vtwoodworker
Enthusiastic about Wooden Canoes
Some of you may have seen my dilemma about starting the work on an OT charles river vs. picking up a Picard because of hull shape....well I picked up the picard. Its in much better shape than the Charles river, but ovbiously needs some work. The owner told me he originally bought it in the Spring of 1974 at the Keewaydin canoe camp on Lake Temagami as the means to get into the Northern Ontario bush, where he spent a year. He is the original owner. I have not found a serial number anywhere. I'm wondering if it was an older boat the camp restored and sold for funds as I"m finding some iteresteing small patchwork repairs in the planking. It has some planking that needs to be addressed, probably half a stem replaced, a stem end, canvas, some gunwhale work and I"ve found 2 cracked ribs. The question is on planking. A lot is split, but still sound so I will be leaving it and just reclinching. But, some of the planking at the ends that needs to be replaced is over 6" wide!!!! can I just drop it to two 3" wide pieces, or do I need to stick with the wide planking? Also, theres one spot where a plank seam is litereally where a half rib is, which appears to have "Sprung" back and opened up the seam--what do people suggest on that--remove the half rib and try to reshap and reinstall? The rest of the rib repairs will probably be backside as the canoe still has good shape and I"d like to retail as much of the original as possible.
Gut seats...how to restore them? wash good and revarnish? they are still strong, but cakey white and almost sticky.
Also, it appears this boat may have been originally guild with a keel, there are screws all the way down the center line, but they have ovbiously been cut off and are now flush with the bottom of the boat. Would people install a keel, or leave as is? if I install a keel, whats the best way to blend into the stem bands since there are no outer stems on the boat?
Thanks everyone, I'm excited to get stated and have some emails out to some local sawmills trying to put materials together.
Gut seats...how to restore them? wash good and revarnish? they are still strong, but cakey white and almost sticky.
Also, it appears this boat may have been originally guild with a keel, there are screws all the way down the center line, but they have ovbiously been cut off and are now flush with the bottom of the boat. Would people install a keel, or leave as is? if I install a keel, whats the best way to blend into the stem bands since there are no outer stems on the boat?
Thanks everyone, I'm excited to get stated and have some emails out to some local sawmills trying to put materials together.