My wife's family has a cottage on Georgian Bay, and many years ago, 1970's, a pulled an old Peterborough Cedar Strip Canoe/Row Boat from under the cottage. It needed repairs like a few ribs replaced and the forward keel replaced. I have stripped and varnished the boat twice. It still has a Peterborough decal on it and research as I recall indicated the boat was built in the 20's or 30's. The boat rows very nice but even after days sitting in the water and swelling it always brings in so much water in a half hour row that it no longer gets used due to the volume of water you wind up rowing around the bay. I have read a few clips on the poor idea that it is to fiberglass/epoxy the bottom, and I assume this comes from the "purests". I will never sell the boat nor will I dump big dollars into to it for a "professional" repair. Can anyone tell me a true down side to fiberglassing this boat, other than keeping it's originality. In my minds eye the boat would be both usable and beautiful if this is done, where as now it sits in a barn at home taking up space.
Regards C
Regards C