The Norumbega Chapter is offering a Zoom presentation by Michael Grace & River Grace about The Bucktail in Florida: 141 Years Later

[Benson Gray]

This is the story of a tiny wooden canoe that recently emerged from the fog of history, and the impact is has had over the course of its 140-plus years. This delicate lapstrake, hand-made of cedar, white oak, red elm and basswood, helped make both its builder, J. Henry Rushton of Canton, NY, and its paddler, George Washington Sears of Wellsboro, PA, even more globally famous than each already was. Sears, pen-named Nessmuk and the author of the seminal outdoor skills book Woodcraft (still in print today), took his beloved Bucktail canoe down to the wilds of subtropical Florida over the winter of 1884-1885 and wrote about his adventures there in a series of articles in Forest & Stream, the premier outdoors periodical of his time. This special canoe, an amazing adventure, and some extraordinary people all still excite canoeists, woodworkers, adventurers, and historians today, nearly one and a half centuries later.

BIO:

Michael, Tanya, and River Grace are a family of canoeists. Michael is a widely published neuroscientist and professor, and a dedicated restorer of antique and historic wooden watercraft. He and Tanya, a professional contracts and projects manager in the electrical utility industry, have built a historic and broad collection of antique wooden watercraft. River, narrator of the Bucktail story, is a scientist, medical doctor, and accomplished musician who grew up steeped in historic watercraft. He restored his own antique canoe at only 14 years old.

This presentation will be given at The Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation (https://www.charlesrivermuseum.org/), 154 Moody Street, Waltham, Massachusetts at 2:00 PM on Sunday, March 8th.

The Zoom link will be https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89519904416?pwd=VVJbLwkRMlmaj19LOK577uxfibwLXW.1

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[Sandon or Sandy]

Thank you Norumbega Chapter for offering this to all.

 

[Dave Osborn]

Can I assume that this very canoe once belonged to Nessmuk?

 

[MGC]

The March 2022 Wooden Boat article suggests that it is. It would be a good topic for wooden canoe.

 

[Benson Gray]

This article is available at the first link below. Michael also gave presentation about this at the virtual WCHA Assembly in 2021.

Benson

The Bucktail in Florida | WoodenBoat

www.woodenboat.com

 

[Michael Grace]

Is this Nessmuk's actual Rushton Bucktail? As a scientist I require hard evidence, which doesn't yet exist. So cannot say for certain, though many people have suggested that it is likely the very one because of where it was found and the rarity of this model. I like to think that it is, but thus far there is no concrete evidence. "The fog of history..."

In any case, the canoe is wonderful and the story of Nessmuk's Florida adventure told partly in his own words is fascinating, from his harrowing trip from New York to Florida, to his daily exploration of the truly wild 19th-century subtropics.

 

[MGC]

From where I sit, it is close enough. If it is his canoe, what an amazing thing that would be. And if it's not, it is certainly one that was used for similar exploration, undoubtably inspired by GWS writings and therefor equally amazing. These are such fragile hulls. Finding one in any condition is an accomplishment. Finding one in such great condition with the real possibility that it is that famous canoe is a canoe hobbyists dream.
I laud the reluctance to label it as GWS actual craft. The temptation might overcome some hobbyists and collectors. Who would know differently? But to the true collector, the devil is in the details. You might be able to fool someone else, but there is no satisfaction in that if you are personally uncertain.

 

[Michael Grace]

Very well said, Mike.