Paint cracks

[Sweetfancymoses]

Hi everyone, I'm new here and my knowledge about wood/canvas canoes is very limited. I searched the site for an answer to my problem but am still confused. Before I'm going to sand and repaint my canoe, I thought I better ask the experts. My canoe shows longitudinal cracks in the paint that open and close with the changing temperature and moisture. In the spring or after some weeks of no use the canoe leaks a little. Someone here said that it should never leak and if it does, it needs recanvassing. My question is, will a coat of Kirby or Pettit paint be flexible enough to remedy the leaking and hold up under the swelling and shrinking cycles? Thank you very much in advance for your answers.

 

[pklonowski]

Sounds like it's time for new canvas. Paint might seal it for a short time, but I'd be surprised if you got a year out of it.

 

[SWEETWATER]

i had a 1933 oldtown 11' trapper that was original canvas and paint. the paint was cracked really bad so i sanded and put 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint and got 2 years out of it, but that was just my canoe, i cant say yours will leak or not if you paint it. if you dont have the time or money or knowhow paint might work for a year or 2, but it might not aswell, it did buy me some time though

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

Thank you for the quick and helpful replies. I have a few follow-up questions: When a canoe becomes water-logged, where does the water go and does it cause permanent damage? Where would I find someone to recanvass my canoe in northern Indiana / southern Michigan and what would be the approximate cost including filler?

 

[MackyM]

you could call Gil Cramer at Wooden Canoe Shop Bryan Ohio

Wooden Canoe Shop, Inc



Gilbert Cramer
03583 Road 13
Bryan, OH 43506
419-636-1689
woodencanoeshop@yahoo.com

 

[Greg Nolan]

You can check the WCHA Builder's Guide -- http://www.wcha.org/buildsupply/ -- builders are listed by state

There has been some discussion before of painting/repairing old cracked paint. You might take a look at the following, but your paint cracking might be worse that dealt with in the links. Pictures could help.

Long list of links and discussion about repainting
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?8906-Repaint-Tips

sanding or not (before painting a cracked surface)
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?6607-sanding-or-not&p=35286#post35286

restoring paint/canvas
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?9626-My-first-wood-canoe&p=50987#post50987

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Sand and paint might get you some time. Sand, prime, paint may help more. Ultimately if it's looking like alligator then it's best to bite the bullet and get a new skin. I had longwise cracks once on a newly canvassed and filled canoe. I think it was an application issue with the filler. I sanded and primed and painted and it's been good for five years and going strong. Canvas is not a big deal and anyone can do it. BUT, you are so close to Gil's shop and he is so good. He's your best option. I'm in Lapeer and have canvassed several, but only a fraction of what Gil does. Also, he does them at the Quiet Water Symposium the first week of March. It's in E. Lansing at State Ag bdg.