Serial Number Search

Welcome, the Old Town canoe with serial number 172417 is a 15 foot long fifty pound model with a keel. It was built in May, 1965. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on January 27th, 1964 to Kokomo, Indiana. 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 as you probably know well. 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 donate, join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See https://www.woodencanoe.org/about to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/shop to donate or join.

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

Benson



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Appreciate the update. Could it be possible that the serial number is 2417? It is just over 17' in length and appears much older than the 1960s? There is a large gap between the 17 and 2417. Thanks again.
 
Anything is possible. There is no build record available for the Old Town with serial number 2417 which was probably made between 1904 and 1906. However, it will be very difficult to confirm that any canoe with a low number like that is actually an Old Town. The pictures at https://www.woodencanoe.org/classifieds/'ole-yeller'-17'-old-town-circa-1904 do not show enough details to conclusively determine who built it. The decks could be the Old Town style. The thwart clearly is not and was probably added later.

See https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/2780/ for more details about one of the few canoes with a low number like this that could be confirmed as an Old Town by the outline of an early style decal on the deck.

Good luck,

Benson
 
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Post photos. You likely have something other than an Old Town.
Sometimes Old Town is used as a universal title to any wood canvas canoe.
 
Dave, will do. Going to purchase the canoe shortly. The seller has sent additional photos to me directly and out of respect to the seller will wait until I own the canoe to post them. There are links above to the original post. Very interested in your thoughts on what I am buying. Either way I look forward to bringing it back to life with my sons to enjoy for years to come.
 
Several pics of the canoe, will pick her up first weekend in December. Sellers father, in his mid '80s, purchased in NH in the 1970's with the intent to restore. A few more pics to follow. Any thought / insight / recommendations are appreciated.
 

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Once I pick her up, start stripping, and taking and posting various measurements will be interested in everyone's thoughts. Would appreciate recommendations on pics to send, dimensions to pass etc.
 
Thanks Dan, appreciate the advice. Will take some pics of that canoe and another I recently picked up to see if folks can help ID them.
 
Recently purchased in VA from an older gentleman, mentioned Thomas/Thompkins as manufacturer. Not much beyond that. Will provide various measurements and better pictures to help ID the canoes. Appreciate the help and advice.
 

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Hi Todd,

Your first is certainly is not a 15 foot 50# model Old Town from the 1970s. It looks much older, possibly Old Town but could be from another builder based upon images provided. It is closed gunwale and appears to have un-tapered ribs.

Second canoe - not enough visible information to assess. Photos of the exterior of the canoe usually don’t provide much information. As Dan mentioned, good images of the decks, as well as images of seats, thwarts, and the profile of the stems, would be most valuable for identification.

Looking forward to seeing more,
Michael
 
I have not gotten to the serial number search yet. This canoe is 16' long, about 33" at its widest, very little tumblehome, 1" full length keel that tapers at the ends to fit under the stem bands.Canoe-1(1).jpg Canoe-1(2).jpg Canoe-1(3).jpg Canoe-1(4).jpg Canoe-1(6).jpg Canoe-1(7).jpg Canoe-1(8).jpg Canoe-1(5).jpg Canoe-1(9).jpg Any thoughts on manufacturer and year would be appreciated.
 
Thanks Benson. The gentleman I purchased it from did say he had restored an Otca previously. Will reach out once I reveal the serial number.
 
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