The Chestnut family started marketing canvas canoes in the late 1890s in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The early Chestnut canoes were modelled after a canoe built by B.N. Morris, and indeed, these early canoes clearly show the influence of Morris canoes. Chestnut incorporated in 1907 as the Chestnut Canoe Company, Limited. The Chestnut factory burned down in December of 1921, and was quickly rebuilt.
Chestnut Canoe Company and Peterborough Canoe Company merged under the holding company Canadian Watercraft Limited. Canadian Canoe Company joined them in 1927. All three companies continued to maintain there own identity after the merger, and marketed nearly identical lines of canvas canoes. It is often said that Chestnut was responsible for the canvas canoe production for all three companies. While canoes built in one factory were often given a decal for one of the others, for the most part, evidence indicates that each company was responsible for the production of most of its own canoes. Models that are otherwise the same in the catalogs show subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) differences in hull shape, rib patterns, sheer lines, tumblehome, and the shaping of trim parts.
The company left Fredericton and moved to a new factory in Oromocto, New Brunswick in 1974.
Chestnut shipped its last canoes in early 1979, then closed. Most of the Chestnut molds survive, and are being used in several wooden canoe shops in Canada. For more details about the history of the Chestnut Canoe Company, see Roger MacGregor’s book When the Chestnut was in Flower.
Highly variable. Most Chestnut canoes are not marked with serial numbers. Those that are may have five-digit numbers or a number starting with the letter “C”. Without accompanying paperwork that provides information about shipping, it is not possible to date Chestnut canoes using the serial number. Unlike Peterborough Canoe Company and Canadian Canoe Company, Chestnut never marked a model number on their canoes.
- Pleasure Models: These are the general purpose recreational canoes offered by Chestnut. These are excellent paddling canoes, and are the most commonly found models of Chestnut canoes. The 16′ Pal is perhaps the most famous of the lot, but the 15′ Twozer/Gooseberry/Chum is a current favorite among solo paddlers.
- Lightweight Pleasure Canoes: Built lighter than standard models. Includes the 11′ Featherweight and 15′ 50-pound Special (commonly known as Bobs Special).
- Prospector Models: These are deeper and beamier than pleasure models of equivelant length. Meant to carry lots of gear for extended trips, there is a lot of canoe packed into a Prospector. Bill Mason’s hype about the Prospector aside, it is a fantastic canoe, and is perhaps the model most widely copied by modern day composite canoe builders. Prospector models were available in both double-ended and transom-sterned models.
- Trappers Canoes: This is a loose grouping of smaller canoes that changed over the years. This class also includes lower grade pleasure canoes and the Bantam, which is a 2nd grade version of Bobs Special
- Cruisers Canoes: Designed to go fast, these models are narrower, more rounded across the bottom and have finer lines than other models. The Guides Special models are Cruisers that have close-ribbing.
- Freight Canoes: If the Prospector can be considered the pick-up truck of the North, the Freighters are the semi-trucks. Bigger and beamier, they have great carrying capacity. Available in both double-ended and transom-sterned configurations.
- Ogilvy Specials: Named after famous guides of New Brunswick, these models are designed for shallow, fast water canoeing, like that found on the famous salmon rivers of New Brunswick.
Pre-Fire Models (1904-1921)
This table presents canoe models built by Chestnut up until the December, 1921 fire. All molds were destroyed in the fire and models changed somewhat after the factory was rebuilt. See below for details of post-fire canoes. Some of the features of canoes built prior to the fire include:
- Grades: 1st grade canoes are closed-gunwale and finest materials. 2nd grade canoes are open gunwale and minor defects in materials allowed. (In 1904 all Chestnut canoes were closed gunwale, and grades reflect materials quality).
- Heart Shaped Decks: The decks are finely shaped, have signicant crown and are sharpely undercut beneath the lobes of the heart.
- Stem-head Unshaped: The last 1 ½" or so of the stem is left full width rather than being bevelled. The sheer plank is trimmed to fit around the stem-head.
