Just purchased Old Town Sail Canoe? unknown date Serial Number 149376 over 16 ft

[John Ferrone]

I just purchased this Old Town Sail Canoe on 05/12/2021 for $2500.00 previous owner told me it was built in 1948 I found the serial numbers 149376 I do not know the model I think it was older than this date. looks more like a Guide Boat than a Canoe. can anyone help?. thank you John new member.

 

[Todd Bradshaw]

That's very cool. Nice score!
The halyard attachment to the gaff needs to be sorted out. Typically a gaff rig uses two halyards to raise and orient the sail. One attaches at the gaff jaws and runs pretty much straight up and down along the mast, pulling the sail's luff edge firm and wrinkle-free right along the aft side of the mast. The second (peak) halyard attaches either to the gaff itself, somewhere near its middle, or to a small bridle on the gaff. It pulls the gaff up and peaks the sail up properly. It is sometimes possible to raise a gaff sail with only one halyard, but chances of getting good tension on all the edges that need it are not very good.

 

[Dave Osborn]

John,
Your boat is known as a Double End Row Boat.
The serial number is in line with the date you were given.
The Old Town plate on the bow did not exist when it was built and likely was added during a restoration.
The original would have been a decal with black lettering.
Someone will post the factory build record for you shortly.

 

[Benson Gray]

Welcome and congratulations, the Old Town with serial number 149376 is a 16 foot long double end boat model in CS (Common Sense or the middle) grade with red Western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, ash decks, spruce thwarts, spruce seats, outside stems, and a floor rack. It was built between July, 1947 and May, 1948. The original exterior paint color was dark green. It shipped on May 6th, 1948 to Old Forge, New York. The back side of the record shows that there was a previous request for a copy of this record in July of 1979. 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 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. See https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/serial-number-search.15866/#post-80142 for a similar boat. The sail rig appears to have been added after this boat left the factory. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions,

Benson

 

[John Ferrone]

I would like to donate and become a member , Can i send a check instead of a credit card. that helps me alot.

 

[John Ferrone]

You guys and gals are Awesome! thank you so much this is totally not what I was expecting!. wow. I'm not far from Old Forge NY. I will preserve this boat for many years. I live 500 ft for Lake George I can launch on a public beach on my own private avenue. I forgot to mention I have the original ores plus the guy whom I purchased it from had a second set. The one important peace for sailing the was missing was the bracket mount for the Lee boards to mount to. the rear Rudder was double bladed and swivels and the lee boards are all intact with the metal washers . I was lucky to find a bracket from a Old Town sail canoe locally a few days ago on E bay in my local area. so now I have extra lee boards a rear ruder , sail and mast plus rigging.
I need to learn the sailing terms for equipment do you know a good book I can read to learn the name of all the rigging and equipment. any recommendations.? Anyreco

 

[John Ferrone]

I just figured out how to donate I donated $100.00. thanks

 

[pklonowski]

The book you want is this one:
https://www.woodencanoe.org/product-page/canoe-rig-the-essence-and-the-art
though it's out of stock at the moment. Not sure if it'll be re-stocked, or if yu can look on Amazon, eBay, etc.

 

[John Ferrone]

Thanks , for the Idea and book choice.

 

[John Ferrone]

This is boat #6 to my list of Wooden boats :
List: 1938 Old Town Octa
1953 Old Town name Unknown?
1960 Huron Indian nation QC Canada hunting Canoe
1901 George Smith Adirondack Long lake NY Guide Boat
small dingy sail boat all wood maker unknown?
1948 Old Town double ended row boat

 

[JClearwater]

John,
Welcome to the Double End club. Attached is a link to my Double End. We live down State from you in Cornwall near West Point.
Jim

http://forums.wcha.org/index.php?threads/stephanie-lynn-is-finished.12205/

 

[John Ferrone]

You have a fine beautiful boat, I hope to go out on the water soon with mine.Enjoy all the fun. John & Joelle

 

[Craig Johnson]

Here is mine.

 

[John Ferrone]

Nice ,Nice deck