I have a Peterborough Canadien, Serial#2845. How to refinish?

[john meyer]

Hello,
This is my first post here. Recently I was given a Peterborough Canadien, Serial #2845. It seems to be in solid shape, but desperately needs refinishing. I've been searching online, but most information available is for canvas or fiberglass strip canoes. This canoe is neither. As it stands now, I plan on getting some chemical varnish remover and will try to strip the current treatment (varnish and/or epoxy?). After that, I plan on oiling, shellacking, then varnishing the boat per Mike Elliott's instructions in "Refinishing a Wooden Canoe." Is this a good plan?
Additionally, there are a few gaps between the strips...the former owner said they would sink the boat for a day and let it swell up before it became watertight. Will I need to still sink it every time I use it, even with the planned refinishing? Or will the gaps need to be sealed somehow?
Also, it looks like a couple of the cedar strips are cracked...would it be okay to leave them there and just epoxy over? Or is it best to replace the strip? If replacing, is that a tough job?
Thanks for any and all comments!

 

[pklonowski]

The experts are probably all at our annual Assembly, so getting a response might take a bit longer than usual. Their days are just packed...

 

[Fritz Koenig]

I am certainly no expert and have only worked on wood and canvas canoes, so FWIW it would seem to me that if it is all wood and the wood needs to swell to become tight then varnishing and shellacking would inhibit the necessary swelling process. Replacing is intimidating but not that hard. Replacing, to me, depends on the nature of the break and what you plan to do. Do you want it to look new or do you want to retain its vintage character (repair or restore). If restoring then you would be replacing it. If repairing you may want to replace it or epoxy it back together. If the strips are just cracked and can be opened up then you may be able to get some epoxy in the crack and close it up. If you epoxy it and it needs to swell this will reduce it's ability to swell. If the break is clean through with no overlap or there is missing wood then I would replace it or a section of it.

 

[john meyer]

I am certainly no expert and have only worked on wood and canvas canoes, so FWIW it would seem to me that if it is all wood and the wood needs to swell to become tight then varnishing and shellacking would inhibit the necessary swelling process. Replacing is intimidating but not that hard. Replacing, to me, depends on the nature of the break and what you plan to do. Do you want it to look new or do you want to retain its vintage character (repair or restore). If restoring then you would be replacing it. If repairing you may want to replace it or epoxy it back together. If the strips are just cracked and can be opened up then you may be able to get some epoxy in the crack and close it up. If you epoxy it and it needs to swell this will reduce it's ability to swell. If the break is clean through with no overlap or there is missing wood then I would replace it or a section of it.

Thanks so much for the reply...I hear your considerations regarding the broken strip. I've also considered putting a support strip on the inside...
After stripping the boat, I found only one broken strip, and it wasn't too bad...
Thanks again.

 

[john meyer]

I hope the experts are learning lots and enjoying the assembly. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Paul Miller]

Hi From the Assembly,

Not an expert, but I would not oil, shellack and then varnish. The canoe will get VERY dark with age. (and the next person that refinished the canoe will cuss at you frequently)

I would refinish just like you would the inside of a wood/canvas canoe.

Thin the varnish on the first few coats.

As far as the cracks go, I would mask the outside with tape and float epoxy into the cracks from the inside. Replacing the plank is a very difficult task. Keep in mind most cracks(like the spaces between the plank can be filled with varnish.

I will assume we are talking about a "Canadian Strip" like the pics attached.

Good luck,

Paul

 

[john meyer]

Hi From the Assembly,

Not an expert, but I would not oil, shellack and then varnish. The canoe will get VERY dark with age. (and the next person that refinished the canoe will cuss at you frequently)

I would refinish just like you would the inside of a wood/canvas canoe.

Thin the varnish on the first few coats.

As far as the cracks go, I would mask the outside with tape and float epoxy into the cracks from the inside. Replacing the plank is a very difficult task. Keep in mind most cracks(like the spaces between the plank can be filled with varnish.

I will assume we are talking about a "Canadian Strip" like the pics attached.

Good luck,

Paul

Those images look exactly like my boat. I like the suggestion to float epoxy from the inside. I will still probably reinforce the crack from the inside with some kind of backer plate. As for finishing the boat...What step would you suggest eliminating from the "oil, shellack, then varnish"?
Thanks for your response...