Serial number inquiry

Casey

Curious about Wooden Canoes
Hi I have an OTC serial number 16 7708 and am trying to sort out the details of this canoe. I am about to restore it so I’m interested in its past. Thanks for the help.
 
Welcome and congratulations, the Old Town canoe with serial number 7708 is 18 feet long so that doesn't seem like a good match for the number that you provided. The information at https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/791/ may help if some of the digits are hard to read. Can you provide some pictures of the serial numbers from each end, the extreme overall length in a straight line, and a few pictures of the decks and interior details. Thanks,

Benson
 
Benson thanks for the quick response. I have a number of pics once I sort out how to upload them. I only exposed the serial number on one stem not both ends. It certainly does not appear to be a 16 foot canoe. Here is a pic of the serial number. The boat fortunately has been stored in a barn in CT for the past 40 plus years so overall not in bad shape.
 
Benson not sure if the serial number pic uploaded or not. Please let me know as I do not see it attached anywhere. If we should have this converse off line I am happy to post my email address if needed.
 
And again missed a digit for the serial number 16 77089. The number 16 is very clear and it precedes the 5 digit serial number which I am rechecking now
 
So I will try to post a few pics to see if I am doing this correctly. Thanks to those who have replied with how to responses.
 

Attachments

  • AD7CBDBA-58F1-4716-891A-EFCA192DDD26.jpeg
    AD7CBDBA-58F1-4716-891A-EFCA192DDD26.jpeg
    176.3 KB · Views: 224
Here are a couple more pics.
 

Attachments

  • E3ADBD7C-2284-4182-9733-40A32B9E0F62.jpeg
    E3ADBD7C-2284-4182-9733-40A32B9E0F62.jpeg
    175.6 KB · Views: 257
  • 8F78C4B6-6BA3-4A35-BBD1-E0F513649442.jpeg
    8F78C4B6-6BA3-4A35-BBD1-E0F513649442.jpeg
    142.8 KB · Views: 249
These pictures are much appreciated. The Old Town canoe with serial number 77089 is a 16 foot long, CS (common sense or middle) grade, Otca model with red Western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, twenty inch birch decks, birch thwarts, birch seats, and a keel. It was built in March, 1923. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on May 11th, 1923 to Bantam, Connecticut. A scan of this build record can be found below.

This scan and several hundred thousand more 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/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will donate, join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/store/membership to join.

It is possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson



77089.jpg
 
Guys that makes perfect sense. I was given this boat from the grand daughter of Mr. William Johnson who owned the boat rental concession on Bantam Lake in Bantam, CT. His granddaughter believes this would have been in the 1950’s so he was clearly not the first owner. The boat had been stored in a barn since the late 1960’s Until ailing media it up earlier this year. I am about to start a complete restoration of the boat simply because I love old wood boats. I also grew up paddling a wood/canvas old town on Lake Megunticook in Camden ME each summer. Restoring this canoe just seems like the right thing to do and plain fun. Thanks for all the help. I am sure I will have a host of questions for WCHA as I muddle through the restoration.
 
Back
Top