Hi folks,

I just picked up a beautiful old canoe. the restorer believes it was likely a Chestnut, and maybe built sometime around the 1960's.

It has no serial number on the stems, the deck plates etc, and no decals or name plates of any kind.

It is 16' by 33" by 14" deep (22" from ground to top of bow/stern). It has straight sides, just a bit of rocker, and a sheer line that rises at the ends more (rather than a smooth curve from centre to end).

It has slat seats that we believe are original, and these are mounted directly under the inwale (i.e. not dropped). Finally, it has only the one centre thwart.

the restorer mentioned that it is the second canoe he has had of this type, so it wasn't a one-time creation.

If anyone knows what to call this beauty, or has tips on where to search I would be much obliged.

Thanks.

A few photos would be a big help...

_________________
Dan Miller
Associate Curator, Antique Boat Museum
Sail when you can, paddle when you must - 16/30 DragonFly

I sent some photos to Mr. Miller. Unfortunately, I can't seem to post them.

Sorry if this is off-topic, but, how do I post photos?

Thanks.

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse. ... id=1905483

I posted photos to the above link. Hopefully this will work.

Thanks.

Yep, looking through the alterations, I can see a probably Chestnut there. Maybe also a Peterborough or Canadian Canoe Co., but given the lack of SN, I lean towards Chestnut. The narrow ribs and slat seats make it probably a Deer model, circa 1968.

Enjoy it!
Dan

_________________
Dan Miller
Associate Curator, Antique Boat Museum
Sail when you can, paddle when you must - 16/30 DragonFly

I will enjoy it. And now I can enjoy it just a little more not having to act dumb when someone asks about it!

Thanks again.

What a sweet canoe!

Predictable, stable, and yet quite responsive. The chine allows a very comfortable heeling angle, and the ends clear just enough to make quick turns, without acting like big sails. Soloing was very nice, yet I suspect it will make a nice light tandem tripping boat too. Maybe not the best in big whitewater, but I have much uglier boats for that sort of thing.

I like it a lot!

Thanks again for the info.

But it could also be a Tremblay, it sure has a lot of resemblence to the one I paddled in the early 70's

_________________
When a new source of taxation is found it never means, in practice, that the old source is abandoned. It merely means that the politicians have two ways of milking the taxpayer where they had one before.
H. L. Mencken

Mr Canoehead_18

This is a real longshot, ok... so, I dont want to be laughed out of here
on a rail...

but there are construction "elements" I note of the photos you posted that really, really plant a strong hunch that this is a canoe built by a Boatbuilder...
like, a guy had a set of plans, and went to a Boat-builder friend, and said:

"Build me this canoe". (Hence the idiosyncracies and no S/N)

I am strongly hunching, from the woodwork, that this may be a Canoe
patterned after the Chestnut, but perhaps built By Geisler Boats, out
of Powassan, Ontario. You may wish to inquire of them if they have on
rare occasion, done such a thing.

Sundown

I may follow up on that.

The canoe was recently restored by a dedicated hobbiest. He made a few changes, and as such it won't look like the original. Here is a list of changes I didn't mention in my first post:

1. The outwales are a recent addition, as is the hardware.
2. The decks have been changed.
3. The seats are original, but they were not originally dropped.
4. There was certainly only one thwart (looked hard for holes in inwales).
5. The bow/stern handle thwarts were added.
5. A new keel was added.

Also of note, the fellow who restored it had an album of all the canoes he had worked on. He showed photos of one that was identical from back in the '70s. That killed my suspicion that it was a one-off. It could still be a knock-off of one of the bigger companies.

As I see it, the only inconsistency is the depth 14" and width 33". I can't find those numbers together on any of the "pleasure" canoes.

At the end of the day, I really enjoy paddling this canoe, so it doesn't really matter. I would like to know, but now recognize it may not be possible to know for sure.

Thanks again for everyone's suggestions and ideas. Keep them coming if you have any more information.

Canoehead18

Yeah... those arent the construction elements I was referring to per se,
except the one thwart etc... but the absence of a S/N, yet THAT level of
quality, and typical Boatbuilder techniques (integral/original) which are evidenced in direct opposition to Canoe-Builder techniques of the period, strengthen my spidey-sense...

And the modifications you reference now, are typical additions a Canoe Craftsman would HAVE to add (logically) to maintain true canoe structure stability and integrity, based on a Boatbuilders methodology of crafting a canoe.

I would think Geisler is worth the nickel, and to inquire of them of other
Boatbuilders who might have done the same thing circa that period.

I feel your mystery is answerable, quite possibly along that path.

Sundown