Old Town Yacht Tender 9 ft number 64428 or 164428

CRAIG SULLIVAN

New Member
I have owned a 9 ft Old Town yacht tender for over 45 years and she was quite old when I got her. I am now rebuilding her for the third time as I am 70 yo and want to leave her behind in good shape (after rowing her across the River Styx ;>} ).

Her serial number on the stem is either 64428 or 164428. It is preceded several inches by the number 9. Can you tell me which serial number is for a 9 ft yacht tender? And, might the build sheet be available? Thank you in advance for any assistance on discovering her history.
 
Welcome and congratulations, the Old Town build records for serial numbers 64428 and 164428 both show 16 foot long canoes so those aren't a good match. My guess is that you have the dinghy with serial number 164423. This is a nine foot long, AA (or top) grade, dinghy with half ribs, a keel, and outside stems. It was built between November, 1955 and October, 1956. The original exterior paint color was white. It shipped on April 4th, 1957 to Plymouth, Massachusetts. A scan showing this build record can be found below.

This build record 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 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 dinghy. This was last listed in the 1971 catalog as shown at http://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?attachments/32782/ for example. I suspect that Charon would be proud to help you across the river in this boat. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions. Good luck with the restoration,

Benson



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Thank you Sir. The correct serial number is indeed 164423. I surely appreciate your efforts. The build sheet is most excellent and the "shipped to" information is interesting. I originally obtained the boat in partial payment for replacing a garboard plank on a small schooner at the successor to the Mayflower Marine Service boatyard in ca 1976. So, that location fits.

One thing I am wondering about is the seat material. My boat has all mahogany trim except for the seats that look to be made of spruce or a similar softwood, and these do not appear to ever have been removed/replaced. Could she have been ordered with spruce seats instead of mahogany? I have a couple more questions about items that I will need when the restoration is complete. Do you know what oars Old Town sold that would be period appropriate and of the right length for this 9 ft yacht tender? Also, what would be the correct badge or decal for the foredeck on this 1955 (built)-1957 (shipped) boat and where might I source one of those?

Thanks again Benson!
 
Could she have been ordered with spruce seats instead of mahogany?

The 1957 catalog page describing this dinghy states "Mahogany is used for gunwales, deck, and stern" so your spruce seats are probably are original. The oars during this period ware available in spruce or ash with straight or spoon blades. Copper tips, leathered, and buttoned were other options. The Old Town catalogs don't appear to have ever specified a suggested oar length for this dinghy. The formula at https://www.shawandtenney.com/blog/how-properly-size-rowing-oars on the Shaw & Tenney site is probably our best resource for sizing your oars. There was probably an Old Town Boat nameplate on the bow originally. These are not readily available now as described at http://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/13464/ in some detail. The canoe version at https://www.woodencanoe.org/product-page/old-town-deck-decal-1956-1978 may be your next best alternative. Let me know if this doesn't answer your questions,

Benson
 
Thank you again Sir.

I will re-install the spruce seats and outfit her with Shaw & Tenny oars. I am having a run of the "Old Town Boat" graphics made and will send the majority to the Association; will let you know when that is done.

My buddy who got me inspired to get back to work on my yacht tender has just finished restoration of a 7.5 footer, serial number 117124. Would it be possible to get the build sheet for that one? I think it may be quite a bit older.

Craig
 
The dinghy with serial number 117124 is a seven foot, five inch long, AA (or top) grade, dinghy with red Western cedar planking, open mahogany gunwales, mahogany decks, mahogany seats, a keel, outside stems, and a floor rack. It was built between January and July, 1936. The original exterior paint color was white enamel. It shipped on August 1st, 1936 to Newport News, Virginia. A scan showing this build record can be found below. All of the other information above applies here as well,

Benson



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