It's Official - my '51 OTCA project

[Dave Osborn]

I use G-Flex or the Total Boat equivalent epoxy. It’s amber color and disappears in the grain when gluing splits like this.
I use a syringe to apply the mixed epoxy. There is a good amount of open time with the epoxy. Allow it to flow down into the crack for a little while before clamping it up.

 

[mmmalmberg]

The crack extends to about 3" from the tip. I was thinking of pulling it all the way apart to fully access the broken surface. It would just be like a nice long scarf with more surface area. In that case I'd probably stick with resorcinol.

I do have some G-Flex as well that I'm using in some places, specifically split rib ends. First I treated them with penetrating epoxy then next day I put gflex on and warm it with a heat gun which instantly brings its viscosity way down and it flows into cracks well. The penetrating epoxy is a good first step because it binds in any dust and oxidized wood that would keep the gflex from adhering well, deep down in the crack.

 

[mmmalmberg]

Stern splices came out better than the bow. Time to fix up the decks so I can do accurate final fitting of both ends...

 

[mmmalmberg]

Tips repaired. Final fitting of the decks, inwale tips and stems next up...

 

[mmmalmberg]

Broke the split the rest of the way off and glued. Should be fine but I noticed I have some twisting in the bend which, as with the inwale tips, I did after cutting the angles on the table saw. I think I have enough oversize to grind it into usable shape...

 

[mmmalmberg]

I'd noted (and forgotten) when I was first starting this project that the decks seemed to have straightened a bit at the tips and thought I'd probably be rebending them a bit. Turns out all that was needed was a little wedge near the point which is mostly covered by the stem band.

 

[mmmalmberg]

How much do you usually blunt the tips of the decks? Seems like it would be better to have the tip rounded a bit.

 

[Michael Grace]

Do you mean rounded at the tips where the deck and gunwales and stem all come together, the tips of the canoe? If so, I see the tips rounded over sometimes but I much prefer a crisp tip and a tight bend in the stemband as was done at the factory. It looks so much neater and much more appropriate this way. The Otca in the attached photo has all its original wood including the tips. They are very crisp, not rounded at all. Unfortunately when I restored this one I didn't get the stem band bend as sharp as I would have liked.

 

[mmmalmberg]

Sorry no I just meant the points of the decks themselves. Right now mine are sharp enough to go hunting with.

 

[mmmalmberg]

Beautiful boat btw!

 

[Michael Grace]

Thank you. So if I understand now, you're asking about the sharpness of the tip of the deck where it will be sandwiched between the two inwales, correct? The two inwales form an angle with a sharp vertex, and the deck is trapped between them, so it's good to have the tip of the deck come to a sharp point for nicely fitting joints where all the parts come together.

 

[mmmalmberg]

Yep that's what I was asking about. Such a sharp point will be more susceptible to decay. Plus it's under the stem band so not visible. I'll at least take off enough that it will hold varnish I guess...

 

[mmmalmberg]

I picked up some stains and got my new pieces of spruce in the inwale repairs to somewhat match the old wood, then today decided to sand it all off. I'm just more comfortable with the natural colors. I also sanded further into the old wood than I was originally going to, in order to get more of the lighter original color which is nicer with the new wood.

Question. I have one unopened quart of Old Town varnish and one unopened quart of Old Town dark green. Is that enough to do a 17' OTCA? If I ran out and still needed another coat are there good options? How does the quality of the original OT paint and varnish compare to present-day options? I'd love to use these if I can, since my father probably bought them 30 years ago for this purpose

 

[mmmalmberg]

Also would I be better off, if a quart is not enough, doing first coats with the Old Town paint and final coats with a modern product, or vice versa? For instance if I needed one more coat of varnish or paint to get it where I need it.

 

[mmmalmberg]

Stern tip seems to be working. Bow is right behind it...

 

[mmmalmberg]

Almost starting to look like a canoe again!

 

[mmmalmberg]

Question. I have one unopened quart of Old Town varnish and one unopened quart of Old Town dark green. Is that enough to do a 17' OTCA? If I ran out and still needed another coat are there good options? How does the quality of the original OT paint and varnish compare to present-day options? I'd love to use these if I can, since my father probably bought them 30 years ago for this purpose

Well so much for the OT varnish - I opened the can and tried to stir it but about half the can was a solid white plasticky substance. I don't know what. If it was a can of white paint I'd have kept working on it but this did not seem like it would be usable as varnish. Going with Epifanes.

 

[mmmalmberg]

Oiled the planking the other day with BLO. Didn't have the preservative additive I wanted so today I gave it a light coating of "Green-Brown" copper napthanate. I'd rather have put it under the BLO but I d

on't think it can hurt...

 

[mmmalmberg]

Made my canvas clamps and did a test stretch. Hope I don't pull my barn down on itself. The top (open) edge seems to stretch more than the bottom, is that typical? Movie shows how tight I pulled it, does it need to be way tighter? Are the lengthwise ripples an issue (assuming they'll just stretch out)?

 

[mmmalmberg]

Repairing the split in the front deck - 1/2" wide tapered ash patch.