Old Town Canoe

[Ron Scott]

 

This vintage Old Town canoe served many years in service to the USFS in the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area in Minnesota. It was purchased by the wife of a forester friend of mine when it was taken out of service some years ago. They in turn donated it to the National Museum of Forest Service History now being built in Missoula Montana where the canoe will be displayed in the Museum's lobby.

The canoe was restored by donations from the Region 9 USFS retirees and the WI Canoe Heritages Museum.

This photo of the canoe was at the Canoecopia Show in Madison, WI recently. Canoecopia is the largest Paddlesports consumer event in the world.

[Smallmill]

The Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Museum in Spooner is worth the stop if anyone is interested in canoes or anything made out of wood. I asked enough questions that they invited me into the shop to show me some restoration projects they were working on. Good folks.

I didn't take enough time or pictures to fully appreciate the skills that go into making a wooden boat, but I will be back.





 

 

 

[firefighter ontheside]

I love the story about the BWCAW canoe and I would love to see that museum and the boats being restored.  

[Mooseherder]

A History of Innovation | Historic Old Town Canoes & Penobscot Birch Bark - YouTube

[SwampDonkey]

Here is the online Wooden Canoe Museum, this page is about Old Town Canoe. Lots of other canoe makers there including Chestnut of Fredericton,N.B. , established in the 1890's.

Old Town Canoe Company | Wooden Canoe Museum

[firefighter ontheside]

I have a line on an Old Town Canadienne in Kevlar.  This canoe is close to 40 years old, but one of the nicest canoes Old Town ever made.  It should be similar to my Penobscot, but I've wanted one for 30 years, ever since I saw one in the boundary waters.  I'm going to sell my Penobscot 17 that I bought a few months ago and did some work to.  I bought it for 300 and will sell it for 750.  I put maybe $50 into it.  This will be my canoe that I will plan to take to Quetico when I eventually go again.  The only problem is that I have to drive to White Hall MI to get it.  It's about an 8 hour drive.  My wife thinks I'm crazy.

[gspren]

My wife thinks I'm crazy.

I'll bet that applies to many of us  8).

[firefighter ontheside]

No doubt about that.

[thecfarm]

We all need something to keep us busy.
Better then collecting beer cans, as my mother use to say.

[firefighter ontheside]

Made the drive to Michigan today and paid for the Canadienne.  I left my trailer and the canoe at the seller's house so we can do a little fishing tomorrow.  Will pick it up Sunday morning and head home.  This thing is in amazing shape for almost 40 years old.


 

 

[Walnut Beast]

Looks pretty nice! Was raging through Des Moines Iowa today and quit a few people on the big river there tubing and kayaks. Should be fun for you! You have to be crazy about some stuff! That's what makes life fun!

[SwampDonkey]

Not bad. 

If the wife or yourself (or both) was a weaver, there have been several occasions where folks made marathon trips to retrieve old used looms they wanted. Not to mention huge bags of material for rag rugs.  :D :D

[Ron Scott]

Nice! 

[firefighter ontheside]

I'm going to pick up another Old Town canoe this morning.  It's a 1979 Tripper 17 royalex.  I've never had a yellow one.  I'm going to take out the plastic seats and make new ash webbed seats.  I will also make a carry yoke for it.  It has a little wrinkle on the side.  I will see if I can do any repair work to that.

 

[Ron Scott]

Haven't seen many yellow ones.

[doc henderson]

banana boat!

[barbender]

Mustard bucket! 😊

[firefighter ontheside]

I like banana boat better than mustard bucket, but that's just me.  The color was one of the reasons I wanted it.  It will likely sit under my deck until the spring when I can work on it.  I'm trying to schedule elbow surgery for January.

[barbender]

 Mustard Bucket was the name my Artic Cat riding buddy called my yellow Ski Doo snowmobile years back. I told him he should call it "Taxi" instead for when he needed a ride home when the Cat let him down😊

[firefighter ontheside]

If you had to save him often, mustard bucket must have been a term of endearment.

[barbender]

 Nah, just a couple of times. But then, I never had to get towed home on the Mustard Bucket😊