Newly Aquired Stripper:(cleaning and condition advice needed)

[moonshine30]

Hi there everyone!! I am a time to time lurker on this forum, and while I don't know much about strippers or canvas canoes, what I have learned is from this site alone. I have purchase SEVERAL canoes in the past and haven't had very good luck with gettting a good one, mainly because I didn't know enough about them to judge condition.

I was at one of the local sporting goods stores here in the Twin Cities Minnesota that has an annual canoe and kayak auction every year and I couldn't pass up a chance to bid on a stripper. I already have a Wenonah Kevlar solo canoe, but I keep coming back to these old woodies, whether they be canvas or stip design. This stripper is a 17 foot tandem and there are NO makers marks on it anywhere that would give me a clue that this was made by a well known company, so my guess this is a home made job. Mainly wondering two things though.....I want to clean her up this afternoon, just clean, not restore. What do I use?? Just a wet rag or something like dawn soap and a rag?? Or would I treat this like a peice of furniture and use furniture polish, lemon oil, or something of that nature?? Sorry for being ignorant, but never cleaned a tripper before. I tried searching in the archives, but didn't know how to word the search right so the info would come up.

Secondly, wanting to know the condition of this boat and if anyone can tell, if there was a specific model or design this boat was made after. Also, if this thing is made decent or is a POS. I have had good luck with you guys correctly identifying that by pictures and my descriptions in the past, so I'll go take some pics right now and post them shortly. Hang tight and I'll get the pics up....

Jennifer

 

[moonshine30]

Here are the pics of the stripper, as promised. Hopefully I can remember how to post them.

 

[moonshine30]

More pics of stripper

 

[moonshine30]

Still more pictures of stripper

 

[moonshine30]

More pics...almost done!!

 

[moonshine30]

Almost there......more pics

 

[moonshine30]

Okay...that's all the pics. Let me know if someone needs more of a specific area. For starters, would like to know if I need anything special to clean her up.


Just and FYI, all of the haziness that you see in the pics, is actually a THICK coat of dust, not haziness in the clear coat or epoxy or varnish, or whatever you call it.

Any info on this would be great. Also, I CAN car top her myself, although she is pretty heavy still. I think she weighs about 70-80lbs or so.

 

[normsims]

Jennifer,

Yes, it does appear homemade, but in good condition. You can clean it up with some soap and water and a garden hose. There appears to be a little delamination of the glass in one of the photos of a stem, but it doesn't look too bad. You might consider applying a coat of UV protectant varnish. UV rays from the sun are deadly for clear fiberglass.

Norm

 

[pklonowski]

Mostly what Norm said. I've seen a few home-made strip & glass boats, and this would rate in the middle of the workmanship ranks.

That delamination on the stem looks like someone ran it into a rock at high speed. You might want to have someone in your area take a look at it -- it may need some work.

You might not even need soap to clean it up -- just the garden hose, and a Scotch-bright scrubber. But definitely get some UV protective varnish or polyurethane on it -- I'd give it 3-5 coats inside & out, depending on how impatient I felt to get it in the water.

 

[moonshine30]

Hey there, thanks for the advice on the boat. I have a Wenonah Kevlar solo canoe that I just bought as well, and now I am torn between which boat to keep. I don't really need two and I also don't really have the space for two. I suppose I should be smart and at least take the stripper out and see how she floats. I'm not really an expert in that area, so I'll just have to take her out and see. It's good to know that at least I didn't get a total piece of junk this time.(at least, assuming it floats okay) I know the Kevlar solo boat would be WAY more suited for paddling solo, but wish I had a boat that could do BOTH very well.

I didn't see where you were talking about with the stem. I guess I didn't look it over that well. If someone can point out which picture you are seeing that in, so I can get a better idea. I made sure that the gunnels weren't pieced together, learned that last time. The hull has really NO scratches on it. The stem wasn't broken.

The brackets that the seats hang down from seem kinda flimsy, like they wouldn't hold up my weight. Would it be complicated to get some better brackets put on there that would still go with the stripper design and not look like a new silvery piece??

