repair re-assurance needed

[samb]

I took my Chestnut out today, nice paddle with 4 easy portages round locks.
Everything was great until putting the boat back on the car I discovered a hole.
Something had punctured right through the canvas and plank. I didn't hit anything while carrying and as far as I'm aware only put the boat down on grass. It's lucky that I paddle the boat heeled over as I had no duck tape with me! What ever did the damage must have been sharp.

In the pictures the white part on the outside is about 3/8" so the hole is around 1/8". Because the damage to the plank is close up to the rib, there is little to be seen from the inside.

My thought is to mix up some thickened epoxy and just plug the hole and repaint. I think the damage far to small to think about patching. Is there anything (UK based) that would be better than epoxy - or maybe something different altogether?

Thanks


Sam

 

[Howie]

If you were in the US I'd have said somebody shot your canoe with a pellet gun or .22!

If it were me I'd find fashion a chunk of cedar to plug the hole from the inside, positioning it so it lies flush with the outside planking, and bond it in place with glue or epoxy. When dry use epoxy to patch the canvas, positioning the canoe so it 'puddles in place'.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Almost looks like it was set on a nail.

Being that hole is so small, I'd just fill the planking with filled epoxy, and then fill the canvas with something, not sure what though. I'd maybe experiment a bit, as I'm not sure epoxy will stick to the filler on the canvas.

Dan

 

[MGC]

The hole is so tiny that I would probably be inclined to remove the small shards of wood from the inside of the canoe (with the tip of a fresh exacto blade) and then move to repairing the outside.
On the outside I would not do anything too dramatic. First I would remove the tiny loose paint flecks. Then if you have some leftover filler around I would tip the boat on it's side and layer in a small amount of filler to build up to the paint level. Use heat to speed up the cure. If you don't have any of that around or if you don't have the patience for it to set I would use tube mastic compound, the kind that you might use on the stem and folds on the canvas when you do the stems. Once these are set, layer up paint to fill to level and then carefully wet sand and buff out.
Going back to the inside I would again tip the canoe and layer in thickened varnish where you trimmed the wood shards.
I would stay clear of an epoxy or anything else that will be difficult to remove when you properly repair it 20 years from now.....

For speedy repairs I always carry duct tape with me. If you spring a leak you can can patch up and go in minutes.

 

[Greg Nolan]

I agree with MGC that I would stay away from epoxy for the exterior -- difficult to fair the repaired area, and difficult to remove in the future. You don't need epoxy's strength for the problem you have. After clearing away the small splinters inside the hull, I would glue (Titebond II or III or something similar) in a small plug -- a matchstick or the like, and trim smooth. Filling the hole with epoxy would also work, but keep the epoxy away from the exterior and the canvas. After the hole is filled, I'd apply a bit of varnish over the repair. On the outside, I would remove loose paint, and I would use spot putty to fill and fair the injured area. The spot putty should hold any bits of canvas in place, and will fill in where a bit of canvas is missing. Spot putty builds up very fast -- 2, 3, or 4 applications, about 20-30 minutes apart, is easily sanded, and will be readily removable by sanding or with acetone at such future time as the canvas may be replaced. Small tubes of Bondo spot putty are readily available in auto supply stores -- this is not the 2-part Bondo polyester that used to fill dents, which I understand is not water-resistant enough to use on a boat. I have used the spot putty to fair chipped paint and small tears with no problems.



A bit of paint wil make the repair all but invisible.

 

[Todd Bradshaw]

FYI epoxy resin is not difficult to remove in situations like this. You simply heat it with a hair dryer and when you get up to the 140-150 degrees F range, it will soften and let go. If I had a choice, I'd use epoxy on the wood - maybe with a little sawdust mixed in for color. The product that I would be most interested in for the canvas would be Aquaseal (it is available over there). It's a lot more flexible in case there is any expansion/contraction of the canvas.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aquaseal-Urethane-Repair-Adhesive-Sealant/dp/B000NIG1Z2

[video=youtube;YyjX_r9lDDo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyjX_r9lDDo[/video]

 

[samb]

Many thanks for all your replies.
I will repair the inside wood as suggested first then work on the canvas using one of the many possible ideas I now have. For now, duct tape will have to do as there is an 18' boat at the painting stage in my workspace.
Todd: We do have aqua seal, may be wrong, but I thought I had read somewhere that it can't be painted.

