1990s Lincoln 16’ 6” tandem canoe?

[Sliding Focus]

I may be going to look at an unidentified Lincoln ~16’ tandem canoe soon, and I’m wondering how to tell what model it is and curious about how it might paddle (it is not in good enough shape to test paddle, but might be promising to repair). From what I’ve been able to gather, Lincoln seems to have offered at least five different 16–16.5’ tandems since 1980, but I can find very little information about any of them online:

• Concord, Concord I, and Concord II 16’ 6” (all the same Tim Stewart-designed hull, but made with different materials and trim? Current offering, first introduced in the late 1960s?)
• Family Special 16’ (listed in 1980 catalog)
• SRC 16’ 6”? (mid-1980s to 1990s? Same hull as the Common Canoe Company and Saco River Canoe 16-6?)
• Escape 16’ 6” (1990s)
• Explorer 16’ (late 2000s; Jim Henry design, but different from the Mad River Explorer—has a shallow arch bottom)

The seller believes that their canoe may be an Escape, but isn’t sure, and that model is the most mysterious out of all of these—I have been able to find exactly zero information about it online, and know of it only because I recently tried to buy one from a different seller who seemed knowledgeable (unfortunately, our local canoe flipper got it before I could!). If that person was mistaken, then that model may actually have a different name or may be the same as one of the others above (but it definitely appeared to be different than the Concord). Based on what the seller of the damaged canoe has told me, it was probably made in the 1990s (and at the outside probably could not be older than the late 1980s or newer than the early 2000s), which would seem to make the Concord, Escape, or SRC the most likely candidates for its identity (unless there were still more models that I am not aware of!).

Do any of you know anything about ~16’ Lincoln tandems—especially those that were available in the 1990s, and especially the Escape? What are your impressions of how they paddle? And do you have knowledge or resources you’d be willing to share (e.g. specifications sheets, photographs, measurements of your own canoe) that might help me identify one and determine whether it’s something I’d want to buy?

Thanks in advance for whatever knowledge, resources, and advice you’re willing to share!

 

[M Clemens]

Would it happen to be the one at the Canoe Repair Shop in Gloversville? If so, it is a bare hull, so hard to establish the beam. If not, then the beam can help narrow down the model, as Concord is 36 inches and the SRC 16-6 is between 33 and 34 inches. I had an SRC 16-6 in Kevlar, it was fast and pretty but too tender for my wife. I have never seen the Lincoln Escape. Lincoln info is hard to come by, as they have switched owners, locations and HIN manufacturer ID numbers several times over the years. Do you have the HIN?

These pics were circulating on Facebook a few weeks ago from a 1989 catalogue:

 

[Sliding Focus]

Thanks for that info, @M Clemens! I had also seen that catalog, but thought it was printed in 1980? Unfortunately, I do not know the width or the HIN. You guess correctly that I'm referring to the one at the Canoe Repair Shop, so I could probably get the latter, but not the former. Knowing the model and its specs would be useful if I were going to have Paul restore it, and I'd be pretty hesitant to buy it if I couldn't get that info! I emailed Lincoln to request information as well, but between the company having changed hands and what I've heard about others' experience with trying to contact them for info about older models, I'm not holding my breath for a helpful response.

 

[Tsuga8]

I didn't know there is a canoe repair shop in Gloversville! Looks like a great resource!

Sorry to say I don't have much to add on the Lincoln discussion - good luck with it!

 

[M Clemens]

Well, if Paul or you ever decide to get the bare hull down out of the rafters for inspection, the stems may help narrow the possibilities some: the Family Special had the classic curved stems, whereas the Concords and the 16-6 had raked stems, the 16-6 less so and sharper. Also, the Concords will exhibit more flare in the bow. I would be hesitant to invest too much in her, as the Lincolns prior to 2009 when Bourgoin took over do not seem to command high prices, even in Kevlar (unless yours is a labor of love).

If you ever find any additional Lincoln literature, please post; again never saw a Lincoln Escape. Pity you lost one to the flipper.

Here's a few pics of my hull (1990) for comparison if you do go to the shop:

 

[Sliding Focus]

@M Clemens, that is really useful to know about the stems and flare on the SRC—thanks for that info, and for your photos too!

Your SRC looks darn near identical to the “Escape” from FB Marketplace—now I’m really wondering if the seller of the “Escape” could've been mistaken and theirs was an SRC? They told me theirs was 37” wide at the rails, but it’s not too unusual for sellers to give inaccurate specs or to measure outwale-to-outwale rather than the hull width. And it appears to have similar plumb (or nearly so) stems and very slight tumblehome. Also, yours looks like it might have a shallow-V bottom—is that correct? I wonder if that could be a clue...I haven't seen bottom pics of the "Escape" from Facebook, but Paul thought that the Lincoln in his shop might be V-bottomed (though he couldn’t be sure without taking it down from the rafters).

