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Prospectors
- Thread starter Mason
- Start date
From the article:
"For a true Prospector, you have to go back to wood-canvas. Only one original Chestnut form remains in commercial service today. Wakefield, Quebec-based builder Headwaters Canoes still makes one or two 18-foot Prospectors per year, ordered by hard-core traditionalists. The century-old Chestnut form shows its age, and Headwaters’ builders Kate Prince and Jamie Bartle must carefully align inner gunwales and stems to assure a symmetrical canoe before bending steam-bent cedar ribs over the weathered mold."
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In 2010, on the now defunct SoloTripping discussion site, I spent many hours researching all the then-current canoes that bore the name "Prospector" from lots of different manufacturers to write an analytical thread called someting like "What is a Prospector?" There were almost 30 "Prospectors" on the market then—with an amazing variety of lengths, widths, depths, rockers and materials.
Using what I could find out about the specs of the Chestnut 16' Prospector Fort model, which was Mason's canoe and hence the most famous among modern canoeists, I somehow concluded that the closest then-current 16' Prospector in wood/canvas was Stewart River's and the closest in composite was a tie between Nova Craft and Wenonah. I don't recall the details of my analysis.
I shared the thread with Alex Comb at Stewart River and here is what he said about his efforts to reproduce the 16' and 17' Chestnut Prospectors and what he thought a Prospector was:
"You mention that several companies offer Prospectors and all are a bit different. It might interest you to know that the ones Chestnut produced could be different, too. They built the model in lengths from 12' to 18'. Most everyone thinks only of the 16'. I think they had more than one 16' form because I have seen several that appeared the same with tumble home on one side and pretty straight on the other. In coming up with the current Prospector that I build I took lines from seven different boats built by Chestnut. Four were 16 footers, two were 17 footers and one was an 18'. They were all different, sometimes substantially. The 16, 17 and 18 models were substantively different with less rocker the longer the model and less arched the longer the model as well. The 18' was very shallow arched and very little rocker. What makes them all Prospectors? They do all have a commonality in hull shape. Among the things that I think make a boat a Prospector is the depth, the shape of the tumble home (obviously the one form lost its shape on one side), the straightness to the hull in the center and the fact that they carry their fullness well out toward the bow and stern, yet terminate in a fairly fine entry and exit.
"I based both my 16' and my 17' models mostly on the Chestnut 17' model. I had previously built a 16' model based on the Chestnut 16' and found most people did not like it. Too tippy and way more rocker than they needed. This current version, to me lives up the reputation of what a Prospector is supposed to be. Maybe it isn't exactly what it was, but I make no claim to making an 'original' Chestnut Prospector. It is a nice boat, though."
That’s a good article, thanks for sharing it.
I’m glad they finished with “For a true prospector, you have to go back to wood and canvas”
In his book “Canoe Trails and Shop Tales” former owner of Headwaters Canoe Hugh Stewart writes:
The age of homogenization has also led to specific terms becoming diluted or generalized to the point of meaning nothing. It seems every second canoe made out of any material purports to be a “Prospector” because it has slightly higher sides in the middle than many canoes. But the name “Prospector” originated with Chestnut, and canoes in this class had not only good debts but also specific hull shapes. Again it is not any one specific feature but all these features combined that makes these models perform so well while still having great carrying capacity.
I’m glad they finished with “For a true prospector, you have to go back to wood and canvas”
In his book “Canoe Trails and Shop Tales” former owner of Headwaters Canoe Hugh Stewart writes:
The age of homogenization has also led to specific terms becoming diluted or generalized to the point of meaning nothing. It seems every second canoe made out of any material purports to be a “Prospector” because it has slightly higher sides in the middle than many canoes. But the name “Prospector” originated with Chestnut, and canoes in this class had not only good debts but also specific hull shapes. Again it is not any one specific feature but all these features combined that makes these models perform so well while still having great carrying capacity.
That was a good article, I never thought about there being design differences between different lengths and year of manufacture between w/c boats built by Chestnut.
The Prospector is such an iconic boat that a lot has been written about it. I have studied many pictures of them and have also studied the specs of different boats. Combine this with what I know from the similar large hulled tripping boats that I have paddled and I feel as if I "know" this boat. In fact I feel as if I know this boat so well I can't believe I've never paddled one. If I ever do get to paddle one I wonder if there will be any surprises.
The Prospector is such an iconic boat that a lot has been written about it. I have studied many pictures of them and have also studied the specs of different boats. Combine this with what I know from the similar large hulled tripping boats that I have paddled and I feel as if I "know" this boat. In fact I feel as if I know this boat so well I can't believe I've never paddled one. If I ever do get to paddle one I wonder if there will be any surprises.
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It would very interesting to hear your thoughts after you did get to paddle one… I hope that happens
