Skowhegan Boat and Canoe Company

Dan Miller

cranky canoeist
Staff member
[toc]nonum[/toc]
[H=1]Skowhegan Boat & Canoe Company[/H]
The Skowhegan Boat & Canoe Co. was founded in 1930 by Walter D. Grant. Grant was previously a superintendent at the [manufacturers]Kennebec Boat and Canoe Company[/manufacturers]. The Skowhegan factory burned down on December 12, 1946, taking with it all of the company's records and molds. The company survived at least until Grant's death in 1951[FOOTNOTE]Speltz, 1991[/FOOTNOTE].

Skowhegan canoes look very much like Kennebec canoes, including the short gunwale cap found on both makes. If the canoe has a serial number that does not match one found in the Kennebec Archives, then it could be a Skowhegan. Any Skowhegan records were probably lost in the 1946 fire.

Skowhegan canoes were built with two deck types:
  • Style I: hardwood 20" decks, open spruce gunwales, hardwood seat frames and thwarts, and oak keel. Outside stems optional.
  • Style II: mahogany 20" decks with coaming, mahogany rails, seats, thwarts, and oak keel. Outside stems optional.
[H=2]Canoe Models Offered[/H]
  • Skowhegan Canoe - their primary model, offered in 16', 17' and 18' lengths and trimmed with hardwood or mahogany
  • Camp Special Canoe - similar to the Skowhegan Canoe, and also offered in 16', 17' and 18' lengths. Trimmed with spruce.
  • Guide - offered in 18 1/2' and 20' lengths
  • Invisible Sponson
  • War Canoe - 20' long, specially designed for summer camps.

[H=2]Notes[/H]
[REFLIST][/REFLIST]
[H=2]References[/H]
  • Speltz, Bob. 1991. A Real Runabouts Review of Canoes.
 
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