C-Forum

Can anyone identify this canoe? Based on the serial number, WEM320320279, it's a Perception built in 1979. It's light lay-up fiberglass hull design indicates it's a solo downriver whitewater racing canoe. I've saved it from the trash heap and am in the process of rebuilding it. Looking for the model name and what the graphics looked like. The only color I found on it were remnants of red where screws penetrated the hull to attach the gunnels. My finger is pointing out a distinct seam where the hull transitions to a vertical section for its' top-most 2 1/2 inches.

Why do you think it is a Perception boat? The manufacturer identification code for Perception is WEM. The MIC WEG is assigned to Western Marine Engineering of Anaheim, California.

Woops. Huge typo. The 3 characters on the serial number are WEM. Thanks for pointing that out pblanc. Typo has been corrected.

So - a totally wild guess here, but that boat looks a lot like a Steve Scarborough boat. About that time I think Dagger was just building paddles and a few one-off boats that Steve was racing...

thanks capt. If anyone stays in touch with him please ask him to chime in. Thanks

Mystery solved. Here is what Steve Scarborough had to say about the boat.

" That is an HD-1. It's a Hahn c1 hull with the sides built up. The serial number starts with WEM, which stands for William E. Masters. My hands are definitely clean on that boat. All of my designs started on paper or computer and involved arithmetic."

Now I need to get a vintage Perception graphics made. Anybody out there happen to have one or have access to what they looked like in 1979?

I think I can help you out, as I have 4,614 HD-1s (second largest collection in history, next to landfills adjacent to woosy OCers) The graphics mainly consisted of a stylized perception name and HD-1 with a shadow effect. Sometimes, there was pinstripe as well that ran below the gunnels. I will collect pictures and send to you. I will also measure them so you know how long / tall they are for the vinyl sticker company to match.

It will be a few days until I get back to the stable and get pics--I am out of the country.

J. Robbins
240 three seven five 9 zero 4 zero

This photo might give you an idea. Unfortunately, the HD-1 sticker is on the other side:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42020723@N ... otostream/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is a not very good picture showing that:

http://www.dotzen.org/4sale/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Beautiful work pblanc. Thanks for the help and the photos.

I was boat inspector for the Southeastern slalom and downriver races on the Nantahala through that period, and it is interesting to think that I probably ran hands over that boat, and put an inspection sticker on it.

Except at the Nationals, that was pretty much all that was involved in boat inspection. Eyeball it, and if there wasn't anything obviously out of range, put a sticker on it.

Was the sticker somewhere on the order of 1 3/4" X 3"? There's a spot near the stern or bow, can't tell which at this point, where a sticker appears to have been.

That boat brings back memories; back during that time period I stopped by the Perception plant and asked to buy a hull only HD1 to save money. Bill Masters pretty much gave me the third degree as to why I wanted a bare hull (after explaining I outfitted canoes and needed to save money by adding rails, ect myself, he agreed.) His concern seemed to be he was afraid I would rip off his design and use the hull as a plug. I bit my tongue but thought it was pretty funny since we both knew he ripped the design off himself. I later traded the HD1 to John Barbour at the NOC as partial payment toward a Mad River ME and never looked back.

D

A good story and memories. The numerous small imperfections and thousands of pin holes that I've had to fill with a epoxy/microfiber fairing filler don't seem to meet the standards I had thought Perception canoes to be built to. Any thoughts on this?

Perception was never really known for their glass boats... I paddled a few many, many moons ago - definitely not state of the art even at the time.

Not sure what I'll do with this one. Thought it'd make a cool ceiling hanger for someones' cabin. I'll post pictures when it's finished.