I picked up a new project this weekend. I was perusing the ads on FB Marketplace and ran into this one:
Canoe - Old Town single seat w/Paddle
$200
Approximately 15’ long single seat fiberglass canoe. It has some light scratches from use, storage and transport. Light enough for 1person to carry. Has a small crack on 1 end (see photo) and there is a small leak of about 1/2 cup per hour. It can be mopped up with a small towel. Wicker style seat pad is worn out. Paddle is a wood/fiberglass kayak style and is in good condition. Canoe needs a little work but could be used as is. Canoe is Made in Maine USA.
Old Town, solo, Fiberglass, 15’?
This description did not ring any bells for me, and the photos look like it was still in decent shape. I started sleuthing the internet for clues and came up with 2 possibilities, the Old Town CJ and the Northern Light 15 solo. I messaged the owner and set up a visit for the next day.
Once there I pulled out my measuring tape and determined that it was a Northern Light at 15’4” and 29 1/2” wide as per the specs from an Old Town catalog from 1994. It also turned out that the canoe had been sitting unused for 5 years since the owners dad passed it on to him. I looked it over and quickly gave him the cash.
There is a bit of damage; some sunburn form being left outside (it buffs out easily to a glossy shine), a 3” crack at the bow (probably where the water mentioned in the ad came from) and some breakage through the gel coat (a couple of inches) where the bow meets the keel, the seat bottom caning is rotted out and broken, two big dents on top of the aluminum gunwales amidships but no signs of cracks or damage to the fiberglass at that point, and the various scratches in the Burgandy gel coat that a canoe will pick up in 30+ years.
Plan “A” is to clean the hull, repair the gel coat damage and fix the crack and see how it paddles. Next order the caning materials and fix the seat and while the sliding seat is off, sand and varnish all wood parts. After that, the gunwales; with the dents in the aluminum, I am considering replacing them with wood. Does anyone here know the type wood used by Old Town in 1992? How about gunwale sizes and shape- squared or rounded? The thwarts, handles and seat (with built in Portage yoke) appear to be made of Oak. Finally, I hope to find someone to print a set of “Northern Light” decals since mine are missing. If anyone has one of these canoes around, I would love to get the measurements of the decals.
If anyone has or has owned an Old Town Northern Light 15, I would love to hear about it. Thanks in advance for any info as I start my restoration of this canoe!
Photos will be posted once I find where I set the camera.
Canoe - Old Town single seat w/Paddle
$200
Approximately 15’ long single seat fiberglass canoe. It has some light scratches from use, storage and transport. Light enough for 1person to carry. Has a small crack on 1 end (see photo) and there is a small leak of about 1/2 cup per hour. It can be mopped up with a small towel. Wicker style seat pad is worn out. Paddle is a wood/fiberglass kayak style and is in good condition. Canoe needs a little work but could be used as is. Canoe is Made in Maine USA.
Old Town, solo, Fiberglass, 15’?
This description did not ring any bells for me, and the photos look like it was still in decent shape. I started sleuthing the internet for clues and came up with 2 possibilities, the Old Town CJ and the Northern Light 15 solo. I messaged the owner and set up a visit for the next day.
Once there I pulled out my measuring tape and determined that it was a Northern Light at 15’4” and 29 1/2” wide as per the specs from an Old Town catalog from 1994. It also turned out that the canoe had been sitting unused for 5 years since the owners dad passed it on to him. I looked it over and quickly gave him the cash.
There is a bit of damage; some sunburn form being left outside (it buffs out easily to a glossy shine), a 3” crack at the bow (probably where the water mentioned in the ad came from) and some breakage through the gel coat (a couple of inches) where the bow meets the keel, the seat bottom caning is rotted out and broken, two big dents on top of the aluminum gunwales amidships but no signs of cracks or damage to the fiberglass at that point, and the various scratches in the Burgandy gel coat that a canoe will pick up in 30+ years.
Plan “A” is to clean the hull, repair the gel coat damage and fix the crack and see how it paddles. Next order the caning materials and fix the seat and while the sliding seat is off, sand and varnish all wood parts. After that, the gunwales; with the dents in the aluminum, I am considering replacing them with wood. Does anyone here know the type wood used by Old Town in 1992? How about gunwale sizes and shape- squared or rounded? The thwarts, handles and seat (with built in Portage yoke) appear to be made of Oak. Finally, I hope to find someone to print a set of “Northern Light” decals since mine are missing. If anyone has one of these canoes around, I would love to get the measurements of the decals.
If anyone has or has owned an Old Town Northern Light 15, I would love to hear about it. Thanks in advance for any info as I start my restoration of this canoe!
Photos will be posted once I find where I set the camera.