Your point about older Lincolns holding value poorly is a good one—I feel that the price Paul quoted me to restore his was more than fair, but it’d be a stretch for me, and it's definitely on the high end of what older Kevlar Lincolns seem to sell for. I wouldn't call my interest a labor of love, I'm just interested in getting a lightweight tandem and, having missed out on the "Escape" (and it now being out of reach at the flipper's price), I'm feeling tempted by Paul's opportunity! But, I'm also waiting to hear back from another forum member about a canoe that's priced more in line with what I'm comfortable spending right now, so if I have the chance to buy that one, it'd probably be the smarter choice. I have some thinking to do—we'll see what shakes out!

In case Paul’s canoe turned out to be an SRC, would you mind sharing a little more about your impressions of that model? You say it was fast and tender—how easily did it turn? Did you ever paddle it in rough water? Is there a more widely-known canoe (e.g. Mad River, Wenonah) that you feel it compares closely to? And, if you ever tried soloing it, how suitable a solo did it make—how good a choice would it be for someone wanting to practice paddling Canadian style?

 

[M Clemens]

@M Clemens, that is really useful to know about the stems and flare on the SRC—thanks for that info, and for your photos too!

Your SRC looks darn near identical to the “Escape” from FB Marketplace—now I’m really wondering if the seller of the “Escape” could've been mistaken and theirs was an SRC? They told me theirs was 37” wide at the rails, but it’s not too unusual for sellers to give inaccurate specs or to measure outwale-to-outwale rather than the hull width. And it appears to have similar plumb (or nearly so) stems and very slight tumblehome. Also, yours looks like it might have a shallow-V bottom—is that correct? I wonder if that could be a clue...I haven't seen bottom pics of the "Escape" from Facebook, but Paul thought that the Lincoln in his shop might be V-bottomed (though he couldn’t be sure without taking it down from the rafters).

Your point about older Lincolns holding value poorly is a good one—I feel that the price Paul quoted me to restore his was more than fair, but it’d be a stretch for me, and it's definitely on the high end of what older Kevlar Lincolns seem to sell for. I wouldn't call my interest a labor of love, I'm just interested in getting a lightweight tandem and, having missed out on the "Escape" (and it now being out of reach at the flipper's price), I'm feeling tempted by Paul's opportunity! But, I'm also waiting to hear back from another forum member about a canoe that's priced more in line with what I'm comfortable spending right now, so if I have the chance to buy that one, it'd probably be the smarter choice. I have some thinking to do—we'll see what shakes out!

In case Paul’s canoe turned out to be an SRC, would you mind sharing a little more about your impressions of that model? You say it was fast and tender—how easily did it turn? Did you ever paddle it in rough water? Is there a more widely-known canoe (e.g. Mad River, Wenonah) that you feel it compares closely to? And, if you ever tried soloing it, how suitable a solo did it make—how good a choice would it be for someone wanting to practice paddling Canadian style?

The hull had a slight v-bottom from the bow to amidships, then blended into a shallow arch, very little rocker. It was definitely fast, but hard to turn as my wife is not the best of bowmen/bow-women and less tolerant of tenderness. We did paddle it in slight chop and it did well, but never really what I would consider 'rough' water. I did try soloing it once, but from the bow seat backwards and it was horrible; it may have been better kneeling closer to center but my short arms make that a reach. I can't speak to paddling it heeled over, I limit that to shorter craft.

If I had to compare to another canoe, it might be the Malecite, but slightly less maneuverable.

Did you see the Lincoln in East Kingston NH for $900? It says 17 foot, but I think it may be a Concord. In any case, good luck in your search!

 

[Sliding Focus]

The hull had a slight v-bottom from the bow to amidships, then blended into a shallow arch, very little rocker. It was definitely fast, but hard to turn as my wife is not the best of bowmen/bow-women and less tolerant of tenderness. We did paddle it in slight chop and it did well, but never really what I would consider 'rough' water. I did try soloing it once, but from the bow seat backwards and it was horrible; it may have been better kneeling closer to center but my short arms make that a reach. I can't speak to paddling it heeled over, I limit that to shorter craft.

If I had to compare to another canoe, it might be the Malecite, but slightly less maneuverable.

Did you see the Lincoln in East Kingston NH for $900? It says 17 foot, but I think it may be a Concord. In any case, good luck in your search!
View attachment 140512

Thanks for sharing those impressions—that's all really interesting to hear, especially about how it soloed! It's likely that any tandem I buy would see a fair bit of solo use, so all else being equal, its suitability for that purpose would be an important factor to me.

Thanks for sharing that green Lincoln, too—I had seen it, and agree it looks most likely to be a Concord.