistle Wing’ canoe was done by Jody Bronson and Frank Christinat, and Jody presented it to his wife Jean as a Valentine’s Day present. The canoe was formerly owned by U.S. Senator Fredric C. Walcott of Norfolk, Connecticut, who once paddled in this very canoe with President Herbert Hoover on Tobey Pond. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #stlawrenceboatworks #greatmountainforest

 

[Benson Gray]

MORNING PADDLE: Early on a misty morning, on Otsego Lake, near Cooperstown, NY, near the headwaters of the Susquehanna River. Member Scottie Baker got this shot as she paddled her circa 1898, 15-foot cedar canoe. “Pause” was built by Wilbur & Wheelock, of Clayton, New York, and weighs a mere 39 pounds! Photo credit: Natura Productions 2004; Scottie Baker with Jeff Reynolds and Peter Johngren. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #otsegolake #wilburandwheelock

 

[Benson Gray]

TAKING A BREAK: Built by Jack McGreivey of Cato, New York, this Detroit 15 model rests beneath the trees along the Passaic River in New Jersey. The owner, Ron Hampton, loves this canoe for solo travel. Photo by Betsy Wilson. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #mcgreiveycanoe #detroitcanoe #passaicriver

 

[Benson Gray]

CEDAR ELEGANCE: A stunning, mint-condition, completely original Willits Brothers sailing canoe named Vermilion. Willits Brothers canoes are uniquely constructed with a double-cedar hull; this one has mahogany gunwales, thwarts, seats and decks, along with white oak decks, king planks and outside stems. A beautiful canoe! Photo by Michael Grace. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #willitscanoe

 

[Benson Gray]

READY TO GO: Bill Conrad’s B.N. Morris canoe on Chapel Pond in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state in the summer of 2002. This is a 16 foot, Model A, Type 1 Morris, serial number 4052, circa 1906. The paint scheme was taken from the 1919 Morris catalog cover. Photo by Bill Conrad. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #morriscanoe #chapelpond #adirondacks

 

[Benson Gray]

CELEBRATING THE FOURTH: What better way to celebrate July 4th than with red, white and blue canoes? The blue one is a circa 1905 B. N. Morris that belonged to owner Don Derrick’s grandfather. Don took the lines off it and built the other two, as wedding presents for his sons. What could be a better wedding gift? Photo by Don Derrick. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #morriscanoe #redwhiteandblue #fourthofjuly

 

[Benson Gray]

“ELIZABETH”: Member Chris Pearson lovingly restored this 1903 E.M.White, and is able to trace its pedigree back to a descendant of the original owner. A period E.M.White catalog lists it as a 16-foot “Regular” model. The Native American syllabics are in Cree, and translate to Elizabeth (Chris’ niece), to whom he dedicated the restoration. The photo was taken on its maiden, post-restoration voyage on Barnum Pond, in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #whitecanoe #barnumpond #adirondacks

 

[Benson Gray]

FULLY EQUIPPED: Canoe accessories from the 1920s included: a gramophone, pillows, carbide light, parasol, and more for these canoes from Detroit, Michigan. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #detroit #belleisle

 

[Benson Gray]

PURE SERENITY: A rare turn of the century Whitney canoe restored by Ralph Nimtz. The rounded stern seat that is mortised into the gunwales and hung on brass plates at the rear and narrow decks with extended gunwales along with the closed gunwales make this quite a handsome boat. Photo by Ralph Nimtz. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #whitneycanoe

 

[Benson Gray]

WHAT A DIFFERENCE IN A YEAR: This 12 foot Huron canoe showed up on the green at Paul Smiths in 2015 and returned a year later after a full restoration by Tom McCloud. There was some rot, the stems had problems, and bad planking in places. The white halos around tacks indicated use in salt water, so the canoe was submerged in fresh water and soaked for a couple weeks. The inwale and planking had separated from the decks. Lots of toggle straps, wedges and clamps were used on the wet hull to get it back into shape. The stems were opened up and strips of oak were epoxied on for reinforcement. It was put back together using maple for decks, thwart and outwale. She started to look like a nice canoe again after being thoroughly cleaned then fitted with with new canvas, filler, and paint. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #huroncanoe #paulsmiths

 

[Benson Gray]

