Antique wood and canvas canoe identification help

Dan Kingsbury

New Member
I just purchased this antique wood and canvas canoe and was looking for help identifying the maker. The canoe is marked with the serial number 538 - 18. Any help would be appreciated.
 

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My guess is that you may have a Skowhegan canoe. See http://www.wcha.org/content/skowhegan-boat-and-canoe-company for more details. They used a distinctive stem so can you provide a picture of the stem profile at the end? A picture of the other deck would also help since there might be the remains of a decal there. See http://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/16624/ for a similar canoe that was identified this way. Another possibility would be a Kennebec but their serial number 538 went on a 16 foot long boat. The font used on the serial number is unusual so it could also be from the Charles River area near Boston.

Benson
 
Thank you for the info, there is nothing left of a label on either deck. I took a few more photos
 

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That looks much more like a Charles River area stem curve than the typical Skowhegan style as shown in the catalog below. It might be a Robertson since they were known to have occasionally used heart shaped decks. See https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/13248/ for an example. Wide thwarts were also common on Charles River area canoes so you may want to check under the rails to see if there are any signs of these. The way the end of the stem was finished may provide another clue if you want to provide pictures of that. Good luck,

Benson



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I am restoring a wood and canvas canoe with the remnants of a decal on the bow deck. Can anyone help me identify it? Thanks. (I'd send an image but I need 3 posts first.)
 
It may be home made. A newer commercially built boat would have a hull identification number on the starboard stern. It looks like a fun one. Please reply here if you ever determine who built it. Thanks,

Benson
 
Thanks. That's even better in a way. The former owner, from whom I got it several years ago, didn't have a history except that it supposedly came from the Kawarthas/Peterborough Ontario area somewhere. I've got a request into Evinrude to date the logo if they can, and then maybe track down dealers/marinas who might have sold locally made canoes. I will be sure to let you know if I find out. Thanks again.
 
If you can provide some better pictures of the canoe someone here might be able to ID it. Pictures of the decks, thwarts, stems, seats, and canoe as a whole help greatly.
 
Thanks. Here are the two photos from earlier in this string and some shots with everything you mention, except one including steel stems removed. They were standard steel, as are all the screws and carriage bolts. Pictures with the outwales removed now too can be had.
 

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Well, it's been 2 years and I just wrapped up the covid project I wrote above a few messages back. I took my time. :) Here's a few pics of the results to see if anyone yet recognizes what kind of canoe it is from the Kawartha/Peterborough region. No serial number anywhere. The canvas, brass bolts, screw and stems, and the yoke thwart are new. Otherwise it is all original parts. Gotta love epoxy putty. Anyway, any help still appreciated.
 

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