Lakefield Canoe Company

The history of the Lakefield Canoe Company, and its various incarnations, is a bit twisted. Dick Persson has been researching many Canadian canoe manufacturers, and has assembled this timeline for the Lakefield area builders.

  • 1858 Thomas Gordon starts building canoes in Lakefield.
  • 1870's J.G. Brown (former foreman for T. Gordon) starts his own canoe company, the Brown Boat Co., across the street from T. Gordon.
  • 1892 Strickland & Co. - Lakefield Canoe Works established.
  • 1904 T. Gordon Canoe Co. merges with Strickland & Co. The new company is called Lakefield Canoe Building & Mfg. Co.
  • 1909 T. Gordon's youngest son, Gilbert Gordon, forms Gordon Canoe Co. in the nearby town of Bobcaygeon.
  • 1919 The Lakefield Canoe Building & Mfg. Co. is reorganized after several years of struggle. It reemerges under the name Lakefield Canoe & Boat Co.
  • 1926 Charles Gordon, older brother of Gilbert Gordon, takes over the Gordon Canoe Co. in Bobcaygeon. The company is now called Gordon Boat Works & Co.
  • 1938 The Brown Boat Co. closes its doors.
    • The Brown Boat Co. which closed its doors in 1938 was purchased by George Cook who started "Sailcraft". This company was partly closed during the war. They built sailboats up to 1956 and later also tried their hand at building fiberglass boats.
  • 1938 The Lakefield Canoe & Boat Co. declares bankruptcy.
  • 1939 R.T. Bell purchases the company and its assets. The company emerged as the Lakefield Boat Factory.
  • 1942 The Risher brothers purchase the Lakefield Boat Factory and it emerges as Lakefield Boat Co.
  • 1950s The Gordon Boat Works & Co. in Bobcaygeon becomes Midway Marinasometime in the 1950's
  • 1961 Stuart Peel who had worked for Peterborough Canoe Co starts his own business Peel Marine with Walter Walker as foreman/builder.
  • 1962 Jack Richardson, the former General Manager of the now defunct Peterborough Canoe Co. purchases the Lakefield Boat Co and renames it Richardson Aquacraft, also called Rilco Industries. The company closed down around 1969.
Identifying Features
  • All-Wood Canoes: Nearly all Lakefield area builders marked the canoes with a model number. It would be found stamped on a thwart block or inside stem.
  • Canvas Canoes: At least for Richardson-era wood canvas canoes, the best identifying feature is the planking. The planking is unique for a wood canvas canoe in that it is full-length and tapered such that no goring is required. This is reminiscent of the manner in which all-wood cedar strip canoes are also built. So far, I have not seen this feature on any other make of wood canvas canoe.
Models Offered
Lakefield All-Wood Canoe Models
  Model Number
Dimensions ORBI ORBV FBI FBV CRMJI CRMJV LSI LSV LDS
14'6" x 28" x 11" 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
15' x 29" x 11" 1 21 41 61 81 101 121 141 161
15'6" x 30" x 11½" 2 22 42 62 82 102 122 142 162
16' x 31" x 12" 3 23 43 63 83 103 123 143 163
16'6" x 32" x 12" 4 24 44 64 84 104 124 144 164
17' x 33" x 12½" 5 25 45 65 85 105 125 145 165
17'6" x 35" x 12½" No # No # No # No #          
18' x 36" x 13" No # No # No # No #          
  • ORBI - Open Rib and Batten Canoes, Basswood, Iron Fastened, Painted
  • ORBV - Open Rib and Batten Canoes, Basswood, Copper Fastened, Varnished or Painted
  • FBI - Flush Batten Canoes, Basswood, Iron Fastened, Painted
  • FBV - Flush Batten Canoes, Basswood, Copper Fastened, Varnished or Painted
  • CRMJI - Close Rib and Metallic Joint Canoes, Basswood, Iron Fastened, Painted
  • CRMJV - Close Rib and Metallic Joint Canoes, Basswood, Varnished or Painted
  • LSI - Longitudinal Strip Canoes, Basswood, Iron Fastened, Painted
  • LSV - Longitudinal Strip Canoes, Cedar, Varnished or Painted
  • LDS - Light and Dark Strip Canoes, Copper Fastened, Varnished
    • Butternut and Pine or other Canadian woods
    • Walnut or Redwood and Cedar
Data from undated catalog marked "Lakefield Canoe Building and Manufacturing Company, Limited"

 

Other All-Wood Canoe Models
Model Dimensions Notes
Canuck 16' x 36" x 11" Flush batten basswood or cedar, painted outside, varnished inside
Pioneer various lengths Wider, deeper, and more tumblehome
Trapper's Special 10' x 29" x 12
12' x 31" x 12½"
14' x 33" x 13"		 Painted in dull colors
Klondike Length 14' to 23'
Beam 35 to 52"
Depth 17 to 19"		 Longitudinal Strip basswood or cedar
Racer 16 x 30" x 11" Custom built

 

 

Lakefield et al. wood & canvas models
Model Length x Beam x Depth Weight (lbs) Other
Richardson Aquacraft
Tripper 15 x 35 x 12 57 2 seats, 1 thwart
Lightweight 15 x 35 x 12 65 2 seats, 1 thwart
Voyageur 16 x 34 x 12 70 2 seats, 3 thwarts
Camper 16 x 34 x 13 75 2 seats, 2 thwarts
Rilco Industries (ca. 1966)
Kiowa 15 x 35 x 12 57 2 seats, 1 thwart
Cree 15 x 35 x 12 65 2 seats, 1 thwart
Tecumseh 16 x 34 x 12 70 2 seats, 2 thwarts
Iroquois 16 x 34 x 13 75 2 seats 2 thwarts

 

Filed Under:
Lakefield Canoe Company