Also, even thought this is a really big boat for paddling solo, all I did when I was a kid was paddle 18foot grunmans solo, so I know I can do it. Where would be the best position to paddle in this boat?? I may even like to learn Canadian style, but I can't kneel in the boat, it's TOO uncomfortable and I'm not flexible. I could put a seat in the middle, but then I don't have a yoke to hoist the boat up. The boat is pretty heavy, but I CAN do it. Are there any other options for paddling in the center, or do I just want to paddle in the bow and paddle her backwards?? I like the nostalgia of this boat, the wood look and feel, I guess that's kind a why I keep coming back to these kinds of boats. Any advice on would be great.....Thanks!!

Jennifer

Jennifer

 

[normsims]

Jennifer,

Your best option for solo paddling in this boat is probably to paddle it backwards, sitting on the bow seat and facing the rear. That would put you closer to the center of the canoe. You would probably want to a bit of weight in the other end to level the canoe on the water. The attachments for the seats look pretty standard to me, and I suspect they would be fine from what I can see in the pictures.

I've attached the picture that made me think there was some damage or delamination in one of the stems. Anything with a foggy or whitish color might be delamination. Can't tell if that's actually the case. It might be just the lighting.

Norm

 

[pklonowski]

What Norm said. That's the same picture I was concerned about; looks like it may have kissed a rock.

Other options for solo paddling position:
Install a center seat, 3-4 inches behind the balance point, and add this accessory:
http://www.rutabaga.com/chosen-valley-canoe-accessories-bench-seat-mount-solo-yoke
Kind of pricy, and I don't know how well it works.

Other option, if you have some woodworking skills (or know someone who does), is to install the center seat as above, and add a clamp mechanism to the portage yoke, like this:
http://photos.bwca.com/k/KANOES-230308-130409.JPG
The clamps used to be available separately, and maybe still are; do a google search. With this, you clamp the yoke on when you need it, and stash it away when you don't.

 

[moonshine30]

UPDATE: Hi again everyone!! It's a shame I haven't gotten this canoe on the water yet or even done ANYTHING with her, seeing as it is already June. I've got her licensed and was gonna take her out on the water today to see how she floats, and I wanted to review what I had posted here before. I'm thinking about varnishing her, as you guys suggested, as I verify that she floats and tracks fairly decent in the water. I just wanted to ask if anyone had any tips and I was wondering if there is a specific kind of varnish I should use. Also wondering if I can use varnish that I have laying around. We have a GREAT hazardous waste facility in our county, here in Minnesota and they have a TON of chemicals. I was just there last week and there are GOBS of varnish laying around. People turn it in so that it isn't thrown in the garbage and polluting our environment. My only concern would be the condition of unkown varnish and where it has been and was stored. If I can get a bunch of the same brand and kind of varnish, does it really matter what kind I use?? You guys had recommended UV varnish, so thinking I'll put 2-3 coats of the free stuff on and then 1-2 coats of UV varnish I buy brand new.(Unless I happen to find some UV varnish there)

Also, any tips for varnishing..should I use a foam brush or a bristled brush?? Should I put it on thick or thin?? I took shop class in high school years ago, but have never been much of a wood worker. Know how to paint and how to do the basics of putting on varnish, but haven't done any varnishing and the last couple of years.

Any advice would be great. Thanks!!

Jennifer

 

[pklonowski]

I'd be leery of using discarded varnish, even for the first few coats. Your concerns RE: how old & storage conditions are very valid, and you have no idea what those are. It's also entirely possible that what's on the label isn't what's in the can...

For best results, follow the manufacturer's instructions when applying varnish. These can vary between manufacturers, including recommendations for thinning before applying.

The choice of brush is up to you. Different folks use different brushes. Also, look for any number of books on wood finishing... I think Michael Dresdner has a good one, from Taunton Press.

The big question to me, is, have you addressed the spot that looks like it's delaminating? You really should make sure that's not an issue before putting it in the water, if only because if it leaks into the wood, it'll take a LLLOOONNNGGG time to dry out...

 

[Greg Nolan]

I agree with Paul K that the risk of getting something unsatisfactory (too old, improperly thinned, mixed with something unknown, potentially incompatible with later coats of good varnish) to too great for the very small savings to be had.

I believe that the primary purpose of varnishing over epoxy/fiberglass with a good marine varnish is to provide UV protection for the epoxy. Putting a couple of coats of regular varnish does nothing to further this goal. Get a quart of the good stuff and do it right.