Advice on good enough repair needed

[zutefisk]

Battle scarred mid 60's chestnut pal has been home schooling me in canoe repair.

Been using this forum, some wooden canoe journal reprints, "building the maine guide canoe", and "the wood & canvas canoe" as text books for how to do things right.

Now I need some advice on how to make some adequate rib repairs. (this a 60's chestnut, the only way it would end up in a museum is if a movie star died in it)

Got a series of 5 cracked but not completely broken ribs. Need to add strength, not restore. Cracks are in the flat. Hull has not deformed. Been thinking of
1) screwing on some splints (like the canoes I used in the 70's)
2) screwning and gluing on some splints (epoxy or gorilla) or
3) Just flexing the cracks open and flowing in some epoxy or gorilla glue.

Figure different repairs are good enough for different kinds of cracks so here are some sample crack photos from pile of kindling I've already pulled from the canoe

 

[zutefisk]

forgot the pictures

 

[sandpiper]

Good morning to you. Well, if the rest of the canoe isn't in a bad shape, and you want a good enough repair, I would sand the ribs , apply West System epoxy in the cracks then, I would glue a well shaped and sanded doubler on the ribs with the West System epoxy. Then you protect the repaired area with coats of good spar varnish. I think it would be a good enough repair. Sandpiper

 

[MikeCav]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but if those are pictures of your ribs, you have already removed them from the boat. They have suffered damage from the crack, the 100+ tack holes and the stress of removing them. When most people do repairs, the ribs are still in place and the crack is accessed from the back by removing some planking.

You have already done the hard part - removal. Just bend some new ribs, and eliminate the worry about if the ribs can hold.

Just my $.02

 

[sandpiper]

Zutefisk, is there a surprise! Did you take the canvas off the canoe? If you did I think you should forget about the quick fix method and like the other guys are saying, replace the ribs. In that case, you just follow what is written in the books you bought. You cannot go wrong with those books. When I read your request, it looks like you don't want to invest time in that old canoe. Bye for now Sandpiper

 

[Andy Hutyera]

If you've come this far, it doesn't make sense not to put in new ribs. It's not all that difficult. Even though it's a 60's vintage Pal and may not have the greatest materials and workmanship, the hull design on this canoe is super and it's a wonderful canoe to paddle. So why do a half vast repair? Put in new ribs and you'll end up with a nice canoe that you can enjoy for many years to come. Best of all you won't have to look at a bunch of cracked ribs every time you take it out for a paddle.

 

[zutefisk]

Appreciate all of the response.

Clarifications:
1) canvas is off the canoe
2) ribs in pictures are from other sections of the canoe

Thought was inspired by
1) the "utilitarian" quality of the canoe,
2) a couple of the cracks that resemble scarfs
3) not wanting to disturb a section of the hull that's not deformed.
4) a cracked rib that came out whole.

Some pictures of main repairs attached

 

[sandpiper]

Good morning Zutefisk. As per we can see on the pictures, it is really a naval dry dock yard work. It is not the traditionnal way but, I am sure you will succeed. I suppose that there is more than one way to skin a cat. Keep in touch. It is interesting. Bye for now. Sandpiper

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Zute,

Like the rest said, replace the ribs. If you have the canvas off, and there is nothing special/historic about this canoe, replace them.

As for the repair methods, I've tried the "clean the joint and epoxy", it did't from a good bond, too much oil in the wood(?), don't know why, but it wasn't a good joint.

I have done a backside repairs on ribs that I wanted to the retain for some reason, but I wouldn't on this canoe.

Dan