1943 Old Town

43Yankee

1943 OT Yankee
Hello everyone - I'm new to the forums. I have an Old Town ' Yankee' 1943. SN 135929 16, grade CS. Good shape overall. It has provision for sailing (mast step, heavy keel, etc.) but no rigging. Has 2 broken ribs and had weathered canvas. Planking real good except for an area that seemed to be repaired at factory before shipping. Size of a quarter. I have a couple of questions. Should I steam the new ribs or can I get away with drenching a rag w/ boiling water wrapped around the rib? Can I run the rib thru the inwales and clamp while pliable? Should I relpace these ribs or fix old w/epoxy?(I think I already know the answer to this!). Is any one familiar w/ butyrate (airplane dope) tautening type for canvas application? Should I stretch the canvas the traditional way first before applying or should I let the dope do the stretching? Thanks for all replies in advance. Look forward to all discussions. I have pics but will have to figure out how to post first!

43 Yankee - Moderation in Moderation.
 
Epoxy works, but it is not 'old world craftmanship in a can', and you will probably regret using it. Steaming only requires an electric kettle and some 6 in abs pipe---it is very satisfying. So you know the answer already.
As to airplane dope, if you are willing to cross the time barrier and use dope (airplane that is) why not use heat shrinking dacron, it is easier, you can control the shrinkage, lighter, more bulletproof etc etc.
peter
 
1943

Does your canoe have steel tacks? I'm working on a 1943 Guide. It has steel tacks and stem bands. I'm stripping varnish now and haven't pulled to canvas off to get a good look at the tack condition - I'm alittle apprehensive about that. :eek:

I think you may have better luck steaming the ribs and bending them over the hull of the canoe. Let them dry and then tack them in. If you want to try and repair the ribs, search the forum for "Backside Rib repair" or something to that effect.

I haven't used dacron and dope etc. but search the forum using "dacron" and all the pros and cons show up. Here's a good thread:

http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=704&highlight=dacron
 
I am new to the forum and found the old thread interesting. !8 years ago when I started using heat shrinking aircraft dacron for my surf landing, abraded, traumatized bottoms; I was not exposed to the nay-sayers, and persevered in my ignorance. I would not go back to canvas. The way you use dacron, and the number of layers, are dependent on the use of the canoe. I have done 9 different canoes and kayaks, and experimented with coverings, each time I save 30-40% in weight over the standard weight for comparable commercially made canoes/kayaks. For my big freighters the dacron layering has stood up to events that I have previously found enough to hole, split, break and sink aluminum, fiberglass, and canvas boats (differing occasions). I feels really nice to have that 18 ft chestnut canoe weigh only 49 lbs when you are carrying it (of course maybe I'm just feeling old).
peter
 
Thanks for replies. Peter, I have already purchased #10 canvas so I am limited to my options. Dan Sutherland has been using airplane dope on Swifts and Canoes but I haven't talked to him much in detail. I will be using CPES (Smith's Penetrating Epoxy Sealer) inside and out instead of linseed oil. I think this will strengthen the boat and prevent rot. Any comments? I will be removing and replacing the ribs and will have to think about the steaming procedure. We have steamed cedar at our shop and found it to be somewhat unruly. Fitz, I found that the gunwale tacks are indeed steel as well as the stem bands. The planking tacks are brass. The seats are caned although I think thay should be wood strips.

Dave Peterson
 
Steel

I'm nearing the end of my varnish stripping and I haven't found any brass on this canoe yet. Steel tacks in the planking, steel stem bands, even steel diamond head bolts.

Actually, I take that back. The floor rack is secured with some small pieces of brass half round stem band material.

According to the serial nos., my canoe falls 1382 canoes later than yours, I suppose the brass tacks were getting scarce by then!
 
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43Yankee said:
I will be using CPES (Smith's Penetrating Epoxy Sealer) inside and out instead of linseed oil. I think this will strengthen the boat and prevent rot. Any comments?
Dave Peterson

I used a similar epoxy product (Gitrot) on some dry rotting butternut decks.
I regret it, even if just because of the appearance, though that's not much different than if I had used varnish.

Cedar is naturally rot resistent. As long as you let it dry out and allow air circulation around it, there shouldn't be any problem with rot.
Epoxy on planking and ribs may strengthen a canoe, but will also cement all the pieces together so they no longer flex. I think that would make the canoe brittle, rather than resilient.
 
Steel

Hmmm..Steel Diamond Pins?? Must have been fun to disconnect from the gunwale! If you strip the canvas you might find brass tacks. There was a mix on my boat although 99% of the plank tacks were brass. Also I found that the canvas was attached to the rib/gunwale w/steel staples!! Those were fun to remove. They were factory original.
Note on epoxy sealer...you bring up a very valid point regarding stiffness. I will have to do some more investigating before application.

Dave.
 
Ribs

Ebeeby - Nice job with the photos! I love the canvas pulling. Mine did not come off so easily. Looks like you guided the rib between the plank and the inwale and dropped in place. Was it as easy as it looks?? Nice pics on stripping BTW.

Dave P.

Owner of many boats!
 
Yes, it went much easier than my mind kept telling me it would! Soaking the ribs in the neighbors pool and then steaming them I was surprised how easily they bent. My kids helped with the far side of the rib. The batten along the keel was vital.
Then slipping it in place between the plank and inwale went pretty easily too. I was astonished.

The part I was least happy with was the filler texture and paint texture. I ended up with 4 coats of very good Kirby Bottle Green marine paint but just tired of sanding and sanding to get the orange peel and brush marks out. Next time I'm going to use less filler and then sand the &*%$ out of it and then use a compressed air sprayer for the paint !
 
Kirby Paint

I am personally am not fond of Kirby paints. They do NOT brush out well. They may be durable as hell but they do leave the brush marks you are talking about. A very high solids paint. Thinning is important. I will be choosing Pettit EasyPoxy. It levels out just great. Good coverage and gets the gloss I am looking for.

Dave.
 
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