Out of retirement

[smc]

Hello everyone, I'm talking about the canoe not me lol.
This is a Langford built around 1950 that I inherited yesterday. It spent about 10 years hanging on a fence before being in a garage for the last 10. I'm going to strip the canvas covered with fibreglass on the outside, and I understand that the gunwales along with a few other pieces (missing rib) will obviously need to be replaced. I plan on doing all the work myself however I'm not a woodworker. The canoe is very dry. So dry that the whole thing feels like it weighs 30-40 lbs. Most of the wood feels like dry brittle balsa.
So my questions are...
Is this worth salvaging if I don't want to spend much time on it (six weeks part time)?
Should i fill it with the penetrating epoxy and "glass" it?
Is the wood actually ok, but it needs "oil" or something then a good varnish before canvasing?

Thanks for taking a look!
smc

 

[smc]

Well like I said, I'm not a woodworker. The cedar seems pretty dry and brittle but I don't think it's rotten (other than the gunwales/seats/thwart/...). Well not much anyway. I took off one outwale (?) and started stripping the fiberglass.

Anyway, it looks like I may be able to save her with my limited knowledge but I'm going to have to find a really safe way to remove the fiberglass as it is ripping wood off with it. Smells nice and cedary though

If I go the canvas route, how do I keep it as light as possible?

smc

 

[Dan Miller]

The way to remove fiberglass is with a heat gun and patience.

You can save weight in canvas by going to a lighter grade - e.g. use number 12 instead of number 10.

 

[davelanthier]

I thought Langford canoes were originally fiberglassed from the factory. Were they also canvased?

 

[smc]

Thanks for the responses.

As for the fiberglassing from the factory, I have no idea. I was told that it was originally canvas and that someone had stripped it and put fiberglass on it 30 years ago. Who knows, maybe it was originally fiberglass.

I called Langford (they're still in business), and they told me that they are very busy, and to throw it out and buy either a new one or a second hand one that was in working condition. They also said that a cedar canoe was not worth the trouble. Thanks for the help. They also don't sell parts.

Now I have to figure out where to get gunwales, ribs, seats, stems etc. I don't have a woodworking shop so I can't mill my own.

Does anyone have any ideas about rejuvinating the wood? It just seems so light and brittle but not fluffy so i'm assuming it's still good.

smc

 

[smc]

Found a great resource if anyone is interested. Lots of materials and help in Toronto.

http://www.tendercraftboats.com/contact.html

smc

 

[Jim Okkema]

I'm no expert but...

...that boat doesn't look so bad. You may want to do the cleaning & stripping yourself and have a more experienced restorer replace wood. Then the canvas, paint & varnish can be all yours.
A list of builders can be found here: http://www.wcha.org/buildsupply/
Where are you located?
________
CBR250

 

[jrghaven]

Similar situation...

We're in a similar situation - working on a 1967 Old Town trapper with very similar issues (wood very dry, bad outwales, glassed canoe). At this point, I have all glass/resin removed, am awaiting replacement planking, the caning just came in - will need to have outer gunnels made. I'm also not a woodworker, although as a hobbiest I've done another of wood projects.

I know this is blasphemy here, but I'm still leaning toward reglassing, and have been in the process of pricing epoxy - whoa, that was an unexpected cost. I just can't imagine the planking being strong enough from interior load w/o epoxy on the outside, and I can't justfy the cost of replacing all or even most of the planking. A friend once told me a new word - "pregret" - I "pregret" the decision to reglass the boat.

I can tell you that, thus far, the entire project is costing much more than expected. If you have a wood shop, and access to cedar to mill, it's a lot easier. I don't, so am a bit dependent on what I can find online and from nearby boat shops.

For me (w/ shipping):
Boat originally - $300 (in relatively good shape, but wasn't described well in the auction)
Cane for seats w/ spline - $30
8' replacement cedar planking (minimun, 6 holes to repair + tacks) - $50
Outer gunnels (local shop ~$100-200; from Old Town $200!!!)
Decks (need to find wood, likely $40 or so)
Epoxy (whoa, this is going to be painful unless I find something better - $200 maybe??? + cost of fabric $50-60???).
Oil & Varnish for inside of boat (haven't priced yet - $50???)
Paint for exterior (haven't even gotten there yet - $50-75?)
Tools & Glue (have already spent $40)

So - go through the numbers and see what you can stomach, make on your own, etc. Also, what you want to do with the canoe when you are done has a lot to do with it.

If you'd like to chat along the way, feel free and drop me a message.

ALSO - what a horrible thing for the company to tell you!!!
I called Langford (they're still in business), and they told me that they are very busy, and to throw it out and buy either a new one or a second hand one that was in working condition. They also said that a cedar canoe was not worth the trouble. Thanks for the help. They also don't sell parts.