"Care and Feeding of Wood Canoes"?????

[mccloud]

Soon I will be turning over a restored w/c canoe to a relative, who does not have experience with w/c canoes, for use at his vacation cabin. Has anyone compiled a "Care and Feeding", or "10 Commandments" for new wooden canoe owners? Or maybe a list of the 10 worst things you can do to a wooden canoe? Seems this is something we could add to the FAQ's section. I'll get the list started: do not leave your canoe outdoors turned over in contact with the wet ground for long periods of time. Tom McCloud

 

[Treewater]

You already got the big one. Add to that, don't leave it upright and uncovered; i.e. don't let rain and snow accumulate in the bottom.

 

[dtdcanoes]

Ok, I'll bite.........how about a couple of moth balls under the decks when she is overturned in storage ? Oh, Maybe make SURE the boat is dry if you intend on wrapping it tightly for storage.

 

[Treewater]

Moth balls?? Is that to keep the birds and mice out?

 

[dtdcanoes]

Yes, and who knows what else.

 

[Goldenbadger]

I'm a newbie and about as green as a greenhorn gets to this site and canoe restoration. But based on the mothballs suggestion, might I also suggest drier sheets to keep mice away. It sounds a little crazy, but it works. I had mouse problems in my turkey blind and my hunting shack. I placed drier sheets in there and no more mice. Replace them every so often as they lose their smelliness.

 

[mccloud]

Well, my original post certainly didn't get much discussion or generate input, so here is what I've put together to give to the relative:

BASIC CARE FOR A WOOD/CANVAS CANOE

1. Wet is the biggest enemy. If a w/c canoe is dry, the wood will not deteriorate for many years. The small gaps between the red cedar planking allows the canvas to dry, but the same gaps allow some sand to get in between wood and canvas, which is not good.

2. After use, when mud and sand is carried into the canoe, a good hosing out is recommended before the grit dries and sticks. Then turn the canoe over and dry thoroughly.

3. Do not allow the canoe to lay outdoors in contact with wet soil. Stem tip rot, rib tip rot, and gunwale rot on one side are the most commonly seen problems. Get the canoe up off the ground so the stem tips do not wick up moisture.

4. If storing for a long time, store in a DRY location upside down on saw horses placed about ¼ the length of the canoe back from the tips. NOT recommended is storage right side up, as deformation of the hull can occur at the support points, and if stored in a place where water or snow can blow in and pool, significant damage will quickly occur.

5. Do not throw a tarp or plastic over a w/c canoe for long term storage unless air can circulate freely all the way through. Significant damage will occur when moisture is trapped underneath a tarp.

6. Mice or squirrels will chew on ribs, and insects can burrow into the wood. There is no perfect solution to these problems, but hanging several cloth bags containing moth balls inside the canoe can't hurt.

7. Some scuffing of wood and paint comes normally with use of a canoe, but scuffs allow moisture to penetrate. Frequently touch-up scuffs with thinned varnish or paint.

8. Protect the wood every couple years by lightly sanding with 220 grit paper just enough to remove the shine and any loose varnish, then re-varnish with a good quality spar varnish containing UV protectant. (I prefer varnish/turpentine 1:1 to straight spar varnish.)

9. If the canoe will be subjected to extremely low temperatures during winter storage, some recommend backing out the gunwale screws by a turn.

10. still open for better advice than I have given!

How about it, Dan, does something like this belong in the FAQs? Tom McCloud

 

[Treewater]

good work

Tom that is really good work and I recommend it being saved for future viewing.
Tim M.