Unusual Canoe on Belle Isle?

[xdet]

No, the Victrola isn't the unusual part to me, it's whatever that forward compartment and its crank looking lid are- any ideas? c. 1924 and yes, on Belle Isle.

And a detailed look-

[Dan Wesson]

Wow, your picture and question caught my fancy and I had to dig some.

I don't know where you got that pic but I came up with the companion pic to the one you posted.





I'm betting that the brass fitting is a base holder for a flag, parasol or ornament. The only thing missing on this "courting canoe" is the parasol for mi' Lady.

This came from post #23 and #24 at this site... http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...ing-boats-quot

[Dan Wesson]

We used to canoe on the island with our ladies until it got too dangerous with the hoodlums lobbing bottles, bricks and other shit from the shores.

Think it's better now?

[xdet]

Those are both family photos- you can see the name Evelyn on the front of the canoe Dan Wesson, so that's funny, I tried over there to see if anyone had any ideas. Funny you would remember that! And don't remember who the canoe was named for as I don't know of an Evelyn in the Sanders family, maybe one of the cousins of my dad. [[almost all of my grandfather Rentz' family was in Delaware or Pennsylvania).
The littlest one is dad, the other my uncle-[[in the first photo) both gone now so can't ask them. There is a flag on the back of the canoe so most likely not for a flag [[when grandma was paddling). It looks like a handle or crank to me. Someone must know for sure the answer, sure this wasn't a 'one-off' item as it looks well made.

[Honky Tonk]

We used to canoe on the island with our ladies until it got too dangerous with the hoodlums lobbing bottles, bricks and other shit from the shores.

Think it's better now?

Yes, Yes it is....

[MikeM]

We used to canoe on the island with our ladies until it got too dangerous with the hoodlums lobbing bottles, bricks and other shit from the shores.

Think it's better now?

No, it's not. You should definitely stay away, with or without a canoe.

[Jimaz]

Good puzzle. Could it simply be a generic cargo hold? It seems a bit large for that though. I know it can be important to distribute weight evenly in a canoe. I would think a large dedicated hold might make even weight distribution difficult.

Google Images for "canoe hatch" shows a few similar compartments.

[CrashDummy]

We used to canoe on the island with our ladies until it got too dangerous with the hoodlums lobbing bottles, bricks and other shit from the shores.

Those weren't hoodlums. That was your mom.

[Dan Wesson]

Those weren't hoodlums. That was your mom.

Speakin' of Mom... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGjijuvVyUM

[old guy]

The placement of the hatch would be about correct for a sail. I'm assuming the slat seat is removable.

[xdet]

Good puzzle. Could it simply be a generic cargo hold? It seems a bit large for that though. I know it can be important to distribute weight evenly in a canoe. I would think a large dedicated hold might make even weight distribution difficult.

Google Images for "canoe hatch" shows a few similar compartments.

That looks like it more than anything else- maybe waterproof too but there wouldn't be very many 'small electronics' in those days. I remember my grandparents years later having a portable radio with a huge lead acid battery- would not have fit in that hold!

[xdet]

Here's a sailing canoe with the same size hole, hatch door missing- you got it Jimaz-
http://sailingcanoes.dragonflycanoe....noe/index.html

[Jimaz]

Here's a sailing canoe with the same size hole, hatch door missing- you got it Jimaz-
http://sailingcanoes.dragonflycanoe....noe/index.html

old guy suggested the sail. He gets that credit.

[Honky Tonk]

Here's a sailing canoe with the same size hole, hatch door missing- you got it Jimaz-
http://sailingcanoes.dragonflycanoe....noe/index.html

The centerboard design on that canoe is a fantastic piece of engineering.

[old guy]

old guy suggested the sail. He gets that credit.

Thanks Jimaz, I was feeling like chopped liver there for about 10 hrs,36 minutes.

I collect vintage canoes & kayaks. My guess is that it's a Canadian Peterborough with some alterations and additions done by a Detroit craftsman. I've never seen one quite like it and as HT mentioned, it's a fantastic piece of engineering.

[Ray1936]

Victrolas in canoes must have been rather common on Belle Isle. LOC photo, c. 1900.

[Honky Tonk]

Victrolas in canoes must have been rather common on Belle Isle. LOC photo, c. 1900.

Yes they were, in fact, a lot of the picnickers onshore complained they couldn't hear themselves talk because of the loud, deep, "thump-thump-thumping" of the low bass notes...... Some of the more stylish conoers used to make the scene with 22" paddles too.

[Hamtragedy]

Wow, your picture and question caught my fancy and I had to dig some.

I don't know where you got that pic but I came up with the companion pic to the one you posted.





I'm betting that the brass fitting is a base holder for a flag, parasol or ornament. The only thing missing on this "courting canoe" is the parasol for mi' Lady.

This came from post #23 and #24 at this site... http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...ing-boats-quot

I'll bet that's the Windsor shoreline in the background.

[xdet]

And here's the Casino- in the 'day'- canoeist with Victrola on board in front of it too. [[Another old family photo c. 1920s)

[Now&then]

I like the photos you come across. I used to work at a number of photo labs in the metro Detroit area. I got one of Ruth Law that I am finding difficult to part with.

[rb336]

The centerboard design on that canoe is a fantastic piece of engineering.

that is quite cool

[Zacha341]

Awesome photos. Post #16 and #18 are a sight with the Victrola's on board! Everyone so prim and proper dressing, like no one's capsizing these canoes -- ruining their clothes and music makers!

[xdet]

Awesome photos. Post #16 and #18 are a sight with the Victrola's on board! Everyone so prim and proper dressing, like no one's capsizing these canoes -- ruining their clothes and music makers!

Yes, my brother went canoeing with dad and said he could get into a canoe and it wouldn't move. With everyone dressed up and a number with Victrolas there wasn't any 'fooling around'. In fact, in the late 1960's grandma put the Victrola for the garbage men. A neighbor told her it would be worth something so she took it back in and sold it- probably didn't get much for it but it didn't go to the dump.
PS: Most of my old family photos were taken with a No. 1A Folding Pocket Kodak grandma gave to grandpa in 1914, seen here. So a camera was on that canoe too- maybe it was stored in that front compartment?

[PeachLaser]

Good call on the sail. I'm thinking it is actually the hold for the sail [[not the mast) where it could be stuffed down into it to store the sail when not in use.

Interesting photos of the canoes. Thanks for all the pics.

[Ray1936]

I suspect there were no 'selfie sticks' for that camera, xdet.