Old Town Sailing Canoe #
- Thread starter Searay
- Start date
The Old Town canoe with serial number 147781 is a 17 foot long, CS (Common Sense) grade, HW (Heavy Water) model with spruce planking, open spruce gunwales, a keel, outside stems, and sponsons which were one inch deeper than usual. It was built between February and May, 1947. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on July 17th, 1947 to Greensboro, North Carolina. A note on the back sode of this record indicates that a copy of this build record was requested in 1971. Scans showing both sides of this build record can be found by following the links at the attached thumbnail images below.
These scans 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/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to join.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. There is no mention of any sailing equipment so this was probably added after it left the factory. It would also be great if you could supply a picture showing the side of this canoe to see if the sponsons were larger than usual or simply mounted below the usual location. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
These scans 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/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to join.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. There is no mention of any sailing equipment so this was probably added after it left the factory. It would also be great if you could supply a picture showing the side of this canoe to see if the sponsons were larger than usual or simply mounted below the usual location. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
Attachments
OP
OP
Searay
Curious about Wooden Canoes
Benson,
Any idea why the change in sponson design for this canoe? What effects do the sponsons really have on this model?
I'm planning on using this as a lake boat for the family so perhaps it is good thing that they are unique? Still not sure if I'm planning on completing the sailing rig.
Searay
Any idea why the change in sponson design for this canoe? What effects do the sponsons really have on this model?
I'm planning on using this as a lake boat for the family so perhaps it is good thing that they are unique? Still not sure if I'm planning on completing the sailing rig.
Searay
Attachments
This canoe was specially ordered with the extra large sponsons so only the customer could tell us why. My guess is that they were particularly safety conscious and just wanted some additional flotation. The images below show the page from the 1947 catalog which describes sponsons, a page from the 1948 catalog showing some more typically sized sponson canoes including an 18 foot long Otca with twin sails, and that same Otca at the WCHA Assembly last year. Sponsons can be a good safety feature but they do add weight and take some extra time to restore. You will also probably want to remove the drops and bolt the bow seat directly to the gunwales for better mast support if you plan to sail it again. Have fun,
Benson
Benson
Attachments
Last edited:
