Probably blogged this before, but too lazy to check and these early Maine guide canoes are so nice. Jerry Stelmok at Island Falls Canoe is still making several versions , his 18' an incredible wilderness tripping canoe. We brought this example back from Maine. It needs much work, the centre section having several broken or smashed ribs, and gunwale breaks. Still, it retains its classic shape, and has the original bronze oval deck plate, and the brass cutwaters unique to these canoes are intact on each stem and in great shape. This example is dated to the early 1920s, and after restoration will be a great paddler for an afternoon or a week.
Below are pictures of it as collected.
Ready for the trip back to Ontario
Sticks out a little at 18'
Long slender canoe shows its length on a minivan
Classic sheer and shape
Modern version still being built
Classic gunwale tips extending beyond the stem
Slender decks
Original oval plate
Remnants of metal guard on tips
Rotted tips to be restored
Nice shape despite broken gunwales
Carry thwart
Brass stem covers
Half width cant ribs
#2 in the que for restoration
