crichmond42
Curious about Wooden Canoes
This fell in my lap today and I would love to know its history. Very solid condition, just needs new canvas.
New to me Old Town
- Thread starter crichmond42
- Start date
Michael Grace
Lifetime Member
You've got a nice-looking 1940s Old Town there. It's in great shape compared to most. Consider doing more than just re-canvassing. The interior and trim would REALLY benefit from a complete stripping and re-varnishing.
The white spots on the interior are salt halos or salt blooms (two terms for the same thing) - evidence that salt water has been corroding the fasteners. The corrosion breaks don the surrounding wood, so now water can get into the wood much more easily, especially with old, failing varnish. A thorough stripping and cleaning with water rinses will remove residual salt from the wood, will lessen or eliminate the white spots, and will allow you to do a great varnish job that both you and the canoe will greatly appreciate.
Your salt halos are not bad at all - they come much worse. But still, refinishing the interior will make this a much better and much more beautiful canoe. Search these forums - no need to repeat everything again in this thread but there is a ton of advice on these forums, and some great restoration books in the WCHA's store. See:
www.woodencanoe.org
and
www.woodencanoe.org
The first has been called "the Bible of canoe restoration."
The white spots on the interior are salt halos or salt blooms (two terms for the same thing) - evidence that salt water has been corroding the fasteners. The corrosion breaks don the surrounding wood, so now water can get into the wood much more easily, especially with old, failing varnish. A thorough stripping and cleaning with water rinses will remove residual salt from the wood, will lessen or eliminate the white spots, and will allow you to do a great varnish job that both you and the canoe will greatly appreciate.
Your salt halos are not bad at all - they come much worse. But still, refinishing the interior will make this a much better and much more beautiful canoe. Search these forums - no need to repeat everything again in this thread but there is a ton of advice on these forums, and some great restoration books in the WCHA's store. See:
The Wood & Canvas Canoe: A Complete Guide | WoodenCanoeHeritage
Author: Jerry StelmokRollin ThurlowFrom the final decade of the 19th century until the mid 1950’s, the predominant small water craft for recreationists, summer camps, and wilderness travelers was the iconic canvas covered wooden canoe built by Old Town, B.N. Morris, E.M. White, Chestnut, J.H...
www.woodencanoe.org
and
This Old Fancy Canoe | WoodenCanoeHeritage
This Fancy Old Canoe: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring Antique Canoes picks up where This Old Canoe: How to Restore Your Wood-Canvas Canoe left off. Whether you are an avid collector of antique canoes or you have limited woodworking experience and just want to get your family’s heirloom canoe...
www.woodencanoe.org
The first has been called "the Bible of canoe restoration."
