Old Town?

[Lindemanlax]

Thanks, @Dave Osborn! My situation is that the canoe doesn't need re-canvassing now. So, I'm trying to stabilize the crack ribs -- until they can be removed and replaced down the road when it needs re-canvassing.

With bedding glass "band aids" over the cracked ribs -- not the planking -- I was hoping to do just that. That way, there shouldn't be any concerns about removing them later on. The thought is to tape off the area around the crack, sand, lay down the epoxy and a couple of layers of cloth. Varnish when dry and get the boat in the water. Again, not a long-term solution, but an easy one that may buy me some time. I've done glass work and this kind of patch isn't time consuming or difficult.

 

[MGC]

Follow Paddler123's advice. You will accomplish very little by laying glass over the cracks.
A few bits of sistered cedar held in place with screws will add structural rigidity, if you need it.
It's very common to find cracked ribs in canoes that are being used without any problem. You might be able to ignore the cracks until next time you canvas, as the seller has apparently done.
Collect the boat, take a few pictures of what you are dealing with and post them.
We've pretty much seen it all and some of these life members have fixed it all.

 

[Lindemanlax]

@MGC, thanks. The seller is in memory care and hasn't used the canoe in years. I'm dealing with his wife on the sale of the boat. But, I'll assess the damage and figure out a game plan then, assuming it all works out. Thanks, all, for the help!

 

[chris pearson]

Dave Osborn’s patches are excellent! Note the shapes, tapering off the patch without hard corners supplies more strength and avoids potential weak areas to start another failure if it takes a hit. Well done!!!

 

[John Sand]

I see a line of cracks. I would be inclined to do something about them too, your fiberglass patch idea will add some strength.

 

[Lindemanlax]

@John Sand, thanks. I'll figure it out if I bring it home and determine the best plan of attack. Where in LI are you? I grew up in Bay Shore/Brightwaters. My folks live in Orient...

 

[Lindemanlax]

@Dave Osborn, if I go the route of sistering in rib "patches" over the cracked rib areas, what should I use? I don't have a supply of old rib material. Cedar? I assume I can find something suitable at Lowes or HD...

 

[Dave Osborn]

If you sister, it pretty much doesn’t matter what you use as long as it bends to conform to the original. White cedar is probably the easiest. Doubtful that big box stores have it, or anything suitable. I have gotten red cedar for planks at big box stores, but it is kiln dried and doesn’t like to bend.

There are people on the builders and suppliers page that would sell you a piece of cedar.

 

[Lindemanlax]

@Dave Osborn thanks. I was poking around the garage yesterday and picked up a pack of cedar grilling planks. The kind you soak and lay a slab of salmon on and then grill? They're 3/8" thick. I might cut a piece out, steam, and see how it bends. It'll be funny if it works!

 

[MGC]

That is one heck of a nice row of cracked ribs. What is helpful is that they are between the thwarts and behind the bow seat. The amount of flexing they will do there is limited by the location. Make sure the thwarts and seats are snugged up so that the bolts can't shuck around as they might if they are loose. Snugged up will help limit flexing.
WRT to sistering, your roasting planks will work perfectly as long as they do not split. Pay attention to the grain if you can and also (What I would do) thin them, 3/8" is a bit thick. I'd probably work them down to 3/16 or 1/4 max.
If you have a contour gauge, you can use that to take the bend of the ribs and make a small/crude bending form to shape your patches on. They don't need to be perfect and will follow the shape of the ribs when you screw them in.
Our local Lowes does sell white cedar. Look closely to find it. It's much nicer to work with than red.
I've been trying to locate a picture of one of Rollin Thurlow's canoes that he has hanging outside his shop. As you might expect on a boat that gets "proper" usage, it has a few cracked ribs. And, this master builder, the guy we all look to for sage advice, parts, materials etc. has sorted those ribs on his personal canoe with a few nicely installed cedar (I think) bits held in place with nice little brass screws. I'm guessing he will fix the cracks next time he canvases.
I have not located the images but if I do, I will add them to this thread.
Point being, if that's how Rollin deals with this, it must be an acceptable practice.

 

[John Sand]

@John Sand, thanks. I'll figure it out if I bring it home and determine the best plan of attack. Where in LI are you? I grew up in Bay Shore/Brightwaters. My folks live in Orient...

