Picard Huron Canoe

 Native built canoes from Quebec were, and continue to be made, in significant numbers. Much less refined that past large manufacturers, they pay homage to earlier birch bark builds, with features like gunwale caps reminiscent of bark canoes. While more crudely built, they have great hull shapes and are a pleasure to paddle. When one showed up needing canvas and a freshening up for a more than reasonable price, we jumped at it. Just under 14' long, and with a moderate width it will make a great solo or good boat for two smaller paddlers. 

Load er up!

Great shape

Solid tips, rails and gunwale caps. Stem bands not broken and no rot

Typical heart decks, and gunwale caps covering rails and deck joint

Going home, summer project

Original canvas is done

Keel off, canvas removed

Get that pigeon poop out. Indoor storage prevented any rot. Great solid boat

Arrowhead deck and rail joints, similar to Grand Lake Stream canoes, St Louis canoes and others

Snowshoe gut seats

Maple thwarts

Picard decal

Solid, in need of sanding and revarnishing.

Sealer coats before canvas put on

Canvas going on, then fill and paint coming up

Chestnut Playmate14'

A sunny day in between all the rain, hard to believe its February since its 63 degrees. Perfect day for a road trip to pickup up a nice little 14 footer in original canvas and finish.

 A stop at the outlet mall keeps everyone happy

14 footer from the 50s-60s, with small ribs and oak rails, decks and thwart

 

Remnants of original decal and painter ring

Oak decks, inner and outer rails, and steel screws throughout

 

Spliced outer rails, typical of the period

 

14' overall, 32" wide and 12" deep

 

Corded seats need to be re caned

 

Overall untouched from factory finish. 

 

Canvas rotted, to be replaced.  Might be best to put a new canvas, seat cane, freshen up the varnish and go paddling rather than the whole strip and refinish. Time will tell....

Peterborough Mermaid

At 14' long, the Mermaid by Peterborough  and Playmate and Fox by Chestnut were great little boats. Still retaining the fine entry, nice hull shape and proportionate lines of the larger boats, they are nice to look at and have a sweet shape. Accordingly, they are great paddlers.  This one came to us in original condition, made some time  in the late 1950s -1960s this boat will look tremendous with a complete strip and revarnish and new canvas.  Sale pending, photos below.