Ontario Canoe Co.

Capsule History: The Ontario Canoe Company was founded in 1883 by Colonel James Z. Rogers in Peterborough, Ontario. The company's offerings were based on the cedar strip and cedar rib style canoes invented and patented by John Stephenson. The factory burned down May 9, 1892. The Ontario Canoe Company was not re-built. Instead, Rogers started the Peterborough Canoe Company in its place.

Patents: J.S. Stephenson was awarded patents for cedar strip (Canada Patent No. 32701 and US Patent No. 292183) and cedar rib construction (Canada Patent No. 10063 and US Patent No. 281316).

Construction Styles:

Board and Batten: Wide planking (usually 3 or 4 boards per side) fastened to narrow half-round ribs. Planking seams between ribs are covered with half-round battens.
Patent Longitudinal Rib: 5/16" thick planking approximately 1" wide, running the length of the canoe. The planking is tongue-and-grooved, and fastened to half-round oak ribs.
Patent Rib: Cedar strips, about 1" wide, tongue and grooved, and running from gunwale to gunwale.

Further Reading:

Stephenson, Gerald F., John Stephenson and the Famous "Peterborough Canoes". Occasional Paper No. 8, Peterborough Historical Society, 1987.

Model Number	Name	Dimensions	Construction
Open Canoes
1	Open Canoe	14½ x 26½ x 10	patent rib
2	Open Canoe	15 x 28 x 10½	patent rib
3	Open Canoe	15½ x 29 x 11½	patent rib
4	Open Canoe	16 x 31 x 12¼	patent rib
5	Open Canoe	16½ x 33 x 13	patent rib
6	Open Canoe	17 x 35 x 13¼	patent rib
7	Open Canoe	17½ x 37 x 14	patent rib
11	Open Canoe	17½ x 21 x 10	patent rib
15	Open Canoe	10½ x 24 x 10	patent rib
16	Open Canoe	11½ x 24 x 10	patent rib
17	Open Canoe	12¾ x 24 x 10	patent rib
18	Open Canoe	13 x 25½ x 10	patent rib
19	Open Canoe	13½ x 27 x 10½	patent rib
20	Open Canoe	14 x 28½ x 11	patent rib
21	Open Canoe	14½ x 30 x 11½	patent rib
22	Open Canoe	15 x 31 x 12	patent rib
23	Open Canoe	15½ x 33 x 12½	patent rib
24	Open Canoe	16 x 34½ x 13	patent rib
42	Open Canoe	15 x 27 x 10&¾	patent longitudinal rib
43	Open Canoe	15½ x 29 x 11½	patent longitudinal rib
44	Open Canoe	16 x 31 x 12	patent longitudinal rib
45	Open Canoe	16½ x 33 x 12¾	patent longitudinal rib
46	Open Canoe	17 x 35 x 13¼	patent longitudinal rib
75	Open Canoe	11 x 24 x 10	board and batten
76	Open Canoe	12 x 24 x 10	board and batten
77	Open Canoe	12¾ x 25 x 10	board and batten
78	Open Canoe	13½ x 26 x 10	board and batten
79	Open Canoe	14 x 28½ x 10½	board and batten
80	Open Canoe	14½ x 29½ x 11	board and batten
81	Open Canoe	15 x 31 x 11½	board and batten
82	Open Canoe	15½ x 32½ x 12½	board and batten
83	Open Canoe	16 x 34 x 12½	board and batten
84	Open Canoe	16½ x 35 x 13	board and batten
87	Open Canoe	12 x 32	board and batten
88	Open Canoe	13 x 36 x 13	board and batten
89	Open Canoe	14 x 42 x 14	board and batten
90	Open Canoe	15 x 45 x 15	board and batten
Juniper Canoes
	These are canoes that are decked 3' at each end, with side decks 3" wide. A coaming 1½" runs aroundthe cockpit. Used with paddle and/or sail.
110	Juniper	14 x 28 x 9½	cedar rib
111	Juniper	14½ x 30 x 10	cedar rib
117	Juniper	14-11 x 31½ x 11	cedar rib
92	Juniper	15 x 27 x 9	cedar rib
104	Juniper	15 x 30 x 10½	cedar rib
93	Juniper	15½ x 29 x 10	cedar rib
116	Juniper	15-5 x 30½ x 10	cedar rib
119	Juniper	15-11 x 30 x 10	cedar rib
94	Juniper	16 x 30 x 10	cedar rib
229	Juniper	14 x 28 x 9½	longitudinal rib
212	Juniper	15 x 27 x 9¼	longitudinal rib
237	Juniper	15 x 31½ x 10	longitudinal rib
224	Juniper	15-3 x 30 x 10	longitudinal rib
236	Juniper	15½ x 30½ x 10	longitudinal rib
139	Juniper	16 x 30 x 10½	longitudinal rib
169	Juniper	14 x 28½ x 9	board and batten
170	Juniper	14½ x 29½ x 9½	board and batten
152	Juniper	15 x 27 x 9½	board and batten
177	Juniper	15 x 31½ x 10	board and batten
164	Juniper	15-3 x 30 x 10	board and batten
176	Juniper	15½ x 30½ x 10	board and batten
154	Juniper	16 x 31 x 10	board and batten
179	Juniper	16 x 30 x 10	board and batten
Ontario
	Sailing and cruising canoes with cockpits between 4½ and 7½ feet long. They were fitted with airtanks and mast tubes. Centerboards were optional.
140	Ontario	14 x 28½ x 9	cedar rib
141	Ontario	14½ x 30 x 10	cedar rib
147	Ontario	14-11 x 31½ x 11	cedar rib
122	Ontario	15 x 27 x 10	cedar rib
134	Ontario	15 x 30 x 10	cedar rib
123	Ontario	15½ x 29 x 10	cedar rib
146	Ontario	15-5 x 30½ x 10	cedar rib
149	Ontario	15-10 x 30 x 10	cedar rib
259	Ontario	14 x 28 x 9	longitudinal rib
242	Ontario	15 x 27 x 10¾	longitudinal rib
267	Ontario	15 x 31½ x 11	longitudinal rib
254	Ontario	15-3 x 30 x 10	longitudinal rib
266	Ontario	15½ x 30½ x 10	longitudinal rib
269	Ontario	16 x 30 x 11	longitudinal rib
199	Ontario	14 x 28 x 10½	board and batten
200	Ontario	14½ x 29½ x 11	board and batten
182	Ontario	15 x 27 x 10½	board and batten
207	Ontario	15 x 31½ x 11	board and batten
194	Ontario	15-3 x 30 x 11	board and batten
206	Ontario	15½ x 30½ x 11	board and batten
209	Ontario	16 x 30 x 11	board and batten
184	Ontario	16 x 31 x 11	board and batten
Single Handers
	Wider sailing canoes built in the board and batten style of basswood, butternut or cedar. Two mast tubes were standard. Centerboards, air tanks, and bulkheads were optional.
338	Single Hander	13 x 36 x 12	board and batten
339	Single Hander	14 x 42 x 13	board and batten
340	Single Hander	15 x 45 x 14	board and batten
Notes: Information is from the ca. 1892-93 catalog. Source catalog copy was missing pages for model numbers 61-69 (board and batten style construction)