Clueless in PA

[Tipiguy]

I just purchased a 16' Old Town Charles River canoe. According to OT it was made in 1922.

There is a small piece of wood missing at the end of one of the gunwales which I should be able to fix without problem.

It has two problems however that I do not know how to fix. First is that the keel looks rotten. Is a keel really necessary? Part of me wants to replace it because it was originally placed on the canoe. Since I will mostly be using it on rivers I am not sure it is really necessary.

The biggest problem is that there are 3-4 long cracks in the cover. The cracks are 3-4 foot long and appear to go completely through the wood. They run along the length of the canoe. I will try to attch pictures. I can't tell if it is canvas or fiberglass covered. Is there any easy way to tell? I am sitting he trying to figure out if I bit off far more than I can chew.

I appreciate any help or suggestions.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

I think it may be glass. And I also think that it'll come off easy, if you're lucky. Canvassing is easy. Keel/no keel is a personal preference. You can always add it later if you don't like keel-less. If it has an outside stem then you may be better off putting the keel back on. full length stem band is a clue that it may have outside stems.

 

[Tipiguy]

Removing the fiberglass was absolutely aweful but it is now completely removed. I am thinking the should be a law prohibiting fiberglass on a historic canoe (just like a historic home).

Now I have a few questions. There are 2 cracks between two of the boards hat run the length of the canoe. Is it ok to have this spacing? Both have less than 1/4" gap and are only 6"-8" long.

In removing the fiberglass there are a few spots where the outer layer of wood splintered up. Should I remove it or try to glue it back down?

How smooth does the outside of the wood need to be before canvassing? Do all gaps, nail dimples, cracks, etc. need filled and sanded smooth? Filled with bedding compound or do not worry about it?

Thanks for the help.

Tipiguy

 

[mccloud]

It's normal to see light between the red cedar planking, and so long as the cracks are under 1/4", forget about them. Hard to answer you question 2 without seeing. I had some splintering when I removed fiberglass, and if it was particularly bad, worked a little epoxy underneath the loose ends and put a weight on top until it set. With holes in planking, deep depressions, etc., sawdust mixed with epoxy to a thick paste fills it. Definitely not bedding compound for this purpose. If planking is loose, or the old tacks deteriorated, add tacks - maybe a lot of them. Any lump underneath new canvas will be seen and felt, so set proud tack heads, take care of any other damage, sand until you can run your had along the planking and not feel bumps. The thinner the canvas (or dacron), the smoother the hull should be, else every little bump shows through.