what is it

[Jim]

Hi guys .. I have not been around for quite some time now, but it’s good to be back.

Since I have restored my dad’s old town S/N 107329

But I have found another and I am in need of some thoughts of it’s make and year.


I believe I have an old town but I’m just not sure S/N I believe is 17 145657
The decks don’t seem to be right (don't go by the pack in the one shot)though for this canoe .. I’ll include some photos, Deck, Diamond head Bolt, square headed with a square shank nail used in the in gunwales.

I have larger photos if any one is interested let me have an -maill address i can send them to.
Any Ideas ?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Jim]

sorry for the duplicate .. I had tried to attach photos but it didn't work .. twice

Jim

 

[Benson Gray]

I don't know what you have but it probably isn't an Old Town. Their serial number 145657 went on a 14 foot lapstrake square stern and 45657 went on an 18 foot canoe. It might help if you can also add a picture of the number from the other stem. I would guess that you might have a Carleton or Kennebec but these numbers don't correspond to anything that I can find in their records either. Some dimensions might help as well.

Benson

 

[Jim]

Benson .. Thanks for the reply.

And for the other out there .. I had found that my firewall that I was using was preventing me from seeing attachments. Once the firewall was tuned I saw that I had actually posted the photos twice.. My mistake ...

As far as S/N from the other stem .. it doesn't seem to have any at all. Both stems appear to be the same in age and form so I don't think it had been replaced. The canoe just has the one stem and the one S/N

Are there any other photos that might help hone into it's history ?

What about the square headed nails/ tacks (i'm not sure what to call them) that are used in the fastening of the gunwales?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Benson Gray]

The square nails are something that you would expect to see on some old birchbark canoes. The manufactured cane seats indicate a relatively modern canoe. The brass Old Town nameplate on the deck was first introduced in 1979. The irregularly stamped serial number on only one stem is also very strange. My guess is that you have a canoe from some small builder that has had extensive repairs over the years including a lot of modern parts from the Old Town Canoe company. More photos probably won't help since it is so hard to tell what is original and what has been replaced. Maybe someone can offer a carbon dating solution.

Benson

 

[Jim]

carbon dating ? YEiks !! does this meen I would have to se fire to the canoe ??

Thanks for all your help.

Jim