Antique Old Town Wooden Canoe

This classic 1907 Old Town Canoe spent the first 50 or so years of its life housed indoors at a private canoe club along the Genesee River in Rochester, New York. In 1960 it was purchased and moved to Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes region of Western New York State where it was used by my family until the early 1970s, when it was replaced by a modern fiberglass canoe. The canoe was was housed indoors or under cover since then, and has only been used once since being recovered and painted in 1996. The rounded bottom makes this canoe a joy to paddle-- although it has dumped a few novices!

This rare old canoe was recently sold and will find its new home in Georgia.

(Click on the small images below to view view larger images.).

Included with the canoe are two original oak back rests that were popular in the early days of the last century while spending leisure Sunday afternoons paddling through Genesee Valley Park.

This view shows the classic lines of this fine craft!

The cane seats were recently redone with real cane by an elderly craftsman..

The underside is covered with new canvas, silica filled, and painted with marine enamel.

Just another look at the beautiful shape as viewed from the underside.

Serial #5523 and 16-foot designation stamp.

Production record from the Old Town factory showing that construction of the canoe began in November 1906, and it was shipped to Rochester on March 18, 1907.

Preparing for move to Georgia

Here is the canoe removed from storage and ready to be wrapped in bubble wrap for shipment.	The these old oak back rests still have their only original varnish finish.
The back rests were wrapped in bubble wrap to be sent with the canoe.	Beginning the process of wrapping canoe in bubble wrap.
The canoe was completely wrapped bubble wrap and duct tape while on small saw horses.	Next it was removed from the saw horses so that it could be wrapped again using a continuous sheet piece of bubble wrap.
More duct tape was used to secure the second wrapping.	The services of a helper was required to slide the roll of bubble wrap under the canoe for the second wrapping.
Extra bubble wrap was added to each end for extra protection.	Additional bubble wrap was added in a few places that seemed to need it.
The final canoe cocoon ready for shipment.	Canoe was lifted on top of car rack and securely tied with ropes.
Ready for transporting to the rendezvous location Home Depot parking lot.	Truck driver loading the canoe on top of boxes of pork in a refrigerator truck. The buyer is in the meat business and this truck was on its way from Canada to Georgia. Hence, arrangements were made for it to stop and pick up the canoe.