- Cant Ribs: Cant ribs in pre-fire canoes are the same width as the regular ribs. In post-fire canoes, the cant ribs are much wider than the regular ribs.
- Tapered Inwales: The inwales are tapered in their length moreso than post-fire canoes.
- Other: Canoes are copper-fastened. Stem bands are thicker than usual.
| Model | Length x Beam x Depth | Weight (lbs) | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasure Canoes | |||
| Little (1st Grade) Peach (2nd Grade) |
14 x 30 x 11 14 x 33 x 10¾ 1 |
55 | |
| Twozer (1st Grade) Gooseberry (2nd Grade) |
15 x 31 x 11½ 15 x 32 3/8 x 11 5/8 1 |
55 | Catalog states bottom not as flat and has more tumblehome than other Pleasure Models. |
| Ajax (1st Grade) Moonlight (2nd Grade) |
16 x 31 x 11 16 x 34 1/8 x 11¾ 1 |
65 | |
| Aster (1st Grade) Winter (2nd Grade) |
17 x 31 x 11½ 17 x 35 1/8 x 11½ 1 |
70 | |
| Alpha (1st Grade) Evening (2nd Grade) |
18 x 32 x 12½ 18 x 37 x 12¼ 1 |
75 | |
| 12-foot Canoe | |||
| Teddy (1st Grade) Trapper (2nd Grade) |
12 x 32 x 13 12 x 34¾ x 14 1 |
55 | |
| Fifty-Pound Canoes | |||
| Bobs (1st Grade) Bantam (2nd Grade) |
15 x 34 x 11½ 15 x 37 5/8 x 12 1 |
50 | Introduced 1916 |
| Featherweight | |||
| Featherweight | 11 x 34 x 11¾ | 34½ | Introduced circa 1919 |
| Cruisers | |||
| Premier (1st Grade) Kruger (2nd Grade) |
16 x 32 x 11½ 16 x 33 7/8 x 11¼ 1 |
65 | |
| Primus (1st Grade) Cronje (2nd Grade) |
17 x 33 x 11½ 17 x 35 ¼ x 11¼ 1 |
70 | |
| Leader (1st Grade) Stoessel (2nd Grade) |
18 x 34 x 12 18 x 35 5/8 x 12½1 |
75 | |
| Guides' Special | |||
| Boone (2nd Grade) | 16 x 32 x 11½ 16 x 33 7/8 x 11¼ 1 |
70 | close ribbed |
| Crocket (2nd Grade) | 17 x 33 x 11½ 17 x 35¼ x 11¼ 1 |
75 | close ribbed |
| Moses (2nd Grade) | 18 x 34 x 12 18 x 35 7/8 x 12½ 1 |
80 | close ribbed |
| Salmo Model | |||
| Salmo | 22 x 37½ x 14½ | 140 | Introduced in 1918 |
| Freighters | |||
| Hudson | 17 x 40 x 16 | 120 | |
| Bay | 18 x 42 x 17 | 135 | |
| Company | 19 x 46 x 19 | 160 | |
| Traffic | 20 x 42 x 19 | 180 | |
| Canadian Northern Railway Canoes | |||
| Canadian | 14 x 32 x 13 | ||
| Northern | 19 x 42 x 18½ | ||
| Notes | |||
|
1In 1920, Chestnut changed the way they reported dimensions in the catalog. From the 1920 catalog: "In the past we have measured our canoes for catalogue purposes as follows: - for width from inside to inside of ribs and for depth from top of rib to top of gunwales. We are now changing that method to agree with that in use elsewhere and in the future measurements will be for width, from outside to outside of canvas at widest point, and for depth from top of gunwales to outside of canvas. Data for this table comes from the following catalogs: circa 1904, 1913, circa 1916, 1920 |
|||
Post-Fire Models (1922-1978)
Features of post-fire Chestnut models include:
- Grades: No. 1 Grade has clear stock (ribs, planking gunwales) and a varnished finish on the canvas. No. 2 Grade allows small knots in the woodwork, painted finish on the canvas, and one less coat of varnish on the interior.
