Old Town Canoe (1898), a company deep-dive

CRUA’s next Product Launch

After a further analysis of the new adjustable CULLA, we firmly believe that we’re onto something here. The adjustments are actually better than we had hoped, and we think we can come up with a pop-up CULLA that fits inside 80%+ of existing tents.

So, we’re going to relaunch before we go into production, in June.

Work has started on growing the prelaunch data and planning the launch platform. That is TBD. Launch date is the week of June 9th, when the production will actually be underway. We’re excited about this one. I’ll be visiting the factory in China week of May 4th, after a trip to the Canton Fair. More to follow..

Now there’s just a small matter of tariffs to navigate…

Old Town Canoe: Paddling Through 125 Years of American Heritage

Humble Maine Beginnings (1898-1920)

The story of Old Town Canoe begins not with grand ambitions of industrial dominance, but with a simple observation and a craftsman's solution. In 1898, in the small riverside community of Old Town, Maine, George A. Gray Jr. noticed something interesting: local Native American canoes were becoming increasingly scarce and harder to find. The traditional Penobscot birch bark canoes—lightweight, maneuverable, and perfectly adapted to the region's waterways—were disappearing just as recreational interest in canoeing was growing.

Gray wasn't just a casual observer. Having grown up along the Penobscot River, he had developed close relationships with local Penobscot tribal members and had studied their watercraft techniques. His own background in woodworking came from his father, George Sr., who had operated a successful lumber and building supply business in the area. This combination of woodcraft knowledge and cultural appreciation would prove invaluable.

Working from his building and repair business on Middle Street in Old Town, Gray began constructing wood-canvas canoes that combined the sleek profiles of Native American designs with more durable materials that could be produced at scale. He personally developed patterns and forms based on the most successful Penobscot designs, adapting them for the canvas-on-wood-frame construction method. The result was the founding of the Old Town Canoe Company. He initially partnered with AE Wickett, his brother Herbert and George Richardson. An interesting aside is that the Gray’s weren’t necessarily canoe builders at first (although they were craftsmen), rather entrepreneurs that recognized an opportunity, as well as the need to partner with established specialists.

The timing couldn't have been better. The late 19th century saw America's emerging middle class increasingly interested in outdoor recreation. The transportation revolution meant people could travel to lakes and rivers more easily than ever before. Within just two years, Gray's small workshop was producing approximately 200 canoes annually, selling for around $35 each—equivalent to roughly $1,150 in today's money.

Gray was a shrewd businessman who recognized the value of marketing. By 1904, Old Town was publishing mail-order catalogs featuring its growing line of canoes. These beautifully illustrated catalogs, which showed canoes in idyllic settings and highlighted their craftsmanship, became a cornerstone of the company's sales strategy. Gray pioneered the practice of numbering each canoe and maintaining detailed records—creating both quality control and collectability that modern manufacturers still emulate.

The family-run business expanded rapidly. In 1901, Gray's sons, Samuel Gray and George Gray III, joined the company, bringing fresh energy and ideas. Samuel took charge of production operations, while George III focused on sales and distribution. This family leadership team established Old Town's reputation for meticulous quality—every canoe was personally inspected before shipping, and the company kept detailed records of each vessel produced.

By 1910, annual production had surged to over 1,000 canoes, and the company reported annual revenues of approximately $50,000—an impressive sum for the era. The workforce had grown from the original handful of craftsmen to nearly 60 employees, many of whom were local woodworkers with generations of boat-building experience.

World War I brought both challenge and opportunity. While recreational sales temporarily dipped, military contracts helped sustain the business. Old Town produced specially designed canoes for the U.S. military, introducing the company to new markets and production techniques. By the war's end in 1918, Old Town Canoe was firmly established as America's premier canoe manufacturer, with annual revenues approaching $150,000.

Expansion and Innovation (1920s-1950s)

The post-war economic boom of the 1920s fueled Old Town's continued growth. America was falling in love with outdoor recreation, and canoes were perfect for exploring the country's abundant waterways. The company expanded its product line under the Gray family's innovative direction. A pivotal moment came in 1921 with the introduction of the legendary OTCA (Old Town Canoe Association) model—a sleek, versatile canoe that became the company's flagship product for decades. The OTCA's balanced design made it ideal for both casual paddling and serious expeditions, helping it become one of the most successful canoe designs in history.

Old Town continued to innovate, introducing sailing canoes, square-stern canoes for outboard motors, and racing models that would dominate competitions for decades. Their racing designs, developed with input from championship paddlers, established Old Town's reputation in competitive circuits—the company proudly advertised that more races were won in Old Town canoes than all other brands combined.

A significant milestone came in 1925 when the company moved into a massive new 65,000-square-foot factory along the Penobscot River. This purpose-built facility allowed for more efficient production methods while maintaining the craftsmanship that had become Old Town's hallmark. The factory featured specialized stations for each stage of construction—from frame-building to canvas stretching to painting—creating a production flow that balanced efficiency with quality. By the late 1920s, annual production exceeded 5,000 canoes, and yearly revenues had climbed to approximately $500,000.

Material Revolution and Ownership Changes (1960s-1990s)

The 1960s marked a pivotal transition for Old Town. After nearly 70 years of family ownership, the Gray family sold the company in 1964 to the Samuel Hearne Company for approximately $1.5 million. The fourth generation of Grays had been leading the company, but faced with increasing competition and the need for significant capital investment in new materials and techniques, they made the difficult decision to sell.

