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Chestnut Chum in Mass.

OK....if you really want a WC canoe then this would be a good one. It is in reasonable shape to use right away. Dont worry about canvas, just sand the paint a bit to scuff it and repaint. Then paddle it until it is direly in need of canvas, which could be another 5 years.
The ribs, decks, and inners look good. The scarfed outer gunwale is factory...no worries, it will last forever too. Try to get him under 1000 but really if you want it buy it. You can paddle it for a bunch of years or until you decide it is not for you and then resell it pretty easy for 500.

If I was buying it, I would mention the vintage as not collectable, as well as the extra holes in the thwart and decks as well as the cleats make it a user, not a collector. That and the paint needing some love, maybe canvas ( but not really). I would be trying for about 800, I would be happy with that, 900 is ok too.

Good luck

Christy
 
Looks like a decent canoe. I don't think it has been glassed. Usually the shoe keel and stem bands go missing if it was glassed, and the damage shown looks like filled canvas. I am guessing you could get by without a canvas job for awhile. There is a remote chance the seats are original. They don't look like typical Chestnut slat seats, but Chestnut was doing a some funky things late in the game. The outwales are scarfed and original.
 
Thanks for the input, everyone......I have a Kevlar 16' Mad River Discovery now, and have been wanting to get a WC for a while. The wooden gunnels on the MR are just a tease! Don't see too many WC down this way, mostly plastic. I am interested in doing some work on a boat and a recanvas is something I'd like to try. Just didn't want to get in too far over my head on the first one. I pick up a copy of This Old Canoe and The Wood and Canvas Canoe as guides so feeling the optimism of not knowing what I don't know.
 
According to dragonflycanoe.com, there were two different 15' Chums produced in the post-fire 1922-1978 period. In the 15' length "pleasure canoe" series there was also the Twozer, Gooseberry and two Does. It must be hard to tell them apart unless there is serial number identification.

http://dragonflycanoe.com/id/chestnut.html

Are those longitudinal slat seats factory? Butt ugly. The horizontal slat seats look much nicer, in my opinion.
 
Update.......
I have worked out a deal with the owner and am now the owner of the Chum. I really appreciate everyone's input in helping with this endeavor. Robin has been especially helpful, and I will stop by to see him with my prize on my way back home.
The seats have been been covered with slats, obviously not original, but should be fun to weave some cane. I will follow the advice given and do a sanding, spot putty, and repaint. Worse comes to worse, I have a winter project! Looking forward to posting some pictures when I hit my local waters.
Thanks,
Jack
 
So I got to meet Jack yesterday on his way back to Virginia with his new canoes. Both canoes are in great shape, the Old Town OCTA 16' is an all original 60's canoe and the Chum is in great shape and a very good buy. The amazing thing about the Chum is Jack bought it from the original owner and they still have the paperwork. This might help in figuring out the mystery of Chestnut serial numbers.
15' Chestnut Chum wood canvas,


16' Old Town OCTA wood canvas 1960's, all original




We took the Chum to a local pond and gave it a quick paddle,







We then returned to the house and talked canoes over a few too many cold ones.
 
Wow! Those are beautiful canoes, congrats Yohawk.
Thanks for the update and photos gentlemen. An excellent way to start a new chapter for you and these craft.
 
Happiness is a new canoe. Bonus points for being a chestnut. I like that OTCA too.
 
OK, after a little over 12 hours of driving, both canoes are home safely, unloaded, sitting on the back deck, and awaiting my arrival to visually enjoy these two boats with a beer, or two. It was a fabulous road trip and getting to meet Robin, and tour The Chestnut Repair Fantasy Land at his home was icing on the cake. Robin and Jackie were gracious hosts, and an enjoyable evening was spent talking canoes and camping.
For the record, I was shown the Chestnut Handshake, and while sworn to secrecy, I can share that it involved a paddle, some canvas, and Busch beer!!!
Thanks for the well wishes.....pictures of the maiden journey(s) will follow soon.
 
Ahhhhh! I want to learn that handshake! I will learn that handshake ! Give me a few months, Busch beer, I can go for that also. Nice boats, enjoy.
 
Thank you! Full disclosure here......my wife liked "the red one" and I liked the green one. We compromised. Now, I just have to sell the OT 119 and two plastic kayaks.
I must say, I can't wait to paddle them both a little more extensively. I have a Mad River Explorerer (Kevlar) now and the Chum paddles nothing like it. While the Chum is heavier, it feels lighter, if that makes any sense.

Cold feet, I believe Robin is the authorized Chestnut handshake initiator in your neck of the woods!! It's painless and fun, go for it!
 
Great looking canoes! Well done.

I keep hearing that Chum is such a great canoe- what gives it that cachet? Better than the Bobs Special? I really like my 16' Pal but my 15' Bobs Special is that much lighter and more manoeuvrable.
Are the Chum and Bobs that different to paddle?
I'd love to do side by side comparison of Chum and Bobs Special : Robin, you have- whats the deal?

Bruce
 
I like the Chum because it's narrow (30") and deep (13 1/4"). I like the narrow ribs too, I'm not sure if they increase strength but I think they make for a solid canoe hull. I had a couple of Bob's and I think they are fine canoes. They are built lighter than the Chum to keep the weight down and they are wide and have lower sides. I'm not a fan of lower sides on a tripping canoe.
Then can be leaned over and made to go fast for their width but I feel that paddling a loaded tripping canoe solo leaning is not practical. I lean my Chum but not to an extreme as it dosn't seem to do much for speed and I feel more secure paddling remote new water on the level.
I have done many trips with my Chestnut Pal (16' by 34") it's a fine solo tripping canoe and if I didn't like my Chum so much it would be my solo tripping canoe.
This is just my opinion and I could be wrong, but I am a big fan of the 15' Chestnut Chum as a solo w/c tripping canoe.
 
Thanks for the info- that's exactly the kind of info i was looking for.
I haven't used my Bobs for tripping- mostly day long paddles in Georgian Bay/Trent Severn/Lake Simcoe. And solo, yes i like to heel it over and paddle from one side.
The Pal is the one that is used more for longer trips- solo and tandem. And you're right: it paddles great as a solo canoe from the bow facing the rear!
Thanks again for the perspective.
I'd still like to do a side by side comparison paddle.

Bruce
 
The Chum is about the size of the "modern" dedicated large solo tripping canoe albeit a little deeper than some though not all ( the DragonFly is 15 inches deep).. Not surprisingly it may be tender for two.
It could put you in the tea..That said I would get one in a heartbeat if I needed another craft.

One mans wrong can be another mans right . I just wish it were not named after chum... rotten herring bait for lobsters.
 
I learned the handshake today! Saw Robin at the WCHA Picked up a Chum in NH on way up. Thanks to Fitz and Robin for their help.
 
I'm working on the secret handshake!

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