Serial Number 137827

[Paula]

My husband and his late mother refinished an Old Town Wooden Canoe years ago. Would anyone be able to share information about it from the serial number? It’s 17 feet long.
Serial Number is
137827

Thank you very much!
Paula

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome, the Old Town canoe with serial number 137827 is a 17 foot long, AA (or top) grade, HW (heavy water) model with open mahogany gunwales, mahogany decks, mahogany thwarts, mahogany seats, a keel, a floor rack, sponsons, and a bang plate along the full length of the keel. It was built between June and August, 1943. The original exterior paint color was similar to the one shown at http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/designs/design37.gif which was known as the design 37 with the name "Jumi Joy"(?) in gold and black letters on the right and left sides of the bow. It shipped on August 26th, 1943 to Ripon, Wisconsin. A scan of this build record can be found below.

This 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 renew.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer this description doesn't match the canoe. Canoes with a family connection are always extra special. Feel free to reply if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[Paula]

Oh My! Thank you! I had no idea that my husbands grandfather ordered this to be made for his daughters! That’s so like him but I had no idea. Thank you again!
Paula