Info on 2 Canoe

[Kevin Martin]

Hi:
I am restoring 2 canoes that I am trying to find info on. 1 is a Kennebec 17'
# 18017 that I am working on for a customer. The other is a 16' Penn Yan OSWEGO model #ON 348 344 that I am giving to my daughter as a late wedding present. Thanks for any history on these.

 

[Benson Gray]

The Kennebec canoe with serial number 18017 is shown on pages 130 and 131 of volume three in the Kennebec ledgers. This was assigned to 17 foot long Kennebec Model type A. It was planked by Cameron on September 24th, 1924. The canvas covering and first filler coat was applied by Leonard on October 4th, 1924. The second filler coat was applied by Tuttle on December 15t4, 1924. It was railed and completed by Gillcash on April 11th, 1925. The original paint color was green. It shipped on May 1st, 1925 to location "25-100". This location is probably an order number but we don't currently have enough information to identify it. The original Kennebec records are stored at the Maine State Museum. I am unable to attach a scan of these records since their policies do not permit any electronic reproduction of their materials.

The microfilms of these records were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA). I hope that you will join or contribute 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.html to join. More information about the Kennebec models can be found in the Kennebec catalogs contained on the Historic Wood Canoe and Boat Company Catalog Collection CD available from http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/cdrom.htm on the web.

Your Penn Yan serial number confirms that it is an Oswego model with spruce trim from 1948-1955 as described at http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/id/ but it might also be from 1934. Detailed Penn Yan records are not available.

Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[Dan Miller]

Hi Kevin,

Check your number again - I'd bet the first three characters are "ONS". If so, this would indicate an Owasco (not Oswego) model, 16' in length with spruce trim. The "48" would be the year built, and the last three digits the serial number. Records were destroyed, so we can't use the SN to determine anything further.

Cheers,
Dan