Serial Search
- Thread starter maizeblue
- Start date
-
- Tags
- serial number
Kathryn Klos
squirrel whisperer
A Familiar Canoe
I've looked this canoe up before, after Denis and I were invited to research it by the folks who discovered it in an old barn. A video of this event may be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plUn6oHDHyQ
Old Town 45745 is an 18 foot CS (common sense, or middle) grade HW model canoe, finished from October 1916 to June 1917. It has red Western cedar planking, spruce gunwales, ash decks, thwarts, and seat frames, sponsons, and a keel with full length bang plate. Originally, it was painted dark olive, with "Spring Hills" painted on the left bow. It was shipped to Michigamme, Michigan, on June 19, 1917.
The canoe was found in the barn of a farm on Kunde Road, three miles from us. We are eight miles South of Marquette, off US41.
This is possibly the first instance of our being able to provide a build record plus documentation of the discovery of the canoe's serial number, as the vessel hangs in a barn--- and still sports a nest for birds. At that time, we gave the owner a copy of the build record.
If the canoe appears any different from the image in the video, please post a picture!
The scan of this record is attached below-- click on it to get a larger image. This scan and several hundred thousand others 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/ot_records/ if you want more details. I hope that you and anyone else reading this will join or renew membership in the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to renew.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Kathy
I've looked this canoe up before, after Denis and I were invited to research it by the folks who discovered it in an old barn. A video of this event may be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plUn6oHDHyQ
Old Town 45745 is an 18 foot CS (common sense, or middle) grade HW model canoe, finished from October 1916 to June 1917. It has red Western cedar planking, spruce gunwales, ash decks, thwarts, and seat frames, sponsons, and a keel with full length bang plate. Originally, it was painted dark olive, with "Spring Hills" painted on the left bow. It was shipped to Michigamme, Michigan, on June 19, 1917.
The canoe was found in the barn of a farm on Kunde Road, three miles from us. We are eight miles South of Marquette, off US41.
This is possibly the first instance of our being able to provide a build record plus documentation of the discovery of the canoe's serial number, as the vessel hangs in a barn--- and still sports a nest for birds. At that time, we gave the owner a copy of the build record.
If the canoe appears any different from the image in the video, please post a picture!
The scan of this record is attached below-- click on it to get a larger image. This scan and several hundred thousand others 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/ot_records/ if you want more details. I hope that you and anyone else reading this will join or renew membership in the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/join.php to renew.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Kathy
Attachments
Many thanks...
I was in Marquette in the summer of 2007 visiting cousins who have homes on Middle Island Point. One of my cousins spotted this canoe while driving through town and told me about it. I bought it and had it restored (pics attached) by a man who lives not far from the sellers home.
I'm wondering if there is someone who can repaint the "Spring Hills" name as it was originally?
I was in Marquette in the summer of 2007 visiting cousins who have homes on Middle Island Point. One of my cousins spotted this canoe while driving through town and told me about it. I bought it and had it restored (pics attached) by a man who lives not far from the sellers home.
I'm wondering if there is someone who can repaint the "Spring Hills" name as it was originally?
Attachments
Kathryn Klos
squirrel whisperer
Your canoe looks wonderful! Congratulations on bringing an ol' girl back to her original glory.
My thought is that anyone who has talent with paint and lettering could to the job of painting "Spring Hills" again. There was no "standard" as far as style of lettering. I recall an older post that Benson answered, and I'll give you that link.
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=2157&highlight=town+lettering
My feeling is that a name on a canoe looks best if it follows the curve of the gunwales.
We have a canoe from the same era as yours and I've been looking on line at "Arts and Crafts" styles of lettering and plan to draw the name up, full-size, and get suggestions from the local craft shop re transferring it to the surface of the canoe.
My thought is that anyone who has talent with paint and lettering could to the job of painting "Spring Hills" again. There was no "standard" as far as style of lettering. I recall an older post that Benson answered, and I'll give you that link.
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=2157&highlight=town+lettering
My feeling is that a name on a canoe looks best if it follows the curve of the gunwales.
We have a canoe from the same era as yours and I've been looking on line at "Arts and Crafts" styles of lettering and plan to draw the name up, full-size, and get suggestions from the local craft shop re transferring it to the surface of the canoe.
It may be difficult to get it exactly like it was originally as Kathy mentioned but a good local sign painter can usually help. If you are having trouble finding one then contact the local fire department to see who paints the town name on their trucks. Let us know how it comes out,
Benson
JClearwater
Wooden Canoes are in the Blood
Try Motorcycle people
I found a pinstripe/lettering guy through a local chopper builder. Orange County, NY has a busy local industry building choppers. "Orange County Choppers" from The Learning Channel is based here. A good sign guy or pinstripe guy can get it done in no time at all. I got my ride "pimped" at what I though was quite reasonable. "Adelaide" was done for $325, which included 1/2" gold stripe with black shadow line below, stylized floral with shadows on four sides and Adelaide in script on both bows. Others may disagree but I think it adds value to the boat and was worth the price.
Jim C.
I found a pinstripe/lettering guy through a local chopper builder. Orange County, NY has a busy local industry building choppers. "Orange County Choppers" from The Learning Channel is based here. A good sign guy or pinstripe guy can get it done in no time at all. I got my ride "pimped" at what I though was quite reasonable. "Adelaide" was done for $325, which included 1/2" gold stripe with black shadow line below, stylized floral with shadows on four sides and Adelaide in script on both bows. Others may disagree but I think it adds value to the boat and was worth the price.
Jim C.
Kathryn Klos
squirrel whisperer
Watching videos of pinstripers on YouTube convinces me that experts, such as they, should be the ones coming at our canoe that needs courting-canoe motifs! Or maybe a needy art student at the local university...
Kathy
Kathy
Bob Bassett
Curious about Wooden Canoes
In Maine I found a sign painter he has done lots of work Me in the winter he is not busy so think about calling then. Your canoe looks great I hope you bring it to NH in July
I suspect that you have an extra digit in the serial number since an Old Town from 1962 would be six digits long. My guess is that you have the Old Town with serial number 17 169241. This is a 17 foot long lapstrake 18 model boat with a keel, an outside stem, and a floor rack. It was built in October, 1959. The original exterior color was white with a red Copperpac bottom. It shipped on March 14th, 1960 to Waterville, Maine. The back side of the card indicates that it returned for repairs on April, 22nd, 1960 and went back on May 5th, 1960. It came back again on October 10th, 1960 and returned on November 7th, 1960. Scans showing both sides of this build record can be found 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 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 the boat. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
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 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 the boat. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
