Lakefield Canoe Co. 3-148 16

D

Daniel Odd-Job

Canoeist
New to me. I'm researching her before I get to work on her.

Numbers 3-148 16
OAL 16'
Inside Beam 28”
Cedar-strip lapped joints

I've read through quite a few threads here. Have found references to the first number, of the sequence being model. Would 3 be a 'Canuck Canoe' model? A 'Gordon'? A Torpedo with standard decks? I suspect mine is 1911-1919?

I have photos on my phone, but will need to reduce the file sizes somewhat to upload.

Thank-you in advance for any wisdom shared. It is much appreciated.
Daniel
 
She was found in Sooke BC. I purchased her for $500, from a young fellow who tried her out in a local lake and decided it wasn't safe for his new family. 2" of water ingress in ten minutes on their trial run. He'd had it a month, was gifted it by his step-father, who'd had it as a wall display for 18 years. The previous years it had - I've been told - been a display item in a local outdoors store. I haven't contacted the store yet but seem to remember it there for many many years.
 
I've seen an undated Lakefield catalog that may match your canoe as shown below. There may not be much more information available.

Benson


Lakefield-1.jpg
Lakefield-2.jpg
Lakefield-3.jpg
 
Thank-you Benson, this is useful. Seems mine is the painted, copper fastened, #3. The beam seems off though. Makes sense if measured from the outside of the (wide) gunnels.
 
If you can clarify the construction method - your description to me suggests longitudinal strip.

If you can make the "148" part of the serial number turn into "143," it might be the one shown on these pages from a circa 1920 catalog.

Dan
Lakefield_Canoe_Catalog_012.jpg
Lakefield_Canoe_Catalog_013.jpg
 
Thank-you Dan, just got it here yesterday, so I'm still going over it. Will post more photos as I take them. There are no battens, just a lot of clenched lap-joints.
 
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Definitely longitudinal strip construction. Curious that the "8" in 148 is stamped over a "7."
 
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This is the opposite thwart-block. It has most definitely been re-stamped as you observed Dan. Those 'horns' on the numbers seem odd. Also can't seem to see a '1' in the stamps now... must have been my eye taking liberties with a stain in the wood.

...so is 3 - 48 16 the magic number? And is it even a Lakefield. I'm wondering if someone retagged it? All tacks/nails in the canoe are tight and sunk-home - EXCEPT the few holding those thwart blocks on... possibly those are a late addition?

Could not find any markings indicating Lakefield anywhere - except the 3 (shiny newish looking) tags on the outside of the hull at the ends of the thwarts (above photos). The fourth is dark, corroded, and seems like a home-made steel replacement with snipped corners. Paint colours were yellow, red, and inside green.
 
The tag in your photo is shiny because it was nickel plated. It certainly looks like an original, so I believe your canoe is a Lakefield with several original tags and one replacement. Lakefield serial numbers are an enigma at present. I've tried to collect up as many serial numbers with dimensions and other data as possible, and there aren't very many on the list. Yours would seem to be a model #143 (see catalog page above), a 16' cedar strip canoe, copper-fastened. I know of two other Lakefield 16' cedar strip canoes, copper-fastened, that have numbers starting with "18". Two Lakefields with numbers starting "2" are completely different: one is a typical cedar strip canoe like yours, but 14.5' long, and the other is a 16' racing canoe. Another 16' racing model's number starts with "1". There's still more, but the bottom line is that the first digit doesn't appear to be model number. I don't think the second number is a model number either, because there are Lakefields whose second numbers are 17, 113, 177, 277, 296... none of which are model numbers as far as I know. So unless the company radically changed model numbers at some point, neither the first nor the second number can be a model number. The third number seems to always correlate with length, so that one at least is easy. Perhaps the first number is the year built (i.e., "3" represents 1903). The company went through changes over the years:

1892 – 1904 Strickland & Co. – Lakefield Canoe Works
1904 – 1911 Lakefield Canoe & Mfg. Co.
1911 – 1919 Lakefield Canoe Co. Ltd
1919 – 1938 Lakefield Canoe & Boat Co. Limited
1939 – 1948 Lakefield Boat & Manufacturing Co.
1948 – 1962 Lakefield Boats Limited
1962 – 1967 Rilco Industries

With all first digits ranging from "0" to "18" in my list of tagged Lakefield canoes, if those numbers represent years built then the "Lakefield Canoe Co" tag would have been used through three versions of the company. I have no evidence that this was the case, so I'm still skeptical about the first digit being the year made... but maybe?

Michael
 
Thank-you Michael. You've provided me with excellent information - and a lot of possible avenues to pursue. It is very much appreciated. Is there any information I could provide to help you with your endeavours?
 
The most important thing is simply learning about your canoe, including its serial number. You have a nice canoe there. Please share photos as you work through its restoration.
 
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