This little canoe is 14' X 30" X 12.5". There is a number, 11218. The dimensions do not match anything I have found in regard to Chestnut or Petebourough. The ribs are 2 3/8ths, planking is 3", both are white cedar. It is suprisingly heavy and possibly made in a hurried manner. That is not much care appears to have been made to fair in the ribs or the planking. Both inwale and outwale are spliced and it appears to have been built that way. The slightly lopsided appearence is mor ethe result of the "huried" build ie sloppy workmanship. The gunwales and thwarts are ash while the seats are maple or birch. The seats are woven as opposed to machine woven and set in with splines. The duct tape is mine and reinforces a few fibreglass patches that are coming loose. I wanted to see what it paddled like after spending 15 hours on the road yesterday. It stayed dry although in the wind today I bounced around like a cork in a bathtub with a 3 yrear old.
What is It?
- Thread starter Jan Bloom
- Start date
john hupfield
fire starter/wood burner
Heavy from the glass. Needs a thwart forrard. If Canadian maybe a Furber or other "Sears" canoe. Nobody builds spliced thwarts so were probably done when fibreglassed. Deck pictures tell a lot as most manufacturers had their own styles.
John
John
Andre Cloutier
Firestarter. Wicked Firestarter.
I guess fox or mermaid, judging by the thwart, seat and decks looks like the 50's trapper i owned briefly. nice canadian shoe keel too....
Peternut products from their later periods were not the finessed items you might expect, and hurried would be a fitting description for factory work during the rise of fiberglass and aluminum competition. Nice little boat though.
Peternut products from their later periods were not the finessed items you might expect, and hurried would be a fitting description for factory work during the rise of fiberglass and aluminum competition. Nice little boat though.
davelanthier
Wooden Canoes are in the Blood
Definately a Chestnut! The serial #, hand caned seats, shoe keel, scarfed Ash inwales and outwales are all right. Probably 1970's vintage.
Thanks to all who have responded. I was thinking Chestnut but the dimensions threw me off. The length and depth fit a number of models but the width doesn't seem to fit anything. I am not even sure that the scarfing of the outer wales is a glue joint given the screws. The one side is done much more cleanly than the other and both outer wales could be much cleaner. But that is simple cosmetic work. The inwale splicing is almost unoticeable. The definite flatness in the curve on the one side can be easily corrected. If I chose to recanvas I will certainly take care of the fairing issues in the planking. Everything is very solid with no cracked rib. Because of arthritic hips, knees and ankles I may drop the bow seat an inch or so for solo work. It really was a lot of fun bouncing like a cork in the wind today.
Definitely a Chestnut, most likely a Playmate. Chestnut never got the beam of their 14' canoe right... every single one I've seen measures 30". Great little solo canoe. I would recommend getting one of Tom Seavey's Saddle Seats. Almost infinitely adjustable and you can get your body closer to amidships for better balance.
I've seen several Chestnut canoes with factory-scarfed rails, but those scarfs look amateurish.
I've seen several Chestnut canoes with factory-scarfed rails, but those scarfs look amateurish.
Dan,
I posted the "bad" side. The other side looks better and fits the "hurried" impression of the boat. I think a previous owner added the 2 small screws as the other side does not have them and looks "cleaner".
I am going to leap to the conclusion that not only did Chestnut vary the width but depth may have also been variable. That is more of a quation than a statement.
Rather than a bucket seat I can easily make a slider with a woven cane seat to match the factory originals. I have more than a sufficient supply of wood
and always wanted to weave a cane seat. Now is my oportunity.
I posted the "bad" side. The other side looks better and fits the "hurried" impression of the boat. I think a previous owner added the 2 small screws as the other side does not have them and looks "cleaner".
I am going to leap to the conclusion that not only did Chestnut vary the width but depth may have also been variable. That is more of a quation than a statement.
Rather than a bucket seat I can easily make a slider with a woven cane seat to match the factory originals. I have more than a sufficient supply of wood
and always wanted to weave a cane seat. Now is my oportunity.
