I have a fully restored 1913 Old Town Canoe that’s been in our family since the 1960s. Kids are grown and I am now retired. Downsizing soon so would like to find a new home for my canoe. It’s in great shape and fully sea worthy. I have the original build record from Old Town. Any advice on how to sell and/or connect with some one that will cherish my baby?
Thanks,
Bob
Post specifications, pictures and asking price?
Sell it here.
My canoe is serial number 26567 which is a 16 ft, CS grade, Otca model with a floor rack, keel, outside stems, open spruce gunwales and ash trim, built between April and May 1913. My family purchased it in the 1960s from what we think was the original owner.
In the 60s my father and I re-canvased the canoe, installed new thwarts, reinforced the gunwales which were slightly damaged due to the previous owners installing rowing rings, and repaired the bow and stern decks. We also installed new cane seats.
In the early 2000s my son once again Installed new cane seats, repainted the canoe and investigated the canoe’s history. The canoe hasn’t been used much the past 10 years, stored overhead in our garage.
The canoe is completely sea worthy and I’d like to find a good home for it!
You should definitely post it on the Wooden Canoe Heritage website. There is a classified section there.
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Thanks for your advice…I really appreciate it! Any thoughts on what a fair price would be?
Bob
The WCHA folks would give you an estimate. As it has all been painted on the exterior that will have to factor in. Most don’t want painted decks and gunwales. Also seems to be missing stem bands
Paint can be stripped. The chair is neat and that will probably be stripped too. The more pix you can post at WCHA the better. Expect to be asked if it has been fiberglassed. That has a huge impact on value
Thank you all for your input and advice. I’ll contact WCHA and may list there. But since it looks like it will need a lot of work to be of interest to serious collectors, I may look to sell locally on Craigslist and see if I can find someone that would take care of it…
Thanks again!
Bob
Where is the canoe located ?
I’ll stick my neck out and say it’s worth somewhere in the $1000-1500 range. Maybe $1200. The market for wood/canvas boats is small and fickle.
Yours is a nice example that could be enjoyed as-is or restored relatively easily by stripping the paint off the gunwales and interior…much much easier than replacing broken ribs or planks or recanvassing.
Here’s a super nice just-restored Otca for $2200 which means he’s hoping for $2k.
I restored a 1966 old town liteweight and sold it last year, advertised for a year, and finally sold it for $1650.00… with 2 paddles.
I should have kept it.
Not really a lot of work though masking the areas that are not to be stripped can take time. I think WCHA classifieds would be better than Craigslist.
There are a lot of WCHA’ers who love a project boat. And listing is free. And they respect value and don’t try to lowboy you.
Thanks again for all the advice. The canoe is in Danville, CA…probably less of a market out this way…compared with the east coast and the upper mid west…
Thanks,
Bob
It is a little sad in a way that a canoe a fragile one at that can survive 109 years and isn’t worth a small fortune. I see people giving that much for a small rusty worn out part for a Harley or Indian that age.
IMO it needs a home hung up in a rustic lodge or a museum. It is a piece of time capsule of a forgotten era.
Even though it can still be used and I could picture taking it out once to say I paddled it after that it would be a wall hanger restored or left alone.
Very pretty.