Sponsons on a Chestnut?

[Easternrivers]

Got a line on this Chestnut....I know that serial numbers don't mean much, but this one is also stamped as "Plea", which I'm guessing means 'Pleasure" model. I think it's a 17 footer from the desription, but I'll need to measure it myself.
Not sure of age as I haven't gone to look at it yet, but it has heart shaped decks and those sponsons look rather unique, at least for around this country.
Any comments as to possible age and any info on the option of sponsons for Chestnuts would be appreciated. Are they rather rare or was it commonplace and really doesn't add to value?
Thanks

 

[Easternrivers]

Well, I made the deal on this Chestnut-sponson.
Everything looks original except the seats.
Original canvas I think...
I got a great deal from what I can see so far. A couple of planks and some rib cracks to be fixed...very minor deterioration in the stems.
This canoe looked to be pre-1921 at first, but it does have wide cant ribs. Sponsons are in great shape.
17 ft overall
33in. beam(32 at the gunnel) 12 in to top of thwarts.
Sorry, I forgot to measure ribs and spacing.

I pick it up on Saturday.

 

[Andre Cloutier]

Very nice. ship it this way, i'll give it a good home, but then I'm biased towards early Chestnuts. Looks great

 

[MackyM]

Do the seat frames look original under the vinyl pillows? MackyM

 

[Easternrivers]

Do the seat frames look original under the vinyl pillows? MackyM

Not sure....I only put my hand under long enough to see if the cane was there....it wasn't. I have 2 'nuts at home now and the seat frames look about the same.

 

[MackyM]

I am not an authority on these, but this is the first Chestnut I have seen with sponsons that was not in a catalog. MackyM

 

[Easternrivers]

I know they are not commonplace here. I've never seen one.
I thought it was unique and will look pretty floating down the St. John next summer! Should turn a few heads for sure!
BTW, thanks Andre, but I'll hang on to her for awhile. Gotta paddle her a little in her home town.

 

[greyghost]

Nice canoe .
"This canoe looked to be pre-1921 at first"
I don't think it's that old , Chestnut didn't stamp ser #'s until late 50's or early 60's .
It does have a nice old decal on the deck , but there again this wasn't done in the 20's .

 

[Easternrivers]

Nice canoe .
"This canoe looked to be pre-1921 at first"
I don't think it's that old , Chestnut didn't stamp ser #'s until late 50's or early 60's .
It does have a nice old decal on the deck , but there again this wasn't done in the 20's .

GreyGhost, I see your also from the Fredericton Area...Nice to see another Maritimer here...
Yes, the wide cant ribs also point to a later date. But I'm not sure when the heart shaped decks went out of style. I understood that sometime after the fire they went to the shallow radiused deck.
I'd like to think 1940's but who knows for sure?? Would be nice to find out fairly certain tho...

 

[Easternrivers]

I got the Chestnut home today... After checking Dragonfly, and checking with an experienced canoe restorer, it looks to be an 'Aster' at 17ft, 35" beam and 12" depth with sponson option of course. 1940's or earlier.
Did a preliminary inspection(its dark already) but saw some things of interest.
First was the decal. It does not look like the other decals on my canoes. It doesn't have that sticker look. more like a silk screen
(for lack of a better description).
Second thing is it appears that all hardware and fastenings are either brass or bronze. I scratched a couple of bolt heads and a gunnel screw to check and found brass. The screws fastening the sponsons are also brass or bronze.
Also, all gunnel screws are flathead brass. Does this help date this canoe at all?
And I'm not the best judge of woods, but it appears the the outwale is different in colour and grain texture than the inhale. Smoother and more brownish in colour under the varnish. Could this be mahogany outwales? where the varnish is worn, of course the gunnel has taken on a grey weathered look. I'll post pics tomorrow.
Original seat frames with cane remnants under the cushions.
Tired. Later.

 

[Easternrivers]

P.S. Just realized, that this isn't likely from the 40's as the brass fasteners would have been scarce due to the War's consumption..
So, I'm guessing 1930's...any suggestions on my analysis?

Cheers