Home stretch

[Ron Bedard]

Hello,

I've completed the re-canvassing of my 1944 Old Town Guide, and have given it 3 coats of high-build primer (Ben Moore Enamel Underbody) and 3 more coats of Rustoleum gloss Hunter Green. Sanded well between coats. The gunwhales are back on as are the seats and thwarts.
My question has to do with the stem bands. When I removed them, they didn't seem to be bedded in anything. They had been painted over at some point but they're only steel alloy anyways. I don't want to have to touch up the paint after reinstalling them and if there should be something applied before they go back on I'm leaning toward clear silicone.

Any thoughts?
I apologize if this subject has been covered before.
Thanks,
Ron

 

[Fitz]

I use marine bedding compound under the stem band. I typically put the band on before the last coat of paint, but you can be neat about it too. It cleans up easily with mineral spirits.

Just wondering - did you use canoe filler after canvassing?

 

[Ron Bedard]

Hi,
Did use canoe filler. Used the mastic made for ductwork sealing that Orca boats recommends and sells. There was enough in the pail to do 3 applications with the first one rubbed in pretty aggressively. I guess I'd have liked it to dry harder so that it could be sanded for a smoother finish. I'd been warned that it would dry to the consistency of a hard pencil eraser and that it wouldn't sand easily. The warnings were true, but I was pretty finicky with the 2nd and 3rd applications and got them pretty smooth. The sanding of the 3 coats of enamel underbody primer also helped improve the smoothness. I'm entirely satisfied with the appearance. This is the canoe I remember getting my Boy Scout merit badge at camp in the 60s. Those canoes got a coat slapped on by boy scouts every season, and they didn't look like sports cars by any means.
Thanks for the advice about the bedding compound. I'll look into it.
Ron

 

[Just1moredave]

I used Dolfinite on the bare stem, then after tacking one side, then after tacking the other side, then under the whole stem band after paint and filler. Overkill maybe but I had a quart and why not. I also used it on each screw. The screws pierce the canvas and filler so I would definitely do that. A quart is too much, buy less if you can.