- Inwales: not tapered.
- Cant Ribs: cant ribs are wider (3" approx.) than regular ribs.
- Decks: usually shallow semi-circular cut-out.
| Model | Length x Beam x Depth | Weight (lbs) | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasure Canoes | ||||
| Little (1st Grade) Peach (2nd Grade) |
14 x 32 x 11¼ 14 x 32 x 12 (1956) |
55 60 (1957) |
Peach dropped 1959. Little dropped circa 1960. |
|
| Playmate | 14 x 32 x 12 14 x 32 x 11¾ (1967) |
60 | Introduced circa 1954-56 1½" Ribs 2 3/8" ribs (1967) |
|
| Fox | 14 x 32 x 12 14 x 32 x 11¾ (1967) |
60 | Introduced 1966. 1½" ribs PVC coated canvas 1977-78. |
|
| Twozer (1st Grade) Gooseberry (2nd Grade) |
15 x 33 x 11½ 15 x 33 x 12 (1956) |
60 65 (1957) |
Gooseberry dropped 1959. Twozer dropped circa 1960. |
|
| Chum | 15 x 32 x 12 15 x 34 x 12½ (1967) |
65 68 (1967) |
Introduced circa 1954-56 1½" Ribs 2 3/8" ribs (1967) |
|
| Doe | 15 x 34 x 12 15 x 34 x 12½ (1967) |
65 68 (1967) |
Introduced 1966 1½" ribs PVC coated canvas 1977-78. |
|
| Ajax (1st Grade) Moonlight (2nd Grade) |
16 x 34 x 11¾ 16 x 34 x 12 (1956) |
65 70 (1957) |
Ajax retired circa 1954-56 Moonlight 1st Grade from 1954-56 |
|
| Moonlight Deluxe | 16 x 36 x 12 | 70 | Introduced 1966. | |
| Pal | 16 x 34 x 12 16 x 36 x 12¾ (1967) |
70 72 (1967) |
Replaces Ajax circa 1954-56 1½" Ribs 2 3/8" ribs (1967) |
|
| Deer | 16 x 36 x 12 16 x 36 x 12¾ (1967) |
70 72 (1967) |
Introduced 1966. 1½" ribs PVC coated canvas 1977-78. |
|
| New Champion (1st Grade) | 16 x 34 x 12 | 65 | In 1953 catalog. | |
| Glider Sponson | 16 x 33 x 12 | 90 | In 1956 catalog. (Sponsons available since 1905 on any pleasure model. | |
| Aster (1st Grade) Winter (2nd Grade) |
17 x 35 x 12 | 70 | Dropped circa 1954-56. | |
| Alpha (1st Grade) Evening (2nd Grade) |
18 x 36 x 12¼ | 75 | Dropped circa 1954-56. | |
| Indian Maiden (circa 1923-ca1955, 1961). | ||||
| Indian (1st Grade) | 16 x 33 x 12 | 75 | Mahogany gunwales, decks, trim | |
| Maiden (1st Grade) | 16 x 33 x 12 | 70 | Spruce gunwales, cedar decks, hardwood trim | |
| Indian Maiden | 16 x 33 x 12 | 75 | Reintroduced 1961. | |
| 12-foot Canoe (1922-circa 1955) | ||||
| Teddy (1st Grade) Trapper (2nd Grade) |
12 x 34 x 14 | 55 | ||
| Fifty-Pound Canoes | ||||
| Bobs (1st Grade) Bantam (2nd Grade) Bobs Special (1956) |
15 x 37½ x 12 15 x 37 x 12 (1956) 15 x 37 x 12½ (1967) |
50 55 (1953) 58 (1967) |
Bantam PVC coated canvas 1977-78. |
|
| Mermaid (1973-1978) | ||||
| Mermaid | 12 x 40 x 12¾ | 52 | ||
| Featherweight | ||||