MORNING FOG: Technically not a canoe, but still part of our family. Members Rita and Don Coon, of Nunda, NY, built this beautiful new guideboat and finished it just before Assembly 2011. The picture was taken at the Paul Smith’s Alumni Campground, just as the morning fog was lifting. The 16’ strip-built boat is a reproduction of Grant’s Virginia, based on “Building An Adirondack Guideboat” by Olivette and Michne. Rita and Don used mahogany, basswood, and poplar for the hull and oars, and fabricated many of the brass components. Well done! Photo by Rita Coon. #wcha #wchaorg #woodencanoeheritageassociation #guideboat #adirondacks #paulsmiths

 

[Benson Gray]

APUTAMKON, IN THE EARLY MORNING LIGHT Aputamkon was built in 2003 by member-builder Steve Cayard of Wellington, Maine, using all traditional methods and one piece of bark. The serpent figure on this 16 foot canoe was etched in winter bark at the suggestion of Alice Claire Tomah, great-granddaughter of Tomah Joseph, a late 19th century Passamaquoddy birchbark canoe builder. The stem profile suggests a late 1800’s style. Member Ken Kelly brought this canoe to the 2014 Assembly where the WCHA featured its modern Member-Builders. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #stevecayard

 

[Benson Gray]

SAILING CANOE: A 1923 Old Town HW with sponsons heads across the lake at the Mini Assembly in Eastern Pennsylvania in the fall of 2009. At the helm of this 18-foot, AA grade beauty is its owner, member Jim Clearwater. Jim has done a partial restoration, including the adaptation of the 55 sq. ft. sailing rig, and plans to do a full restoration in a few years. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #oldtowncanoe #sailingcanoe

 

[Benson Gray]

The Saga of Bits & Pieces: When Fred Capenos originally saw Bits & Pieces it wasn’t love at first sight. That is just what he saw, bits and pieces of what had been a 1943 Old Town AA grade OTCA canoe with serial number 136073. The bits were the fourteen Old Town diamond head bolts and the pieces were two halves of a canoe on their way to being made into a pair of bookcases. He and his partner Aleta carefully restored and donated it to the WCHA's 2009 Assembly auction where it was warmly received. The high bid exceeded his wildest expectations and it now has another chance for a long and happy life. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #oldtowncanoe

 

[Benson Gray]

NOW THIS IS A “CANOE CAMP”: Member Ken Kelly has found an innovative way to store some of his collection of long decked courting canoes at his 1934 vintage log cabin on Twin Lakes in Michigan. Resting on top of a half wall that separates two sleeping rooms are six beautiful canoes – some restored, some not. Many canoe-related furnishings complete the décor. Ken loves this unique way of displaying his canoes, but is quick to add that “you don’t want to be taking these canoes down and putting them back very often.” #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #twinlakesmichigan #canoecamp

 

[Benson Gray]

RUSHTON REPLICA: Member Mark Whitcomb had the chance to take the lines off of an 1885 Rushton Buck Tail canoe, so he decided to try his hand at lofting and building a new canoe. Nice job Mark! The photo was taken at the 2012 Assembly, across the lake from Paul Smith’s College during a morning fishing trip. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #rushtoncanoe #paulsmiths

 

[Benson Gray]

Bear Mountain Boats shared this on August 7 saying: What do you mean, overkill? Transporting one of the canoes from Brent Kirkham’s scale model building class in high style. #bearmountainboats #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe

 

[Benson Gray]

SUMMER CAMP: Since 1924, Camp Sweyolakan’s campers, on Lake Coeur d'Alene in Idaho, have been using wood/canvas canoes. In 2011, a group of former camp staff (mostly women) undertook to restore the camp’s 22 canoes. The first five lay quietly awaiting the arrival of camp paddlers. Photo by Lorinda Girault Travis. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #summercamp #oldtowncanoe #campsweyolakan #lakecoeurdalene

 

[Benson Gray]

AN INDIAN OLD TOWN CANOE: These pictures show a canoe from the Indian Old Town Canoe Company with serial number 201. There are no build records that go back this far but it is probably circa 1901 when the company started advertising. This was the first form of the organization that eventually became the Old Town Canoe Company on January 23rd, 1903. It appears to be a GG model based on the dimensions. The original cane lashings on the bow and stern are similar to a bark canoe. This canoe is now able to be used again, well over a hundred years after it left the factory. Many thanks to Rollin, Elisa, and everyone else at the Northwoods Canoe Company for making this possible. #wcha #wchaorg #canoe #woodencanoeheritageassociation #woodencanoe #indianoldtowncanoe #oldtowncanoe #northwoodscanoe