I just got a used 17' aluminum canoe with web seats (for $150)
I don't know the manufacturer, it isn't on the canoe.
Can anyone here tell the maker by the stern plate?

can you post a photo of the entire canoe? usually there is a sticker or emblem on each side of the bow, sometimes it's just beneath the gunwale in the center of the canoe.. it would be helpful to see the entire canoe.

here are some options:
alumacraft
grumman
mohawk
michicraft
osage
munson

there are many older companies that were bought out and the company name changed so you might have an older canoe or maybe even a canadian made canoe.

thanks, heres another pic

Here's a closeup of the starboard bow

My vote - Not Grumman or Alumicraft - I have several old of those brands and the thwarts don't match this one.

Thanks, I didn't think it was one of those either, and that's pretty much all I know.

Maybe it's a Aerocraft Apache. It looks similar to what I've seen online.
Tim

there are many older companies that were bought out and the company name changed so you might have an older canoe or maybe even a canadian made canoe."

Happy 117th Birthday, Mocha. I hope I'm still going to BW when I'm in my hundreds.

The plate in your photo, the web seats and the bow and stern ends remind me of my first canoe. It was a Sears 17' aluminum canoe purchased in the spring of 1970 for about $150.00 new. Mine came with vinyl stickers stating "Sears" on the bow which I promptly removed. I wanted a Grumman but couldn't swing $209.00 (as I recall the price).

I still have the portage yoke I bought with the Sears canoe and use it occasionally on my Grumman when I want a good workout.

That's an odd looking seat...not sure what that is ... that might be your identifier.

do you have any other history about the canoe? who you got it from, what state, part of an estate sale?, auction, does it look like those webbed seats are original to the canoe or does it look like a previous owner manufactured the seat and hangars and installed them?
any other markings on the boat? does it have a keel? how much does it weigh? does it have a portage yoke or other portaging system? no other markings inside the canoe, under the gunwales, any evidence of stickers that were removed?

i watch too much NCIS... you'd think there would be a website you could insert a photo of that plate and it would spit out the info you need.

you could take it to your local marine store and ask if anyone has any ideas.

i'd try tracking through the previous ownership, maybe you'll get some great stories!

thanks for the birthday wish...

Also the painters at each end are unusual but a nice feature.

Check out Michicraft. It looks like that's standard on the google images of their 17

quote deerfoot: "The plate in your photo, the web seats and the bow and stern ends remind me of my first canoe. It was a Sears 17' aluminum canoe purchased in the spring of 1970 for about $150.00 new. Mine came with vinyl stickers stating "Sears" on the bow which I promptly removed. I wanted a Grumman but couldn't swing $209.00 (as I recall the price).

I still have the portage yoke I bought with the Sears canoe and use it occasionally on my Grumman when I want a good workout."

Thanks! That's good information. That's probably what this is.

quote Grizzlyman: "Also the painters at each end are unusual but a nice feature.


Check out Michicraft. It looks like that's standard on the google images of their 17"

It looks like a Michicraft to me, too.

Starting in, I believe, 1978 all canoes were required to have a Hull Identification Number (HIN) permanently etched in the hull. The first 3 characters are letters which identifies the manufacturer. If the canoe does not have this, it was made prior to 1978.

quote Bannock: "

quote Grizzlyman: "Also the painters at each end are unusual but a nice feature.



Check out Michicraft. It looks like that's standard on the google images of their 17"

It looks like a Michicraft to me, too.


Starting in, I believe, 1978 all canoes were required to have a Hull Identification Number (HIN) permanently etched in the hull. The first 3 characters are letters which identifies the manufacturer. If the canoe does not have this, it was made prior to 1978.
"

It doesn't have a HIN, that helps with age determination. The painter loops on each end make me think AeroCraft, but the hull shape is different. The Michicraft doesn't have web seats, but I wasn't able to see an older Michicraft.

Thanks for all of your help.

quote Mocha: "do you have any other history about the canoe? who you got it from, what state, part of an estate sale?, auction, does it look like those webbed seats are original to the canoe or does it look like a previous owner manufactured the seat and hangars and installed them?
any other markings on the boat? does it have a keel? how much does it weigh? does it have a portage yoke or other portaging system? no other markings inside the canoe, under the gunwales, any evidence of stickers that were removed?


i watch too much NCIS... you'd think there would be a website you could insert a photo of that plate and it would spit out the info you need.


you could take it to your local marine store and ask if anyone has any ideas.


i'd try tracking through the previous ownership, maybe you'll get some great stories!


thanks for the birthday wish..."

Thanks for all of your (All Y'alls!) help, This old canoe is kind of fun, I took it out to Teal Flowage Wednesday afternoon with my son and his girlfriend.

The previous owner had the canoe at his house on the river. The canoe was ready to go out whenever he was. When he retired, he moved into town so loading up this heavy canoe got to be too much hassle. Since he never used it and he is moving again, he decided to sell it. He bought it second hand too, and doesn't know much about it. The seats look original to the canoe. The seat hangers are part of the canoe, not bolted on or riveted. There is no portage yoke, I will need to make a yoke for it if I decide to take it to BW. There aren't any other markings on the canoe, not even evidence of removed stickers. It has a keel, and it feels like it weighs about 80 pounds.

Don't know the brand of canoe but we have one in our Boy Scout Troop's canoe fleet. It has been part of our canoe fleet for over 30 years and it is one tough canoe. It is always one of the favorites of the boys. You have a good canoe at a great price.

quote NoisyWetHermit: "

quote Bannock: "

quote Grizzlyman: "Also the painters at each end are unusual but a nice feature.



Check out Michicraft. It looks like that's standard on the google images of their 17"

It looks like a Michicraft to me, too.



Starting in, I believe, 1978 all canoes were required to have a Hull Identification Number (HIN) permanently etched in the hull. The first 3 characters are letters which identifies the manufacturer. If the canoe does not have this, it was made prior to 1978.
"

It doesn't have a HIN, that helps with age determination. The painter loops on each end make me think AeroCraft, but the hull shape is different. The Michicraft doesn't have web seats, but I wasn't able to see an older Michicraft.


Thanks for all of your help."

Just googled the aerocraft and you're right. It's definitively an aerocraft. Painters on both ends, webbed seats, and not just anybwebbing but the webbing that only wraps halfway around the seat frame. Great detective work!

I have that same canoe also and can't figure out the brand either. Looks like an aerocraft but they all have three cross braces instead of two. My registration says it's a 1970 alumacraft but I've never seen one with webbed seats. I would really like to find the brand out also