Unknown canoe #48653 17

tractionavante

New Member
We have rescued a wood/canvas canoe here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. There are no builder decals or plaques identifying the builder, but there are numbers stamped where the keel comes into the stem on the inside of the boat. The numbers are 48653 17. If anyone can identify this boat and provide any details, it would be much appreciated.

Also, if anyone knows of an individual who could lead a 6-day class in the restoration of wood/canvas canoes in Upper Peninsula area of Michigan, please contact me.

Thank you.
 
My guess is that you have the Old Town canoe with serial number 48653 which is a 17 foot long, CS (common sense or middle) grade, Otca model with red western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, birch decks, birch thwarts, birch seats, a keel, and outside stems. It was built between March and May, 1917. The original exterior paint color was orange. It shipped on May, 31st, 1917 to New York City. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.

This scan and several hundred thousand others 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.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. The list at http://www.wcha.org/buildsupply/ may help you locate someone who can lead a restoration class for you. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson
 

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