Canoe Restoration?

[Dennis Rutledge]

I am restoring an antique canoe, maybe 100 years old. Where do I find resources for wood strip canoe restoration?

 

[davelanthier]

You've found the right place, what do you need to know?

 

[Unregistered]

You've found the right place, what do you need to know?

The canoe is not yet in my posession, but it has been stored in a lodge for years. It is a wood strip. How was it originally sealed 75-100 years ago? It is not canvas covered. What is the best way to bleach the wood before refinishing it. The strips are tacked to interior bent ribs. Can I sand over the tacks without doing damage to them?
Will I ruin the historic value if I fiberglass it? ( I know the answer will be yes, but I had to ask.) When I get the name of the maker, where can I research the histsory of the canoe? What should I be careful NOT to do to the canoe?
I am currently building my first cedar stripper. I believe that when I have finished it, I will be ready to take on the restoration.

Thanks for your reply.
Dennis

 

[davelanthier]

Do you know who the maker was? Ie: Brown, Lakefield,Peterborough. If there are small metal exterior thwart plates, for example, they will have the makers name. Assuming it is an all-wood lapstrake canoe the planking tightly over lapped the next piece of planking. When well varnished inside and out the craft was water tight. Do not use power sanders on it.DO NOT FIBERGLASS. The ribs and planking can be stripped with chemical strippers. To assist in the initial varnish removal I have a 2" putty knife with a grove in the center to match the 1/2 round ribs. This was done with a rat tail file. Historical research can be done on this site. Pictures will greatly help. I restored a 100 year old Lakefield and assisted on a nice Brown. Have "LOTS" of pictures from start to finish that I could email you when you are ready.

 

[Unregistered]

Do you know who the maker was? Ie: Brown, Lakefield,Peterborough. If there are small metal exterior thwart plates, for example, they will have the makers name. Assuming it is an all-wood lapstrake canoe the planking tightly over lapped the next piece of planking. When well varnished inside and out the craft was water tight. Do not use power sanders on it.DO NOT FIBERGLASS. The ribs and planking can be stripped with chemical strippers. To assist in the initial varnish removal I have a 2" putty knife with a grove in the center to match the 1/2 round ribs. This was done with a rat tail file. Historical research can be done on this site. Pictures will greatly help. I restored a 100 year old Lakefield and assisted on a nice Brown. Have "LOTS" of pictures from start to finish that I could email you when you are ready.

Thanks Dave, I do not have the canoe yet, but on the sides of the canoe at the ends of each thwart and the yoke is a small brass plate. I recall that the plate was embossed in commercial script and the name was two initials and a last name and boatworks, or builder, or something like that. It will be a few weeks before I can go and get the canoe.
The decks are nicely rounded up and it has a well fitted comeing(???) (I cant think of the word of the flange on the inside of the deck that turns the spash to the sides.) It seems to be a very well crafted boat. The ribs are only an inch or so apart. This is not much to go on but I'll be writing agian.
Thanks for your help so far. Dennis