Randy Hunt
Curious about Wooden Canoes
Hello, I am new to the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association, but in two short months I have new friend, Dave Wermuth and we are half way through my Penn Yan Rainbow canoe restoration. Attached is a link to the Picasa web site that I am trying to keep updated on the progress of our restoration.
My canoe (RCS 264) has been in my family for 50 years. My dad, brother and I canoed two 3 day trips down the Ausauble River in upper Michigan. Several trips down the Rifle River and even a disastrous trip down the Clinton River where the canoe got away from me and I chased it down the river bank for about a mile and a half before I found it lodged under a sunken tree. The canoe was a community canoe that was in desperate need of repair. My Dad took the canoe home removed the canvas and fiberglassed it. He had to fiberglassed it again after the mishap on the Clinton River. The canoe hung in my garage for 20+ years until this last fall when I sold my house and was forced to do something with it. It was always my goal to restore the canoe once I retired, which I now am. I am not new to wooden boats. I have restored my 19’ Lyman twice over the last 20 years but canoe restoration is nothing like restoring a lapstrake runabout.
First I need to mention that I could not have even attempted this project without the help of Dave Wermuth. I was ready to scrap the canoe but Dave's love of the canoe restoration process pulled me through. Dave encouraged me to continue with the project after I had removed the fiberglass and found 11 broken ribs, rotten stems and deck tips and planking that came off with the glass removal. Dave is a true craftsman of the trade but doesn’t give himself enough credit.
We are currently waiting for the canvas to arrive so we can continue with the process. I will keep you posted on our progress.
Thank you WCHA Forum for hooking me up with Dave and making this restoration possible.
Here is the link to the photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/randy.jan.hunt/PennYanRainbowRestoration#
My canoe (RCS 264) has been in my family for 50 years. My dad, brother and I canoed two 3 day trips down the Ausauble River in upper Michigan. Several trips down the Rifle River and even a disastrous trip down the Clinton River where the canoe got away from me and I chased it down the river bank for about a mile and a half before I found it lodged under a sunken tree. The canoe was a community canoe that was in desperate need of repair. My Dad took the canoe home removed the canvas and fiberglassed it. He had to fiberglassed it again after the mishap on the Clinton River. The canoe hung in my garage for 20+ years until this last fall when I sold my house and was forced to do something with it. It was always my goal to restore the canoe once I retired, which I now am. I am not new to wooden boats. I have restored my 19’ Lyman twice over the last 20 years but canoe restoration is nothing like restoring a lapstrake runabout.
First I need to mention that I could not have even attempted this project without the help of Dave Wermuth. I was ready to scrap the canoe but Dave's love of the canoe restoration process pulled me through. Dave encouraged me to continue with the project after I had removed the fiberglass and found 11 broken ribs, rotten stems and deck tips and planking that came off with the glass removal. Dave is a true craftsman of the trade but doesn’t give himself enough credit.
We are currently waiting for the canvas to arrive so we can continue with the process. I will keep you posted on our progress.
Thank you WCHA Forum for hooking me up with Dave and making this restoration possible.
Here is the link to the photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/randy.jan.hunt/PennYanRainbowRestoration#
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(like I do)
