Hi All,
I'm back on the thread with the plan to recanvas this spring. My son has decided he wants to use the "Red" canoe on our camping trip this July and so I need to get moving. I'll post my high-level plan and welcome any critiques. My intentions are to keep as much of the wood original as possible. This may prove more difficult as I get into it but we will find out!
Gunwales:
I will attempt to remove the gunwales without breaking them. If this is possible, I will strip them, clean them up with scothbrite and varnish them.
Decks, seats, thwarts:
I'm going to attempt to preserve the original decks so I will wash them with mild dish soap and varnish. I will do the same for the other parts.
Interior/exterior:
I'm going to attempt to preserve the color of the interior wood so my plan is to wash with mild dish soap, lightly clean with scotchbrite so the varnish will stick and varnish.
Cracked planks:
There are two spots where the planking took a hit from the outside. The planks are cracked but there are no holes. I'm hoping I can align the planks smoothly and sure up from the inside with a piece of rib stock.
Some questions:
From the posts I've read it seems like varnishing is more fussy with humidity than temperature. I'm likely going to be varnishing with lows overnight in the 40s. Should I be concerned?
I've read that humidity can also be a concern with canvassing. Does temperature play a roll in filling the canvas?
