Finish to display a too-far-gone 1948 Old Town? And how to hang it?

[sealover]

I am the new owner of a pretty-well-worn-out 16' Old Town. One magazine-sized spot of fiberglass repair work, and otherwise everything is original or missing. 4 cracked ribs in a row, missing gunwale parts and only has half of one seat and none of the other. Both ends split badly. I got it (for free) to hang in my man cave and display old fishing lures. I haven't decided yet to remove whats left of the canvas or leave it, but I'd like to hang it 3/4 of the way upside down, where the wall meets the ceiling. I'm still building the room in my basement, and I'll design the area so it's not blocking any doors, but low ceilings dictate placing it there unless I cut it up, and I can't bring myself to do that. I'm going to print the build sheet (thanks Benson!) and the catalog cover to display with it. A fitting tribute and probably the best way for this old soldier to finish out its days.

My questions are:
1. Suggested finish to spray or brush on the inside to protect and bring out the grain a bit?
2. How does one hang such things? I was going to make wooden brackets that I can screw to the wall and then screw right through the canoe.

It was a saltwater boat and surprisingly not rotted. Just missing parts and damaged from abuse.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

if you post some pictures, folks here can offer suggestions on how to best display the canoe-- and perhaps how to show it off and bring out its best. If I was in my home (am vacationing in Maine) and had access to my other computer and pictures, I'd share some showing canoes placed on wooden brackets that were attached to walls, with the canoe resting on them (but not screwed to the canoe). Someone else might have similar pictures to share. Brackets are a common way to store/display canoes, and the canoe could be placed right-side-up or upside-down.

Some of us paddle canoes that were once "basket cases"-- I have one that came to me (free) with many cracked ribs and all but one rib-top rotted-away, nothing left of original gunwales, many planking holes, etc etc and we're paddling it. I share this not to change your mind re your plan, but for anyone else reading this post who might not know that a well-loved canoe might not need to be retired.

Best of luck with this project!

Kathy

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Paddling.net has canoe wall brackets that you may like to try.
I have had experience bringing back many derelicts that no one in their right mind would think could possibly be made new again.

 

[sealover]

I'll get some pictures soon. I'm hoping to display it as-is, and maybe my grandchildren will restore it. (I have a toddler and one on the way - decades away from grandchildren!) I'll check out brackets and hopefully make some. I was even thinking leather straps might look cool, if I could find some neat old ones.

 

[sealover]

Here's some pictures

 

[sealover]

As you can see, it's not totally gone, but not a weekend project either. I want to display it in a way that won't ruin it for future generations.