Inspecting 40 year old Chestnut canoe?

[rstl99]

Hi again all.
This weekend, I'm hoping to do a pre-purchase inspection of a 40 year old Chestnut that's been offered to me for a decent price. The canoe has had a single owner and been very well looked after during its life, stored indoors (hung in a garage) when not in use. Original canvas.

I don't expect to find wood rot or much structural damage given the use and care this canoe has seen. Nevertheless, I want to look over carefully at any possible "trouble spots", so that I don't wind up with post-purchase "surprises".

Any tips for what I should particularly be on the lookout for, to assess condition and quality of this specimen? Someone else here had given the following advice in the past:

• Check the boat for fairness by looking from the bow and stern along the bottom looking for hardpoints that signify broken ribs or planking.
• Look from the top to see if the gunnels have hard points signifying breakage.
• Feel midships under the gunnals for soft or rotten ribs.
• Feel the canvas near the stems for paper thin canvas that tears away like paper signifying canvas rot.

Thanks a lot.

 

[rstl99]

Ok, sounds like that previous advice I had included in my post just about tells it all! Great, I'll follow those inspection tips. I had just wondered if someone had others to share.
Cheers.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

For me, it's whether I like the boat... I've been this way about houses too: if it feels right, I'm blind to problems. Problems are more easily fixed on a canoe than with a house...

Please share pictures of your canoe!

Kathy

 

[pat chapman]

Additional inspection possibilities:
With the tip of something sharp, like a pocket knife, poke the tip of the inside stem where it joins the deck to check for soft, dry rotted wood. Do the same on the tip of the deck.

Check for rotting canvas at the underside of the gunnels. This may look like a thin line of unpainted canvas, or small cracks.

Look for cracks in the ribs and planking.

Inspect for white halos around metal fasteners indicating extensive saltwater use and damaged fasteners.

 

[rstl99]

Thanks Kathryn,
Indeed, there has to be affinity with what we are contempating acquiring, and while I've waited for an opportunity to view and inspect this canoe over winter (I saw it in late Fall hanging in a garage, but decided to wait for Spring to buy it because it had a good storage for winter), I've imagined myself quite often paddling peacefully down the quiet river and ponds near my country getaway. It has a green-coloured canvas, and is very attractive to my eyes. For sure, pictures will follow if I do end up buying it this weekend.

Thanks for the advice to look for dry rot Pat. As well as the rotting canvas check. This canoe has only seen freshwater so salt damage to hardware should not be an issue. Appreciate the additional inspection tips! Maybe someone should include these and the other ones I quoted in my post, in some sticky post (how to check a used/older cedar-canvas canoe)

Cheers!

 

[Fitz]

Later Chestnuts

If you search on "Chestnuts" on this forum you might find a fair bit on the quality of construction of later Chestnuts.

We are working on a mid-sixties vintage Ogilvy right now. There are not HUGE quality issues, but there are things like inconsistent trim species (one thwart is maple, the other ash), issues with the fit of the planking beneath the stems, putty filled knotholes in the planking under the canvas, some unfair bumps (which may or may not be original), etc.

I have a Prospector of this age and it has some of the same issues, but it is a fine paddler and tripper.

PS: Also, Chestnut used some Verolite (vinyl impregnated canvas?) on later canoes too.

Just watch out if you are a perfectionist.