Old Town/carleton?? Serial # Search

[brewmaster]

Looking for help identifying serial # 108898 17. Number not very clear, especially the "8's". Heart shaped deck, spruce gunwales, ash thwarts, seats and decks, 32" beam. Ribs untapered. Benson Gray has suggested it may be a Carleton, due to diamond head seat bolts and shape of deck. Currently undergoing restoration in my shop. She's a fine old beauty. Thanks.

 

[Benson Gray]

Well, that serial number is too high for a Carleton, although it could be an Old Town which was converted to a Carleton. It clearly isn't 108898 since this build record shows a 16 foot long canoe. There are three 17 foot long canoes that might match by replacing each 8 with a 3. Does it have sponsons and/or a floor rack? Is the trim (seats, decks, and thwarts) mahogany, birch, or oak? Can you attach some pictures of the serial numbers from each end, the interior, and the profile of the stems? Can you confirm the extreme overall length in a straight line? Thanks,

Benson

 

[brewmaster]

oak or ash trim. 17 feet confirmed. No floor rack or sponsons. Ribs Not tapered. Heart shaped deck, diamond head bolts for seats. 32" beam. Having trouble downloading more pictures, will keep trying tomorrow. Thanks

 

[Benson Gray]

The picture of the other end that you sent me with the one above looks like number 103292 to me. The Old Town record for this number shows a 16 foot long canoe. Therefore, my guess it that you have the Kennebec canoe with this number as shown on pages 284 and 285 of volume five in the Kennebec ledgers. This was assigned to a 17 foot long Kineo Special model. It was planked by F. Roy on May 19th, 1934. The canvas covering and the first filler coat were applied by Thib. on the same day. He also applied the second filler coat on May 26th, 1934. It was railed by Thompson on May 26th, 1934. The "F 22" (Function number 22 or the keel?) was completed by Thib. on the same day. The "F 24", "F27", and "F28" (Function numbers 24, 27, and 28 or the finish work) was completed by Thib. on June 9th, 1934. The original color was Yale blue. It was packed by Wetz. and shipped to location "34-139" on June 15th, 1934. This location number is probably an order number but we don't currently have enough information to identify it.

The scans of these build records can be found by following the links at the attached thumbnail images below. These original Kennebec records are reproduced through the courtesy of the Maine State Museum.



The microfilms and scans of these records were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA). I hope that you will donate, join, or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and http://www.wcha.org/store/membership to join.

More information about this and other Kennebec models can be found in the Kennebec catalogs contained on the Historic Wood Canoe and Boat Company Catalog Collection CDs available from http://www.wcha.org/store/historic-wood-canoe-and-boat-company-catalog-collection in the WCHA store.

It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match the canoe. The diamond headed seat bolts were probably added in a repair at some point. There may be two nail holes in the bow deck from a tag like the one attached below.



Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[brewmaster]

I think we are getting somewhere! The clincher is that I found traces of blue paint on the canvas beneath the original keel......which is still serviceable after 84 years. As for the diamond head bolts - I wondered why only the seats and not the thwarts had them.....it didn't seem right that they would mix them at the factory. I greatly appreciate your help. I will post pictures of the finished canoe, hopefully around Labor Day......I don't know much about the Kennebec Company......perhaps someone who has a Kennebec canoe will recognize some of the features. It may sound wrong, but I plan on changing the color to white, with Old Town design #4 painted on the outside. It can always be recanvased after I've drifted over the rapids and falls of time.