1931 Old Town Sponson Canoe 17' on E-bay

[Walter Hauck]

Green Sponson Canoe in Jerseyville, IL-----
I took a trip yesterday to look at a canoe that is listed on E-bay.
Best $10 in gas I ever spent. It had been re-muddled a few years ago. None of the new mahogany was steam bent--but rather saw kerfed, cross-grain and glued to the outwails. One of the tips has a lot of wood filler in it. The seats and thwarts are new but look like factory parts. Also, there are 5-7 easily spotted cracked ribs. It was hard to look closer because of the paint on the inside--kind of a hard, thick coating, almost like a gel coat.
The hull looked like it had the same paint on it, but I couldn't determine if it had fiberglass on it. It did have a kind of plastic sound when I hit it with my fingernail......Wouldn't it be great if we could all look first-hand at E-bay items before we bid? It does look like it is a usable canoe,though.
Wally in St. Louis

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Thanks for the feedback... I wasn't planning to bid, but I do look at "all canoes wooden" on eBay. Four of our canoes were eBay purchases-- two listed by WCHA members who were able to assess them well... otherwise, it can make you nervous buying something "sight unseen", even if you have the pictures.

Our first Morris was listed by someone who thought it was an EM White, but was very interested in putting up any and all information that WCHA members fired at him via email... and he readily sent pictures and provided additional details.

Our other eBay non-WCHA-member canoe was a Gerrish, and it really didn't matter that the seller knew squat about canoes and how to assess them. I believe the terms "fiberglass" and "bookcase" were used in the ad, and that was enough.

 

[tjr818]

Wally,
I too, live in St. Louis. I have an old town sponson sailing canoe that I keep meaning to repair and recanvas. I am looking for some advice on what to do. Have you done recanvassing before?

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Canvassing

I find canvassing to be one of the easier, more satisfying steps in the process. Worry not about canvassing.

 

[Walter Hauck]

Thanks for your reply. It would be great to talk with you. We have just finished our form for our first canoe. Have never stretched canvas before, but looking forward to trying. We work one evening a week at my studio and would like to have you join us some evening. The studio is on N. Broadway just a couple blocks north of downtown. We have formed a local chaper of the WCHA--the Valley of the Meramec Chapter. We have a tentative canoe outing scheduled for Nov. 17-18. Depending on the weather, it may be just camping down on the Gasconade. I will be out of the studio this week until Thursday, but please call me anytime, 314-421-9966. Looking forward to talking with you.
Wally Hauck