Fiberglass / Structural Strength / Old Town Trapper

[J1973s]

Interesting thread. I have a chance to buy a 196? Trapper. I’ve only corresponded with the owner by phone and he doesn’t know whether the Canoe is Canvas or fiberglass over the wood planking. I’m enclosing some pics…the owner will part with it for $450. Opinions? Thanks.

 

[MGC]

Looks like canvas that is due for replacement. That's a reasonable price if it's in good shape, as it seems to be.
You might milk a summer out of the current canvas by trying to seal it but it's due and best replaced sooner rather than later.

 

[J1973s]

Thanks…kind of looked like it was canvas to me too.

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome, the Old Town canoe with serial number 174196 is a 16 foot long Otca model with a keel and narrow two and 3/4 inch planking. It was built between August and September, 1965. The original exterior paint color was pale blue. It shipped on April 19th, 1965 to Pompton Plains, New Jersey. The back side of the record indicates that it returned for repairs on April 26th, 1965. These were completed by May 4th, 1965 when it returned to Pompton Plains, New Jersey. Scans showing both sides of this build record are attached below.

These scans 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 https://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 https://www.woodencanoe.org/about to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/shop to donate or join.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. This canoe originally shipped with a canvas covering while the Trapper model from this era is 15 feet long and would have been covered with fiberglass. A $450 price seems reasonable. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions. Good luck with the decision,

Benson