20' Chestnut freighter canoe - restored ... for sale $2700.

[Rick]

On Craigslist there is a 20' Chestnut freighter canoe that has been restored. I'd like to hear mainer_in_alaska's thoughts on the boat. And any others, too. Looks rather pretty, but for my kind of use, would likely need more laminate for toughness.

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/boa/2389557918.html

What do you think? I think its a classic.

[FamilyMan]

I'd like to hear his thoughts too. The shape is darn near similar to his "tank". Different hull material though.

[Waterlover]

WOW...Wonderful boat!

FF

[Chikuminuk]

Chestnut made several freighters. I have a 1975 year 20' wood and canvas Chestnut square stern freighter that I used a 20hp Merc on with a lift. Years ago I bought the fiberglass fabric and epoxy with plans to cover it with fiberglass. SURE glad I never did that.

It is a beautiful canoe and relatively light compared to a fiberglass covered one. I have managed to get it on top of my pickup canoe rack a couple of times but that is really a 2 man job. The canoe weighs over 200lb. I've used a trailer to move it around now.

Shallow draft and can carry a large load. Once me and a friend had two moose, camp gear, food, extra gas, extra outboard (9.9) and a dog in the canoe on the Tanana using the 20hp Merc. Still had adequate freeboard. Wood and canvas canoes are great and they are tough. They do require more attention than do plastic and alum canoes but in my opinion, they are a great ride.

I also have a 1924 Old Town wood and canvas square stern that was restored a few years ago. Too pretty to use, almost.

[Zack]

Chikuminuk, could you elaborate on the 1924 Old Town some. I wasn't aware outboards were in that wide of usage in the 20s where canoe manufacturers were making square stern canoes. Good story on your 20' Chesnut with lift. Got any pictures you can upload? Zack

[Lowrider]

Pictures...yes please!

If you google "1924 outboard" the Johnson info site comes up. I'm especially interested because I went to a steam and gas show over the 4th of July and saw several "20's something" outboards that were restored beautifully....one sure would look great on that 1924 Old Town!

[mainer_in_ak]

Here's a list of post-fire dimensions of Chestnut freighter canoes from around those years:

Hudson	17 x 45 x 17 17 x 45 x 18½ (1967)	115 125 (1956) 124 (1967)
Bay	18 x 46 x 18 18 x 46 x 18½ (1967)	130 135 (1956) 132 (1967)
Company	19 x 51 x 19 19 x 51 x 19½ (1967)	150 165 (1956) 170 (1967)
Traffic	20 x 52 x 20 20'2" x 52 x 20 (1976)	180 195 (1956) 230 (1967)
Daddy	22 x 62 x 24	310 (1956) 257 (1967)	3" ribs, vee or flat stern
Rupert	25 x 50 x 23	250	Introduced circa 1934 Retired circa 1954-56
Giant	24 x 67 x 28	310	3" ribs, vee or flat stern

Most of them were made in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The freighters came from large Mi'kmaq styled big canoes that incorporated a transom in the stern for use with a motor. They were still paddled but had the option of using an outboard motor.

[Zack]

Hot!

It's hot here. Has been for days. Too hot to fish. The grass is burnt up. My garden would die if I didn't water it every night. Too hot to work outside. 104 degrees here right now as I sit in the air-conditioning and write this post.

CHIKUMINUK, if I could just look at a picture of a big freighter running on cool Alaskan waters I know it would lower the temperature here at least 15 degrees. Zack

[Chikuminuk]

I am on the road now. I'll try and dig up a couple of photos in the next few days. My Old Town originally had sponsons. They were gone when I "rescued" the old canoe from a fellow that had a cabin on a lake near Mountain Top, PA back in the mid 1970s. I had it restored by a wood and canvas canoe craftsman in Ohio a few years ago and then brought it up to Homer AK last summer. It is not a light canoe either. It is about 16ft long. I also have the original "build sheet" from Old Town that shows who bought it, the paint color and wood specs, when it was covered, filled and painted etc.