Langford "Algonquin" repair - advice please.

Grizzle

One repair / restoration so far......
Hi

It was the Company who suggested the identity of the boat - so don't blame me ;-)

It's the usual story of rotten stems, sheer strake; one or two planks warped. Follow the unedifying tale here - I acknowledge with deep respect the super-competent company in which I write - but everyone has to start somewhere.

http://canoe-at-little-log-cabin.blogspot.ca/

Present question is:

It's only the top of the stems (2-4 inches perhaps) that's rotten so I proposed scarfing in new ends. Can I use maple for this, or even birch? I have lots of straight grain maple and am surrounded by birch but have only a little ash - which is juuuust too small.

Thanks

Peter
 
Maple or birch will rot as well as ash so it is absolutely suitable for stem scarphs. Actually, both are probably slightly more rot resistant than ash.
Gil
 
Hi

It was the Company who suggested the identity of the boat - so don't blame me ;-)

It's the usual story of rotten stems, sheer strake; one or two planks warped. Follow the unedifying tale here - I acknowledge with deep respect the super-competent company in which I write - but everyone has to start somewhere.

http://canoe-at-little-log-cabin.blogspot.ca/

Present question is:

It's only the top of the stems (2-4 inches perhaps) that's rotten so I proposed scarfing in new ends. Can I use maple for this, or even birch? I have lots of straight grain maple and am surrounded by birch but have only a little ash - which is juuuust too small.

Thanks

Peter

Peter,

Splice with whatever the original stems are made from.
I'm not familiar with the Langford stems but lets presume they are the same as most Chestnuts, ash. Rushton used elm, many Canadian strip canoe builders used oak as did others, Morris used cedar, ash is commonly used......for a splice, you should not lose too much sleep over what you use as long as it is a reasonable wood match and and something you can get tacks into, at least in my opinion.

Good luck and happy NY.
 
My old Morris had one small piece like that and looked original, see photos. My Chestnut Prospector had numerous planks that were wedge-shaped to fill gaps, and even several "L" shaped pieces where the goring was attempted. IMG_4437.jpgIMG_4462.jpg I guess there is more than one way to skin a cat...
 
Thanks for the comparison and suggestion; I am really surprised how "crudely" this boat is constructed! I guess if it was good enough for a Chestnut, it's good enough for mine ;-)

Peter
 
Well, it seems that, apart from the brass tacks holding the planks to the ribs, there is NO non-ferrous metal in my boat. Which goes some way towards explaining the rotten scant-rib bases, and the flaking stem - not least where it is no longer attached to the ribs at its midships end! I have now screwed through into the stem, through the ribs from "outside", with stainless steel and am likely to "double up" the stem at some point so that I can actually drive ring-nails in to the new cant rib base to fasten it securely.

But as to the rest, should I just infiltrate all the ends of things - rib tops, the stems, cant-rib-bases - with suitable resin and plan to fasten everything significant, as if for the first time, with brass or copper or bronze?

Leaving-here-time approaches and I want to finish on an "easy to pick up next time" note......
 
All done for now; off back to the UK. Progress can be seen on the blog. Thanks for the help so far.

:)

Peter
 
Perhaps not the right place for this, but trying to keep everything about this boat in one thread.

It will be July before I can do any more work on Burlesque, so I'm trying to plan ahead. I intended to try to launch before the end of September, so two, "modernist" questions please.

The hull is definitely rough, and unlikely to get anywhere near smooth, no matter what I do in terms of sanding. Does anyone have experience of wood fillers under the canvas please?

Secondly, what if any modern fillers are there for the canvas. I see myself as repairing rather than restoring, and waiting two months or more for drying will push the painting stage on into next winter's basement again!

Thanks. Peter
 
Zinsser Watertite White Smooth Waterproofing Paint is what I used. Certainly available in the uk, but I don't suppose you'll want to fly with it.

Sam
 
Thanks, Sam - looks like Good ol' Canadian Tire has it :)

How's the finish standng up in use please?

Peter
 
The one I did last year is still going strong. The latest has only been out 4 times so early days yet but I can't imagine ant trouble.
Having said that, the only things I can compare it with are self coloured pre-scratched plastics or epoxy-glassed strip built.
Sam
 
Many wood canvas canoe hulls are lumpy and bumpy so don't get too concerned as the canvas will hide a lot of this. After many restorations I have found the Le Page plastic wood filler works well for small hull imperfections such as a knot hole. Use the filler BEFORE the hull exterior is treated with boiled linseed oil. The boiled linseed oil will help seal the filler from any moisture. After the canvas has been installed on the canoe it must be treated with preservative to prevent rot. Home Depot and Home Hardware have these clear wood and canvas preservatives. Use only in a well ventilated area. This I apply it with a 4" foam roller and allow to dry overnight. This treatment also shrinks the canvas as it dries which is an added bonus. Water based yet water proof canvas fillers are available as lagging coating. Some manufacturers names include Bakor 120-09 and Chilseal CP50 are designed for outside applications. You will need about a gallon and it should cost less than $65. There is no need to singe the canvas. I apply 2 to 3 coats and if the weather is warm this can be done in one day. Apply it covering about 1/4 of the hull at a time. Use a 4" foam roller to work it into the canvas. Before the coating sets up smooth it out with a flat flexible 6" spreader such as used in wall papering. Go in one direction ONLY working from the center of the canoe down to the inwale. Wait for each coat to dry before applying the next. Do not sand between coats or the final coat. No primer required. You can apply the first color coat after a couple days. Once dry LIGHTLY sand with 150 grit to remove about 50% of the color coat. Do not over sand revealing the canvas. Apply more color coats , usually three, sanding lightly with 220 grit between coats. The final product might look orange peely but as surface cures it will settle out. Hope this helps. All of these products are available in Canada.
 
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Too many diversions mean that the Summer building season is coming to an end for me. My next chance will be Quebec winter - with no access to canvas stretching space - or next July!

If all goes really well, I might have all of the wood repair done with a day left. Can I canvas before internal wood varnishing? Should I hot linseed the outside of the wooden hull before I do? I expect that I should definitively mildewicide (?) the canvas if I do manage to fit it...

Thanks

G
 
Back in Quebec Province for a little while; Canvas applied and two coats of filler rubbed in. I would not have coped without Jerry Stelmock and Rollin Thurlow's remarkable book. Thank you for your help "in absentia" :)

Advice again please; I really don't think that I can get it much smoother than this; http://canoe-at-little-log-cabin.blogspot.ca/ but I'd try if the shared view was that I will get nowhere later in the year with the use of copious coats of undercoat.

It's to be a working boat; not a beauty queen by the way......

Thanks for all the help so far.

G
 
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