I live in Rocky Point now, grew up in Mt Sinai, have lived in Deer Park, North Babylon, Miller Place and Sound Beach.
I've trained in Yorktown Va. Plenty of nice bays and creeks for canoeing.

 

[Lindemanlax]

To follow-up on this boat...

I drove 1 hour and 45 min. today to go look at this canoe. I'm glad I did. It's a sweet boat in need of some basic restoration. For the right person, it will be a fun project. Sadly, I don't have the space nor the time to take it on. However, I told the seller, who's selling it for her husband who is in memory care, that I'd help her sell it. She is delightful and I simply want to help her out. If anyone is interested, this 1974 17' OTCA is located in Richmond, VA. She's asking $1,000 but will consider all reasonable offers.

What I learned today is that it needs new canvas. With the canvas removed, the several cracked ribs can then be replaced. There might be some minor stem wood that needs replacing. I thing it's just the top portion of the bow stem that seems punky. But, I imagine old wood can be cut out and new wood scarfed in. The original floor rack is intact and in perfect condition. There is also a Old Town padded, detachable yoke included. I thought that was neat. Not something you see that often. It will be a beautiful boat once restored. The interior wood patina is a lovely honey color and just beautiful.

Anyway, I've submitted the information for a classified ad, so the details will be there once up. Any questions, please let me know. If you're interested in seeing the boat, I can put you in touch with the seller. If you do, please be kind and respectful. This is a hard thing for her but she understands that her husband's boat needs to now be passed onto a new owner who will use and love it as her husband did. Thanks, all.

 

[MGC]

Anyway, I've submitted the information for a classified ad, so the details will be there once up. Any questions, please let me know. If you're interested in seeing the boat, I can put you in touch with the seller. If you do, please be kind and respectful. This is a hard thing for her but she understands that her husband's boat needs to now be passed onto a new owner who will use and love it as her husband did. Thanks, all.

There is an FAQ section in this forum. One of the FAQ's speaks to the valuation of canoes. It might be worth taking a look at. One of the challenges that many of us have encountered is how to delicately inform a seller of the actual value of their boat. I have only once encountered a situation where I felt the need to significantly exceed a sellers asking price. More often than not, the seller has already swung for the fences.
A canoe that needs stem repairs, half a dozen ribs and a canvas must be valued based upon both the current condition, the cost of repairs and the ultimate restored value. In my view, sentiment is "sunk cost". The original owner received their "compensation" for the privilege of use. That is not a cost that can be passed along to the next owner. Unless (as Dave notes) the previous owner was Teddy Roosevelt or Earnest Hemingway.

 

[Lindemanlax]

@MGC I have read through the pricing FAQ, thanks. She is flexible with regards to price and really just wants the canoe to go to the right person. In the end, the value of anything is what someone is willing to pay for it. For an experienced builder/restorer, this one should be standard resto.

 

[Lindemanlax]

@Todd F, you asked to let you know if I ended up getting the canoe. I did not. After driving up to Richmond yesterday and spending time going over the canoe with the seller, I opted to instead help her sell it. I just don't have the room for tackling a project on a 17' canoe. It was her husband's canoe and he is now in memory care. She hates to sell his boat but knows it needs to go to someone who can love and use it as her husband once did. She's such a sweet lady.

Anyway, the canvas needs replacing. He had used tape to keep the canvas attached to the planking underneath the gunwales and down the stem areas. It's 50-year old canvas. Since that need to be replaced, the ~8 ribs should also be properly replaced. There's also a small soft sop near the tip of the bow stem. Some wood there will need to be removed, replaced/scarfed in.

All of that said, the boat is in good shape. The patina on the inside hull is honey colored and perfect. The original floor rack is intact and in good order. There's also an Old Town padded, detachable yoke included. That's kind of cool. The original hull color was Yale Blue, but the owner repainted it a darker blue at some point. The original Yale Blue would look sharp on a re-canvassed canoe. Lastly, the two cane seat inserts need replacing, but that's an easy fix. The seat frames, thwarts, gunwales, etc. are all in good order. Sadly, the original paddles are long gone. There are two plastic/aluminum paddles included as well as two wheeled canoe carriers.

If you have any interest, or know of someone who may, you/they could buy the canoe for less than $1,000. Just let me know and I can put you in touch with her.

 

[Todd F]

Thanks for reaching out. Will hit you up PM.