Questions about Chestnut

[jenshenliu]

I have a Chestnut Fox. The canoe had been stored in a barn close to ocean for the last thirty years before I got it. As I was told, the canoe had been used only a couple times and was hung high after it dumped the owner/paddler into the sea water. The exterior paint / varnish look like original new, and no sign of use or wear in and out. But, there are some questions / problems about the canoe.

(1) It leaks on both ends at the stem areas. A cup or so of water accumulated after 2 or 3 hours of paddling. Is there any option other than removing the shoe keel and seal the screw holes with bedding compounds?

(2) There are several spots below waterline where the tacks are poking the canvas (not thru yet - approximate 1/16" above the wood surface). Can I ignore them? If not, what can I do about them?

(3) All the shoe keel screws / cup washers look blue-green. They look rusted / rot to me. I have not tried to loosen them for the fear that they could break on the way out. Could the bronze screws rust like that due to the salt water? What should I do?

(4) I only paddle the canoe a few times. Everytime I step in it on the water, it squeak as it is about to break. What causes that? Anything I can do to quiet it?

Thanks.

Jen

 

[MGC]

Hi Jen,
I also have a Fox. They are aptly named.

It is not unusual for a boat to leak a bit after such a long storage. Paddle it a bit more and see what happens. It should tighten up. If you need to put bedding compound over the stems and under the keel, you will damage your original paint. Look for a small spot where there may be gaps and deal with that as an alternative.

If the boat was dumped in salt water and then stored without a very proper cleaning and rinsing with fresh water then the corroded hardware makes sense. If you start to remove these you should not be surprised if they all come out without any problems. replacements are available.
You may also have the same going on with the tacks?

As far as the creaking is concerned, check to see if the seat and thwart hardware is tight.

 

[jenshenliu]

MGC,

Thanks for the advice. The leaking at the both stems seem about the same in several subsequent trips to the water as the first time after it got out of the barn. However, the leak around the keel screws has stop, as you said it might happen. I am thinking of loosening the stem bands and putting new bedding compound around the screws.

I appreciate any input you or others may have on how to deal with the protruding tack heads. Would re-clinching damage the canvas? Or should I leave them alone until they wear thru the canvas? Thanks.

Jen

 

[MGC]

Protruding tacks are not so unusual if the clinching was not done properly.
That seems common for these Chestnuts.
We all tend to be way to careful swinging the tack hammer.

I would leave well enough alone.
There is no easy way that I am aware of to fix these.
I have a few on my Fox, a few on my Morris, and a few on my Thompson boat.
Just keep an eye on these and fix them if you ever remove the canvas.
On rare occasions I have been able to push a lose tack through from the outside by hand and find it in the canoe to clinch over.
I have repaired a few like that by holding the clinching iron on the outside of the canvas and then using a small punch to turn the tip of the tack on the inside.
You need to get lucky to fix one like this.

 

[jenshenliu]

Thanks for the suggestions. That would help me not to do stupid things to make things worse. Some pictures from the last owner. The canoe looks barn fresh and nice except: a few spots where the paint was chipped off and several floating tacks, and some small leak. Feel like Bell Wildfire if sit on the bow seat paddling solo.

For those who buy and sell canoes frequently, what would be a fair price for this Chestnut Fox 14? I am just wondering if I have paid too much on the tuition.