| Featherweight | 11 x 34 x 11¾ 11 x 34 x 12 (1956) |
34½ 35 (1956) 40 (1967) |
||
| One-man Canoes | ||||
| Robinson (1st Grade) Crusoe (2nd Grade) |
15 x 28 x 12 | 55 | Introduced 1921 Dropped circa 1955. |
|
| Solitaire | 13 x 26 x 11¾ | 45 | Introduced circa 1926-1934. Dropped circa 1955. |
|
| Cruisers | ||||
| Premier (1st Grade) Kruger (2nd Grade) |
16 x 34 x 12 16 x 33 x 13¼ (1967) |
65 70 (1956) |
Premier retired circa 1954-56 | |
| Primus (1st Grade) Cronje (2nd Grade) |
17 x 35 x 12¼ 17 x 35 x 12 (1956) 17 x 34 x 13 (1967) |
70 75 (1956) |
Primus retired circa 1954-56 | |
| Leader (1st Grade) Stoessel (2nd Grade) |
18 x 36 x 13¼ 18 x 37 x 12 (1956) 18 x 35 13¼ (1967) |
75 80 (1956) 79 (1967) |
Stoessel retired circa 1954-56 | |
| Guide Special | ||||
| Boone | 16 x 34 x 12br>16 x 33 x 13¼ (1967) | 70 75 (1956) |
close ribbed | |
| Crocket | 17 x 35 x 12¼ 17 x 35 x 12 (1956) 17 x 34 x 13 (1967) |
75 80 (1956) |
close ribbed | |
| Moses | 18 x 36 x 12½ 18 x 37 x 12 (1956) 18 x 35 13¼ (1967) |
80 90 (1956) 85 (1967) |
close ribbed | |
| Prospector Models (Introduced 1923) | ||||
| Forest | 12 x 32 x 12 12 x 32 x 11¾ (1967) |
50 | Introduced between 1926 and 1934 Retired 1972 (replaced with similar Mermaid) |
|
| Fire | 14 x 34 x 13 14 x 33 x 13¾ (1967) |
60 63 (1967) |
Introduced between 1926 and 1934 | |
| Elk | 14 x 34 x 1314 x 33 x 13¾ (1967) | 70 75 (1967) |
Introduced circa 1954-56 V-Stern Dropped circa 1974-76. |
|
| Ranger | 15 x 35 x 13½ | 70 | ||
| Bear | 15 x 35 x 13½ | 80 | Introduced circa 1954-56 V-Stern Dropped circa 1974-76. |
|
| Fort | 16 x 36 x 14 16 x 36 x 14½ (1967) |
75 76 (1967) |
||
| Fawn | 16 x 36 x 14 16 x 36 x 14½ (1967) 16'3" x 36 x 14½ (1976) |
85 82 (1967) |
Introduced circa 1954-56 V-Stern |
|
| Sectional | 16 x 36 x 14 | 115 | Introduced 1957 Same design as 16' Prospector Fawn Retired 1965. |
|
| Garry | 17 x 37 x 14½ | 80 85 (1957) 82 (1967) |
||
| Marsh | 17 x 37 x 14½ | 95 97 (1967) |
Introduced circa 1954-56 V-Stern |
|
| Voyageur | 18 x 38 x 15 | 90 88 (1967) |
||
| Birch | 18 x 38 x 15 | 100 110 (1967) |
Introduced circa 1954-56 V-Stern |
|
| Note: V-Sterns available from circa 1926-1934, model names not given until circa 1954-56. | ||||
| Freighters | ||||
| 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 | |
| Salmo Model (Fishing Models) | ||||
| Trout | 18 x 33 x 13 | 80 | Introduced circa 1930. Retired circa 1954-56. |
|
| Grilse | 20 x 36 x 14 | 95 | Introduced circa 1930. Retired circa 1954-56. |
|
| Salmo | 22 x 37½ x 14½ 22 x 38 x 14½ (1934) |
