Chesnut #5163

Guess I'm a little late on this point but thought it was worth noting. Of the many Chestnut canoes I have restored the majority had oak inwales and outwales which were always scarfed. The ash and even fewer spruce were never scarfed. The majority of decks were either oak or maple. With a little luck one can find Chestnuts with birds eye maple decks and thwarts.

Dave

Is there any way to date the canoe based upon which woods were used? This has one piece inwales but the outers were scarfed. The decks I'm not sure what wood they are, same with the original thwart. I used maple for the new decks and yoke is ash. Inwale tips I scarfed in were ash and the grain matched up fairly well.

Just getting ready to paint again and the local pond is still ice free, so just maybe...
 
Done

So, after 100 hours and 6 months, the little Chestnut is done and ready for the wet season, which is still 6 months away. Technically the photo's show the boat on water, just really cold water. It came in at 56.8 pounds but if I choose to add the shoe keel at some point I'm sure it will go up to 60. I'm already planning it's first trip for spring and am really looking forward to seeing how she paddles.

Next is tandemizing the Huron since I sold it, then onto the next project.
 

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Hi KAT,

Did you ever determine which Chestnut model your canoe was. I have just purchased what appears to be an identical canoe here in the UK. The canoe came over with a Canadian guy in the early 1960s. I intend do use it purely as a solo boat and will replace the pair of seats with a single one and the yoke will also be a scalloped one as you have done. Your boat looks great done. Fortunately mine had been stored inside so there is no significant rot. Did you paint the brass stem ends or leave them as bare metal?

I feel a fair amount of scraping coming on to get the original varnish off!

I attach a couple of photos.

Regards,

BlottIMGP0622.jpg
 
Never did find out which actual model it is but figured it to be the Fox, or close enough to call it that. The stem bands are aluminum on mine so I did paint over them after sandblasting them clean. Varnish removal in my case wash with a gel remover and alot of time. Yours looks to be in excellent shape, have you considered just sanding the varnish and adding an extra coat or two instead of stripping? Are you intending to recanvas as well? Does yours have the show keep on it still? I have mine but haven't decided yet if I will put it back on since it will add weight.
 
Hi, I am getting a furniture restorer friend to come and have a look and to take his advice as to how to deal with the varnish. My thought was to give it a good rub down and then using Danish oil rather than varnish as it gives a pleasant appearance as that is how I treat my paddles and woodwork on other canoes. Danish oil has a varnish content but has a slightly nicer appearance and doesn't flake or peel. I am not intending to recanvas at the moment as all looks good and I am a follower of the principle "if it aint broke don't fix it"! By "show keep" do you mean the strip which I call a keel. It is there and then has the brass stem bands running up the bow and stern. I intend to keep it there as it will absorb knocks and scrape etc. My canoe does appear to be in a good state; I am just keen on improving the appearance and cosmetics. It had been hardly used and was stored well over its lifetime
 
By "show keep" do you mean the strip which I call a keel.

Presumably "show keep" is what spell checker does with shoe keel........

Looks like you have a nice canoe to enjoy with minimal repair required.
 
Danish oil has practically 0 water protection. It is basically a very thinned out varnish that is not intended for the exposure a canoe gets from being used. It will not protect planking or ribbing from normal wear and tear as a good varnish job will. Nor will it offer much protection to the gunnels. Take the time now to get down a good varnish and maintain it as required. In the long run you will be happier with a good varnish job.
 
Danish oil has practically 0 water protection. It is basically a very thinned out varnish that is not intended for the exposure a canoe gets from being used. It will not protect planking or ribbing from normal wear and tear as a good varnish job will. Nor will it offer much protection to the gunnels. Take the time now to get down a good varnish and maintain it as required. In the long run you will be happier with a good varnish job.

Thanks for that. I am just back from my local chandlers who agrees to lightly rub down the original varnish to get through any UV damage and then to bring it back up with a good quality clear varnish with a high UV protection.
 
Finally!

It has been a very long winter and well, there is still snow on the ground in shady areas and the only open water around here is the local irrigation canals. Lakes and Rivers are still frozen and look to be for awhile yet, although we finally have temperatures in the 50's and 60's with high sun, so maybe in a couple of weeks...

The Chestnut got finished last year just as the snow fell so we had to wait to get her wet, which we did today. She paddles like a dream but it certainly is a small boat. I'm looking forward to getting a load into her for a trip and seeing how much better she is. It is fast and tracks much better than the Huron I had last year. I can even pick her up and carry her, although time will tell how well I do on portages. I may go to a removable yoke yet but don't mind where it is, I still have plenty of room to kneel. The seat might get dropped an inch or two yet and I would still have room for my feet under it. This is my first time on a cane seat and it is much stiffer than webbing so will take a little getting used to.

That is Christine paddling her, I didn't much like what I looked like in the photo's so am posting her instead.
 

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Well done!. I finished mine in January and waited for the flooded rivers to abate but got her on the water in February. I agree that the canoe paddles beautifully. being a relative heavyweight I kneel which helps with trim etc. I have the shoe keel on mine which really helps the tracking especially in the wind. They make a great solo canoe and look the part. Here are some photos taken last week on Lake Windermere in the UK Lake District.

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Blott
 
Finally got her out in the wilderness where she belongs and why she was built in the first place. It paddles much nicer than my Huron did, tracks better and floats high even with two packs in her. She does tend to wander in even a slight breeze when empty, the wind pushes her where ever the wind wants, makes fishing more difficult. The cane seat was nice too but I make them wider/deeper than original so it is more butt friendly. I like it, I think I will keep it.
 

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