Chestnut Prospector paint colors

[fjalt]

Is there an official Chestnut red paint or will any red be adequate for a restoration. Also, what type of paint, how much and where to order. thanks

[Fitz]

fjalt:

I have a red Prospector. You probably want to use a good marine topside enamel paint. Although, porch and floor enamel and rust-o-leum like enamels work well too. I used Kirby's No. 24 "RED" on mine. Interlux makes a Fire Red that is a good choice too.

I'm not sure where you are at for shipping etc., but Kirby's has a website (google Kirby's paint), and Interlux can be found at a good marine supply shop.

I typically use two coats of a high build primer and then two coats of paint, sanding between all of these coats, and a quart of the color stuff usually is enough.

[fjalt]

thanks Fitz, I'll check it out. Fred

[Douglas Ingram]

I've got the paint mix formula for the Chestnut Red. I'll copy it out when I go back into the shop Monday.

I have it for the Chestnut green, too.

[Ed Moses]

Doug,

I would be very interested in that paint formula for chestnut green. I will be painting new canvas on my Chestnut Doe soon and do not want to do it in red, its original color. I have several Old Town models and they are all OT Guide Green. If the original Chestnut green is a different shade, that might add a nice bit of variety.

Ed

[shelldrake]

If you can come up with a sample, Kirby paint will match it. They matched The old Pettit Shipendec Rich Blue for my recent project and did an excellent job. Also a great company to deal with.

Matt

[fjalt]

Great, I'd like to see the formula for the red and the green. I might go with the green since my girlfriend feels that will match our livingroom decor better, I hang my canoes from the ceiling like a piece of fine art.

[Blue Viking]

Awhile ago, someone posted a picture of an original sage green paint used for Chestnut canoes....I tried to match that color but the photo was not that good so I went with what they came up with....I would love to be included in that list of interested people, for mine....As for the 18 OGL I used an Olive Green farm equiment paint from the Tractor Supply Store...slight gloss....
Thanks,
BV

[Giiwedin]

Every few years this topic comes up. The best discussion was lost in the 2004 server crash, but here is a more recent one that may be helpful. The Chestnut "green" (different shades depending on year) is dramatically different from OT green.

http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=340&highlight=Gray+Green

In my time up north, all the Chestnuts I encountered at HBCo posts and Indian settlements were gray. Never came across one even remotely green, so perhaps that color was a later addition. A look at the 1968-72 catalogs will tell.

Here are shots of our gray Prospectors in 1965: Churchill River, Methye Portage and Lake Winnipeg (Saskatchewan and Manitoba)

[fjalt]

Wow, I never thought that the color green would look like that. I was imagining a deep forest green, but I kind of like it, its certainly different from canoe colors that I've seen before.
I want to restore this canoe as close to original as possible, that's why I've decided to put the shoe keel back on and paint it red, since that was the original color. I've also decided to put the original slat seats back into her instead of cane.

[Fitz]

We found some remnants of paint on a mid-60's Chestnut Ogilvy we are rehabbing right now. I would call that color more of an "olive green".

[JPembleton]

Here is an Ogilvy with it's original green. Imagine it with out the dust :).

http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/9149/2487662390095722943S200x200Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2487662390095722943GPnwBo)

Jamie

[Ed Moses]

Fitz,

Could you bring that original Chestnut green colored swatch of canvas from the ogilvy to our chapter meeting this Sun. I would like to see & photo it. Thanx

Ed

[Ed Moses]

Fitz,

OOOPS, just reread your post and you did not mention canvas, I just assumed. Might it be just paint on wood.? Anyway if it has been removed, and its not an 18' outwale :D , please bring it along. Orrrr I could stop by your place on my return trip if Bill Clements who is riding with me isn't in a hurry to get home.

Ed

[Fitz]

Hi Ed:

Unfortunately, the color was on the underside of a piece of the outwale and unless a piece is still kicking around Steve's shop, the old rails went out in the trash.

The color was very close to the picture posted by Doug Ingram in this thread. The olive green spilled on the side of the can.

http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=2160&highlight=Chestnut+Paint

[Larry Meyer]

This is my Prospector with Interlux Malachy green and a shellac bottom. It gets some compliments.

[Kathryn Klos]

Pretty canoe, Larry. Nice to see two-tones on a Prospector!

[fjalt]

Douglas Ingram was gracious enough to give me the paint formulas for the prospector canoe. I thought some of you might also be interested in the original colors. Here is the red:

Using CIL base 337260 3.41can
BLK 0p8
LFY 2p0
FFR 9p0
WHT 0p20


It is important to use a deep grey or red primer for best coverage.

Here is the green:

CIL base #337290, use in the 41 pail

BLK 0p58
YOX 3p2
TBL 0P42
WHT 4p12


Hope this helps. I believe there were other colors but these formulas are for the red and light sage green.

[Blue Viking]

On my 16 I went with a sage green that I had mixed from a pic of an original paint can with some dried paint on the side...and with the Ogilvy, I went with an olive green from the Tractor Supply store....Works for me:)

[fjalt]

Whatever floats your boat! The choice of paint is really a small matter but I happen to be a stickler for historical detail and wanted the original paint formula. Its a curse that I was born with.
I really don't care is someone paints their canoe purple, America is still partially free.
I think the colors you chose look just fine but for those who want the original paint formula, I thought that this information would be helpful.

[Blue Viking]

I agree......If I had access to that formula, I would have definitely gone with it....I tried and the only thing I got was a picture of an original Chestnut paint can, so I copied the photo and had the paint mixed to match....ALMOST...lol
Nice research.

[fjalt]

Where are you located?

[Blue Viking]

Located here in South Paris, Maine, about 40 miles east of Noth Conway, NH... My next project is to re-restore a 74 , 14' Sebago WC boat....I was looking it over the other day, and, discovered I made a lot of mistakes on that one, it was my first attempt...Got it for $50 at an auction and once it was done got the bug!...LOL.... Have a few more canoes to do now but got all I need so am gonna restore the boat...I also have and use a 19' wood strip Laker on the style of the Grand Lakers...My plate is full....
Ted