140 | Retired circa 1954-56. |
|
| Salar | 24 x 41 x 15 | 95 | Introduced circa 1930. Retired circa 1954-56. |
|
| Ogilvy Special (Introduced starting 1932) | ||||
| Henry | 16 x 36 x 13½ 16 x 36 x 13 (1956) 16 x 36 x 13½ (1967) |
80 84 (1967) |
||
| Parr | 16 x 36 x 13 16 x 36 x 13½ (1967) |
85 92 (1967) |
Introduced circa 1954-56. V-stern Dropped circa 1974-76. |
|
| Dave | 18 x 36 x 13 18 x 36 x 13½ (1967) |
85 95 (1967) |
||
| Grilse | 18 x 36 x 13 18 x 36 x 13½ (1967) |
90 106 (1967) |
Introduced circa 1954-56. V-stern Dropped circa 1974-76. |
|
| Jock | 20 x 37 x 13 20 x 37 x 14 (1967) |
105 108 (1967) |
||
| Pool | 20 x 37 x 13 20 x 37 x 14 (1967) 20'5" x 37 x 14 (1976) |
110 118 (1967) |
Introduced circa 1954-56. V-stern |
|
| Alex | 22 x 39 x 14 22 x 38 x 15 (1967) |
130 125 (1967) |
||
| Trout | 22 x 39 x 14 22 x 39 x 15 (1967) |
135 185 (1967) |
Introduced circa 1954-56. V-stern |
|
| Joe | 24 x 40 x 14 | 150 | Dropped circa 1974-76. | |
| Salar | 24 x 40 x 14 | 155 240 (1967) |
Introduced circa 1954-56. V-stern Dropped circa 1974-76. |
|
| Chief | 26 x 40 x 14 26 x 41 x 14 (1967) |
160 175 91967) |
Dropped circa 1974-76. | |
| Salmo | 26 x 40 x 14 26 x 41 x 14 (1967) |
165 275 (1967) |
Introduced circa 1954-56. V-stern |
|
| Group Paddling (1967-1978) | ||||
| Centennial | 25 x 51 x 19 | 235 | ||
| Selkirk | 22 x 38 x 18 | 155 | ||
| Nestable | 19 x 51 x 19 | 150 | Same as Nest (See Nestable Canoes) | |
| Nestable Canoes | ||||
| Chicken | 14 x 32 x 12 | 55 | Retired circa 1954-56 | |
| Yolk | 15'3" x 36½ x 13½ | 75 | Retired circa 1954-56 | |
| White | 16'6" x 41 x 15 | 95 75 (1956) |
Retired 1959 | |
| Egg | 17'9" x 46 x 17 | 125 | Retired 1959 | |
| Nest | 19 x 51 x 19 | 150 | Retired 1959 | |
| Labrador (Offered 1929 - circa 1953) | ||||
| Manitou | 15 x 34 x 15 | 65 | extreme rocker | |
| Mingan | 16 x 38 x 16 | 75 | extreme rocker | |
| Moisie | 18 x 40 x 17 | 95 | extreme rocker | |
| All Purpose Canoes (1961-1977) | ||||
| Northman | 16 x 39 x 13 16'2" x 39 x 13 (1976) |
95 100 (1967) |
||
| Northland | 18 x 41 x 16 18 x 42 x 16 (1967) |
110 | Dropped circa 1974-76. | |
| Notes | ||||
| Data for this table comes from the following catalogs: 1922, 1923, 1925, circa 1934, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978. | ||||
- MacGregor, Roger. When the Chestnut was in Flower: Inside the Chestnut Canoe. Plumsweep Press. 1999.
- Solway, Kenneth. The Story of the Chestnut Canoe: 150 Years of Canadian Canoe Building. Nimbus Publishing. 1997.