The canoe mentioned in my earlier “gunwale post” has got me wondering about its origins. It’s a mint green fiberglass with no gel-coat. Boat is semi transparent. Symmetrical. Recurved stems with the following dimensions: Height at center 11.5"; bow 19.5"; stern 19.5" Width at gunwale 31.5; Max width 33" Length 15’ Rocker(anywhere from 1.5" - 4" as I’m not sure how to measure with the recurved ends. Measurements taken with all wood removed but it seemed to hold its shape well. Don’t know how to post pics here, but I can e-mail. Dimensions seem to be close to some short tandem prospector designs but it’s narrower and had 3 thwarts. Similar 15’ designs that I could find at this site all had one center thwart. I got this canoe to restore as a “beater” for all my friends who want to borrow my nice canoes. Unfortunately, after removing all the junk wood and giving it a bath, I’m now wondering if I shouldn’t be more carefull and fix it up real nice. Maybe it should be more than a beater. Any help identifying would be appreciatated. Although, if you tell me this is a valuable hull and I should spend more time on it my wife is going to kill me.
no HIN
I suppose you have made a thorough search for a hull identification number? That would at least render the manufacturers identification code and year of manufacture.
Oft times these are embossed or scratched on a small aluminum plate, but sometimes a number is simply scratched into the resin or written with an indelible marker inside the hull below the gunwale line.
If you have not thoroughly searched for one, do so.
Your boat is not terribly wide for a 15’ tandem. It is the waterline width that counts, but if your boat has a relatively rounded hull bottom cross section, it might not be the most user-friendly canoe to use as a loaner, unless your friends are experienced.
Shallow arch in cross-section
so looks pretty stable to me. It just gradually pinches in slightly at the gunwales. I can’t find any evidence of identifiying marks or marks from a plaque or sticker that might have had the id.
post some pictures
Take them at various angles including shots of the hull bottom. Someone on this forum might be able to identify the hull.
If you are rerailing the boat, you might consider going to just one thwart or yoke at the center. A single thwart and two seats is usually sufficient for a 15 foot boat, especially if you add a short carry handle/thwart about a foot from each stem.
How do you know it is “fiberglass”?
Inside detail? Why would the boat have no gelcoat? (I insist on no gelcoat, but it’s always been fashionable.)
Semi transparent
Mint green hulls with no gel coat were a trademark of Ranger Canoe back in the late 70’s early 80’s but I can’t recall any symmetrical hulls with recurved stems.
Have we established that it is a Ranger?
One of my Millbrooks is translucent red. But my Bluewater is green, no gelcoat, glass/nylon/Kevlar, and opaque.
No
I just made a comment that Rangers of the 70’s early 80’s were transparent green with no gel coat. It could be but I doubt it, as I said I did not recall that type of hull but there are a lot of things I don’t recall anymore.
Where should I post Pics?
I’ve got pics, but don’t know where I’d post them.
public web photo site
Put them in an album on a web-based photo site like Flickr. Make sure the album access is “public”. Then post a link to the album here.