Old Town 127140 is not in terrible shape. It will take 3 or 4 replacement ribs and one square foot of new planking prior to canvas and paint. But before anything can be done I've got to get the fiberglass off. I know this has been discussed before, and I've read those posts. What I have is about the worst possible situation: examining a damaged area, what I think I see is that the canvas was removed and then two layers of glass with a huge excess of resin applied. The boat weighs over 100 lbs. Trying to get a piece of glass off, too much planking wood is attached. So my plan to to submerge the canoe. I've removed the outwales, two thwarts, portaging yoke and seats.
So rather than repeat mistakes others already know of and ideas that will not work, a few questions :
How long should I submerge the canoe? One week? Two?
Would it help get the glass off in strips if I cut a series of slits, 1/8 inch deep, maybe 3 inches in-between, through the glass?
After water has had a chance to penetrate and hopefully loosen the resin bond to the planking, would it do any good to use a heat gun to generate steam between glass and wood?
Thanks for the tips. Tom McCloud
So rather than repeat mistakes others already know of and ideas that will not work, a few questions :
How long should I submerge the canoe? One week? Two?
Would it help get the glass off in strips if I cut a series of slits, 1/8 inch deep, maybe 3 inches in-between, through the glass?
After water has had a chance to penetrate and hopefully loosen the resin bond to the planking, would it do any good to use a heat gun to generate steam between glass and wood?
Thanks for the tips. Tom McCloud