Canoe care 'instructions'

[Howie]

We all know how to care for w/c canoes. But a Thread the other day made me realize that other people don't. I'll be selling a canoe tomorrow, and I'm thinking that instead of telling him verbally how to take care of it I ought to type up some instructions. Does someone already have such a list they'd like to share? Either something cut-n-past-able, or a jpeg.

 

[Rob Stevens]

I have seen these before in an earlier version of this website. Perhaps Benscon can conjure it up.

 

[Benson Gray]

I can occasionally conjure some magic but finding canoe care instructions in an earlier version of this website is beyond my ability. Sorry,

Benson

 

[Rob Stevens]

The Wooden Canoe Builder's Guild has some care instructions here;
https://www.wcbguild.com/canoecare.html

Hope that helps.

 

[Howie]

Well... for what it's worth, here's what I've come up with:

DOs and DON’Ts For Wood/Canvas Canoes:

DO…
Use and enjoy them
Rinse the inside & outside with water after use – flip canoe over to drain
Use a mild cleaner, like dishwasher liquid, to clean the outside surface
Store them upside-down and off the ground when not in use
Store them either in an enclosed space or under a tarp - preferably both
Use duct tape to mend rips in the canvas

DON’T…
Do not ram them into rocks or sharp sticks!
Do not stand in the canoe when it is out of water!
Do not lean them on their side for more than a day or so
Do not hang the canoe on its side from the inner rails
Avoid waxing the outside with any silicon compound (eg, car wax)

 

[ppride]

Here is what I use.
Maintenance of Cedar Canvas Canoes





· Store canoe upside down on saw horses or similar rack.

· If outside, cover from sunlight when not in use.


· Get in and out of canoe in shallow water


· Don’t drag canoe on ground


· Touch up any damage that penetrates the finish with paint or varnish as soon as possible


· Lightly sand with 320 or finer sandpaper (wet or dry), or scotchbright fine and apply one coat of varnish and paint every two to three years as needed.


· Hose out dirt, sand, and grime after use.



· NEVER LET THE CANOE GET BURIED IN THE SNOW

 

[mccloud]

Here are the "Care and Feeding" instructions I printed and handed to a guy who became the owner of a restored w/c canoe for the first time.

1. Do not leave it outdoors in contact with wet ground for a long period of time! Stem tip rot and gunwale rot are the most common damage to w/c canoes

2. For storage, make sure the canoe is dry. Store indoors, or in a shed where it will not get wet.

3. Storage underneath plastic or a tarp is not a good idea. If absolutely necessary, lay something over the canoe that separates the plastic from the hull, so that air circulates around the canoe, and also does NOT pick up and hold water itself, like PEX tubing.

4. Scuffing of the wood and paint often happens in normal use. Touch it up frequently to protect the canoe from water penetration. Lightly sand varnished wood with 220 grit paper, just enough to take the shine off, then recoat with a good quality spar varnish containing a UV protectant. Likewise, touch up dings to the painted portion of the hull. If necessary to fill a deep ding, epoxy mixed with silica can be used.

5. For long term storage, it is recommended to store up-side-down over sawhorses (or similar) placed about ¼ of the distance from each point.

6. It is not uncommon for squirrels, other critters & insects to chew on wood. Try to protect the canoe. It can't hurt to place mothballs in the canoe (place mothballs inside an old sock and place in seats, or hang from gunwales.)

With proper care the canvas will not have to be replaced for 20+ years.

 

[MGC]

I usually encourage folks to be very careful with roof rack tiedowns. When it's very hot out or if the paint is fairly fresh a tight bungy cord can do a tremendous amount of damage to the paint and filler.
I encourage folks to be very careful about cartopping. Cars with short roof lines or very small spacing between the cross rails (think Subaru) are invitations to disaster. High winds, highways and high speeds can be canoe wreckers. Buy good quality cartopping gear and use it properly.
I am also very careful to pull boats out of the water when they are not being used. A change in water levels or wind direction can results in all kinds of damage if your boat ends up against rocks.
I do not like to carry boats from under the decks. If there are not carry thwarts I prefer to hold the canoe under the hull (if you have help) or toss it up on my shoulders and carry it properly. I have seen quite a few split decks that were caused by using them as a carry point.
Improper storage is probably the biggest cause of damage. To that point, leaving a canoe on saw horses bottom side up for a long time is not a good idea. They hog. I try to store my canoes right side up.
That said, unless it's a one in a million rare as hens teeth boat, they are made to be used. If you crack a rib, tear the canvas in the heat of combat, so be it. It's all repairable.

 

[johnmetts]

I'm no expert, but I think these all come under the category of: "Don't do this."

 

[Dan Lindberg]

x2

I usually encourage folks to be very careful with roof rack tiedowns. When it's very hot out or if the paint is fairly fresh a tight bungy cord can do a tremendous amount of damage to the paint and filler.
I encourage folks to be very careful about cartopping. Cars with short roof lines or very small spacing between the cross rails (think Subaru) are invitations to disaster. High winds, highways and high speeds can be canoe wreckers. By good quality cartopping gear and use it properly.
I am also very careful to pull boats out of the water when they are not being used. A change in water levels or wind direction can results in all kinds of damage if your boat ends up against rocks.
I do not like to carry boats from under the decks. If there are not carry thwarts I prefer to hold the canoe under the hull (if you have help) or toss it up on my shoulders and carry it properly. I have seen quite a few split decks that were caused by using them as a carry point.
Improper storage is probably the biggest cause of damage. To that point, leaving a canoe on saw horses bottom side up for a long time is not a good idea. They hog. I try to store my canoes right side up.
That said, unless it's a one in a million rare as hens teeth boat, they are made to be used. If you crack a rib, tear the canvas in the heat of combat, so be it. It's all repairable.