Sam

 

[Larry Meyer]

Todd, Do you have any experience with using Acquaseal to glue canvas to canvas?. Might be just what I am looking for.

 

[mccloud]

When I was restoring a Linkanoe (see Wooden Canoe v.34, p8), I struggled with finding a way to glue a heavy cotton strap along the keel line of the canvas 'boot'. The canvas used to fabricate the boot was 'wet finish', which means that it feels greasy when you touch it, and a dozen different adhesives that I tried would NOT bond to it. However, Aquaseal DOES bond to both of those fabrics very strongly. Once it has set you will not get it off again, which means that if there is a spill, that has to be cleaned off quickly before it sets. Tom McCloud

 

[Todd Bradshaw]

Aqua Seal may not hold paint very well. I just figure that if it was my boat, my priority would be to patch the hole in the canvas with something that would really stick well, yet be flexible enough to survive any sort of expansion, movement, etc. I could live with a small spot in the paint job if required. Polyester fillers and epoxy resin tend to be rather brittle by comparison and most have pretty poor adhesion because they contain so much inert filler. If I wanted to use a resin product I would use WEST G-Flex.

Larry, I have not tried canvas to canvas with Aqua Seal.

 

[Larry Meyer]

Thanks Tom and Todd. May be just what I am looking for. Flex being the key requirement. I used Bondo on a tear once (I recall recommended in Rollin's book?) and it failed completely due in poor flex.

 

[Canoeal]

smooth the inside tape over the hole from the inside with duck tape or plastic packaging tape. Fill the hole from the out side with a mix of epoxy and sanding dust. tape the outside to smooth out the hole and epoxy. when dry pull the tape, sand and toucch up the paint. Really guys it is that simple...

 

[Fitz]

I agree with Canoal. Since I can't find ambroid anymore, I patch with a piece of canvas slipped under the hole in the canvas and then fill the hole with thickened epoxy, tape it with packing tape until it cures, sand, (wash any blush), and paint.

Larry - this might work in your situation too. I think epoxy would glue canvas to canvas just fine. I thicken it so that it doesn't penetrate too far and glue the canvas to the wood.

Fitz.

 

[samb]

Are people suggesting I get tape flat onto the inside of a 1/8"hole? that's like keyhole surgery isn't it?
I can see the idea and would go for it if the hole was bigger. As it is, I'd have to enlarge the hole to get tape in, making the damage worse than it already is, so needing more repair.
My thoughts at present are
1: to fix the planking inside the boat
2: to find a flexible, waterproof glue to squeeze through the hole and probably glue the canvas to the planking
3: to find a flexible filler than can be painted and will be able to be blended with the existing finish.

Sam

 

[dtdcanoes]

SAM, I am reminded of the time I was not careful enough when I set to stretching and tacking up a new canvas. I discovered some cotton strands at the stern under the canvas and just about in the middle of the area...very ouchy revelation. They do not compress even with authoritative hammer work, and so, vut to do ? My wife gave the bumps a Rollin " stand and stare " and went up stairs , returning with her grandma's crochet needles. She handed me the one with the smallest end and advised to be patient , slip between the warp and weft, capture the buggers and withdraw with the prize. It worked....and she was not surprised it did. So, Sam cut a piece of your choice larger than the hole, fold it, and yes, do the cataract lens surgery, fill it, paint it and go paddle. Have fun . Dave

 

[samb]

Laparoscopic surgery is on the list of possibles then. Perhaps there'll be a new career as a surgeon following success?

Sam

 

[Jan Bloom]

Slap some duct tape on it and do not worry. I paddle all the time with a taped up 30 inch slit from something sharp. I am going to get full use out of that canvas, summer or winter.

 

[samb]

Slap some duct tape on it and do not worry. I paddle all the time with a taped up 30 inch slit from something sharp. I am going to get full use out of that canvas, summer or winter.

Thanks Jan - That's how it is now and will probably remain until summer.

Sam