Thompson Model ?

[Dan Lindberg]

I picked up a canoe for another member here, and it is definitely a Thompson but what model?

It's 15' x 32"w x 14" deep, has about 1" of tumblehome per side, the usual T deck, mahogany trim; decks, inner/outer rails, thwarts, seat frames. Outer stems, not sure of the wood, solid blocks for droppers on the ft seat. And it has the traditional high rounded OT style ends.

I've looked through my listing and don't see anything that matches in the catalogs.
The closest would be a late 30's early 40's Indian, but they aren't listed at 14" deep or with the round ends.
Nothing else is even close.

Anybody else seen one like this and/or have an option as to what it is?

Dan

 

[Dan Miller]

The late '40s and early '50s Thompson catalogs show the Indian model with Otca-style stems. Depth is listed as 12-1/2" for both the "Lightweight" and "Double Floor" versions. In my experience with Indians and Hiawathas, the latter with the half ribs have a flatter floor than the former, so it might not be unreasonable that the Lightweight Indian may be deeper, due a more rounded hull, than the catalog specs show.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Hi Dan,

Ya, I saw those, and maybe that's a clue, maybe this was built as an option with those in mind.
I didn't see a 15 ft'er listed in those years, and I didn't put it in the post but this canoe has a Minn Safe Boat plate on the deck, dated 1948.

Dan

 

[workingbadger]

Indian? Ranger?

Looks quite a bit like my 15' Thompson, which I had assumed to be a Ranger. But then, I would be open to suggestions.....??

 

[Dave Osborn]

Haven't looked at Thompson catalogs for a while, but my thought is that it is the "older style" Ranger.
Ranger's in the 50's went to a low shear look....... Older ones, as I recall have the rounded stem and higher shear line. It is not a Hiawatha, or Indian (which had a Hiawatha-like stem, but not as high) in my opinion....

Dan....did the Indian come in a rounded stem style for a while?

Whatever it is....I have a restorable one just like it. I keep hoping that it will turn into a 15' Indian or that Dave McDaniel will have a brain fart and decide to part with his 15' Indian.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Hi Dave,

Glad to see you back safe.

Ya, It does look a lot like the canoe WB posted. I'm pretty sure that they're not Rangers though.

The Ranger in most of it's existence was a wide, flat livery canoe, wide meaning 35/36", and this one is 32/33.

In going over the catalog listings, there's very few that are 15' and 32/33 wide.
Another thing I noticed as we were loading it up, was that the ribs looks a bit thicker than I'm used to seeing in a T.

Dave, I'm not sure the plans but it "might" end up with you, and if so, you'll get to take a good look at it.

Either way, it's a very nice canoe, deep arch bottom, 14" deep, nice tumblehome, just a pretty canoe. I have a 16 ft Indian on the rack and it's got a significantly shallower arch than this one. This is actually close to the 1st T I did many years ago, which also had a deep arch and was 14" deep.


Oh, the round end Indian, yes, started in 1949 - and this has a 1948 plate on it.
Dan

 

[Dave Osborn]

Thank Dan!
My computer seems to damage the canoe catalog discs..... Haven't had the Thompson disc in in quite a while.
Mine may just be the Indian as you suspect.....but not the one I lust after with Hiawatha style stems....

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Ya, I prefer the pulled back ends also, have a 16 and 17 ft Indian on the rack for myself.

This canoe is Joe B's, not sure his plans for it.

Dan

 

[Dave Osborn]

Yep, Joe's.
I'd dearly love to work on it, but think he may be doing his own restorations.
I get a lot of Thompson's.... Thompson Bros. actually had a retail outlet for several years about 15 miles away from my shop.
I think that is a bit unusual in the canoe/boat building world.....

See you in August,(finally!!) in Shell Lake....I hope.