Canoe Storage

[David Satter]

I've been doing this for 25 years . There's one lake where there's always trouble with cracked canvas. No other place have I had a problem. I'm wondering if it's how they store their canoes. I always tell them to keep them up and in the shade and dry. At this lake they keep them in boat houses. They raise them up in the air in slips but only a couple of feet above the water. Not upside down. They raise with straps (these are square sterns) and that's where they live all summer and winter. I'm wondering if it's to much dampness all the time.
Any thoughts would help? Thanks, Dave
I do tell them to raise them up when not in use .

 

[shelldrake]

Dave,

Are they possibly getting some wind-blown rain in them and then freezing? I re-canvassed a Kennebec for a man that stored it right side-up in open-sided, roofed structure. Rain-water blew in, sat in the bottom of the boat and froze, causing multiple canvas splits in an athwartship orientation.

Matt

 

[David Satter]

No ,Tight doors that open up to the lake. Pretty weathertight , Just open water under the boats.

 

[shelldrake]

Perhaps the humidity is high enough in there that the inner surface of the canvas adsorbed moisture and froze.