I need some advice from the old salts who have done this before! Just picked up this canvas carcass for $250, and will be spending some time this winter refurbishing it. I did a bit of internet search and it looks like I’ve got a Village Huron, Que. Boat. Bastien Bros? Not sure what year it would have been made. Doesn’t look like it was ever keeled. Original canvas was green. It’s been stored in a garage since 1971. The wood is extremely dry. Would you mind commenting on my plans below. Tell me if it’s a bad idea, etc. I don’t really need to do a full authentic restoration. I just want something I can enjoy paddling, and maybe use on my trapline.
Planning on ripping some white cedar boards down to match existing plank thickness. Replace two small sections of board on the bottom of the hull. I bought ¾” copper canoe nails, to match the existing ones that were originally used. How do you treat the exposed nail tip on the inside of the rib? Peen it down, or nip it off? Add epoxy to attach to rib, or just nail?
The rotted stern – about 3 inches of the original spruce stem is rotted away. Cut back to sound wood, then just add a new piece with scarf joint and West epoxy ?. Or better to steam bend and replace the entire stem piece?
Rotted top planks – replace the entire plank? Or just cut back to sound wood at the last rib and replace a smaller section?
Tips of rotted ribs – cut cut them flush in sound wood, or scarf them and epoxy new pieces on for the missing ½-3/4” of rib tip?
Gunwhale strips – look like they are both spruce, with caps of ash. The inner strip is pretty good, asides from rot at the tips. Would you replace the entire strip, or just scarf and epoxy in the missing pieces? Completely remove the spruce inner and replace it with ash? Would you replace outer with ash or use spruce again? Local lumber supplier has “5/4 white ash gunnel stock” Does this have to be steam-bent to apply, or is it flexible enough follow the gunwhale contour as you apply screws.
Inner hull – furniture stripper to bare wood – light sand – vacume – maybe bleach wood – tack cloth – two coats boiled linseed oil mixed with varsol – wait 2 weeks - two coats of white shellac – 3 coats spar varnish . Any thoughts on coating entire inside in epoxy resin, rather than spar?
Outer hull – tap in all existing nails. Replace any loose ones (reuse old hole or nail beside?) Sand – should I do the linseed oil coats before epoxy and glass? Planning on then glassing outer hull in 6OZ 60” cloth with 105 west epoxy and 207 hardener. Then 3 coats of spar varnish. Have a book on order for redoing canvass, but it looks intimidating when reading about the procedure online.
If I decide to glass and epoxy – would you advise filling in the spaces between the planks ? Could use west epoxy, thickened with filler. Could do this from the inside, after I’ve glassed the outside of the boat.
Keel advice – would you add? What thickness and material?
Thanks for any feedback that you can provide.
Planning on ripping some white cedar boards down to match existing plank thickness. Replace two small sections of board on the bottom of the hull. I bought ¾” copper canoe nails, to match the existing ones that were originally used. How do you treat the exposed nail tip on the inside of the rib? Peen it down, or nip it off? Add epoxy to attach to rib, or just nail?
The rotted stern – about 3 inches of the original spruce stem is rotted away. Cut back to sound wood, then just add a new piece with scarf joint and West epoxy ?. Or better to steam bend and replace the entire stem piece?
Rotted top planks – replace the entire plank? Or just cut back to sound wood at the last rib and replace a smaller section?
Tips of rotted ribs – cut cut them flush in sound wood, or scarf them and epoxy new pieces on for the missing ½-3/4” of rib tip?
Gunwhale strips – look like they are both spruce, with caps of ash. The inner strip is pretty good, asides from rot at the tips. Would you replace the entire strip, or just scarf and epoxy in the missing pieces? Completely remove the spruce inner and replace it with ash? Would you replace outer with ash or use spruce again? Local lumber supplier has “5/4 white ash gunnel stock” Does this have to be steam-bent to apply, or is it flexible enough follow the gunwhale contour as you apply screws.
Inner hull – furniture stripper to bare wood – light sand – vacume – maybe bleach wood – tack cloth – two coats boiled linseed oil mixed with varsol – wait 2 weeks - two coats of white shellac – 3 coats spar varnish . Any thoughts on coating entire inside in epoxy resin, rather than spar?
Outer hull – tap in all existing nails. Replace any loose ones (reuse old hole or nail beside?) Sand – should I do the linseed oil coats before epoxy and glass? Planning on then glassing outer hull in 6OZ 60” cloth with 105 west epoxy and 207 hardener. Then 3 coats of spar varnish. Have a book on order for redoing canvass, but it looks intimidating when reading about the procedure online.
If I decide to glass and epoxy – would you advise filling in the spaces between the planks ? Could use west epoxy, thickened with filler. Could do this from the inside, after I’ve glassed the outside of the boat.
Keel advice – would you add? What thickness and material?
Thanks for any feedback that you can provide.
