Penn Yan row boat

I looked at a potential project this weekend, a Penn Yan canvased row boat. really rough shape, but I think it can be saved - a real project this time.

looking at Dragonfly's serial number list, I have a question. on this boat there is a serial number stamped bow and stern. the bow has two letters that looks like Q & T and a four digit number 538? maybe a 3.


the stern has the same numbers but looks like three letters , I think I see the Q, looks like a T and the last certainly looks like a D



I know its a 12 foot decked trailboat (characteristic trailboat hardware) about 52 inches wide, according to Dragon fly's list a QTD is a 12 foot composite decked trailboat that width but was first made in 1954, but it also says the first three of the serial number should be the year.

so -my questions - if anyone knows- why would the model identifier letters be two letters at one end and three at the other - from the looks of this boat nothing was done as far as repairs (or much maintainance) through the years so I would guess the stamps are original,

and how accurate is the year concept in the serial number?

thanks

 

It appears that the stamper started with the wrong letter on one end and didn't bother to try and change it. Penn Yan Boats built lots of boats during the fifties, and rumor has it that they were trying to build 50 a day. Usually, the model letters are correct, but I have seen Penn Yan boats with no serial number. After about 1957, Penn Yan no longer used the first two letters to designate the year. Usually, the year designation was followed by a space, but not always.

 

Of course I meant to say first two numbers as the year - so 53 in this case