Under new leadership, Old Town finally embraced fiberglass in 1965, producing its first non-wood canoes. This material transition wasn't undertaken lightly. The company spent nearly two years testing different fiberglass layups and resins to ensure the new canoes would maintain Old Town's reputation for durability. This transition wasn't easy—traditionalists within the company and among loyal customers resisted the change. Initial quality control issues with the new materials created reputation challenges. However, the lower maintenance requirements and durability of fiberglass gradually won over the market.

The 1970s brought the most significant material innovation in the company's history: the adoption of rotational molded plastic (initially ABS, later polyethylene). These new materials required completely different manufacturing processes—the traditional woodworking skills were replaced by mold design expertise and plastic manufacturing knowledge. This technology, which allowed for durable, affordable canoes that required virtually no maintenance, democratized canoe ownership. Old Town's Discovery model, introduced in 1975, became the best-selling canoe in the world with over 500,000 units eventually produced. Its nearly indestructible construction made it ideal for rental fleets, first-time buyers, and whitewater enthusiasts.

Modern Era: Johnson Outdoors and Beyond (2000’s-Present)

The most consequential ownership change in Old Town's modern history came around the turn of the century when Johnson Outdoors, led by Helen Johnson-Leipold, acquired the company for approximately $12 million. Johnson Outdoors, a family-controlled publicly traded company with a portfolio of outdoor recreation brands (including Minn Kota motors and Humminbird electronics), provided both stability and resources for growth.

Under Johnson Outdoors' ownership, Old Town experienced significant expansion. The acquisition of Cannondale's watercraft division brought valuable designs and technology. The purchase of Ocean Kayak helped Old Town capture the growing recreational kayak market, which was outpacing traditional canoeing in popularity.

Product development accelerated with access to Johnson Outdoors' R&D resources. Old Town established a formal product development team that combined traditional canoe-building expertise with modern engineering techniques. Computer-aided design, extensive prototype testing, and systematic consumer research became standard practices—a far cry from the pattern-making techniques of George Gray's era. The company began implementing "voice of customer" research methodologies to ensure new designs addressed actual paddler needs rather than merely engineering preferences.

The early 2000s also presented serious challenges. Increasing competition from imported canoes and kayaks, particularly from China, squeezed margins. The economic downturn following the September 11 attacks temporarily depressed sales of recreational equipment across the industry. Old Town responded by doubling down on innovation, introducing the Loon kayak series which would become industry bestsellers. These kayaks featured the innovative Active Comfort System 2 seating—solving the "numb bum" problem that had plagued paddlers for generations and setting a new industry standard for comfort.

A pivotal moment came in 2004, when Johnson Outdoors consolidated its watercraft operations, moving production of its Necky and Ocean kayak brands to the Old Town facility in Maine. This consolidation preserved jobs in Old Town while creating manufacturing efficiencies. By 2007, the expanded operation was generating approximately $50 million in annual revenue.

The Great Recession of 2008 hit the recreational boating industry hard. Sales of high-end canoes and kayaks dropped by nearly 30% industry-wide. Old Town weathered this storm through strategic cost-cutting and by emphasizing its more affordable models. Johnson Outdoors' diverse portfolio helped buffer the impacts, allowing for continued investment in Old Town's product development.

The 2010s brought innovation-driven growth. Old Town launched the revolutionary Predator fishing kayak in 2013, capturing a significant share of the rapidly growing fishing kayak market. This design wasn't just a minor improvement—it completely rethought kayak fishing with features like the multi-position Element seating system and modular accessory rails. The company's innovative approach was recognized with multiple industry awards. In 2017, Old Town made perhaps its boldest move yet, introducing the Autopilot motorized kayak featuring Minn Kota technology (leveraging synergies within the Johnson Outdoors family), which transformed the fishing kayak category. These premium products helped push the Watercraft division's annual revenue to approximately $70 million by 2019.

Heritage and Innovation: The Old Town Legacy

Today, Old Town Canoe continues to operate from its hometown in Maine, where over 125 years of canoe-building expertise informs every design. The company still produces some traditional wood-canvas canoes for heritage-minded customers, though these now represent less than 1% of production. These wood canoes are crafted using many of the same techniques pioneered by George Gray, with each taking over 100 hours of skilled labor to complete. Modern materials and manufacturing methods have transformed the bulk of the business, with rotomolded plastic and composite materials dominating the lineup.

What connects the modern Old Town to its roots isn't materials or production methods, but rather a design philosophy that traces back to those early Penobscot-inspired canoes: creating watercraft that work in harmony with the paddler and the water. The company maintains an archive of historical designs and production records—some canoes can be traced to their original owners through serial numbers dating back to the early 1900s.

Old Town's journey from a small Maine workshop to an iconic American brand illustrates both the challenges of maintaining tradition in a changing market and the importance of thoughtful adaptation. Through world wars, economic depressions, multiple ownership changes, and material revolutions, Old Town has managed to preserve its identity while embracing innovation.

What George Gray Jr. could not have imagined when crafting those first wood-canvas canoes was that his company would one day produce sophisticated motorized fishing kayaks or lightweight carbon fiber racing canoes. Yet the fundamental mission remains remarkably similar: creating watercraft that connect people with nature, that balance performance with accessibility, and that carry forward an authentic piece of American outdoor heritage.

As Old Town approaches its 125th anniversary, it stands as one of America's oldest continuously operating outdoor recreation manufacturers—a testament to the enduring appeal of quality watercraft and the power of a brand that's become synonymous with the very activity it serves.