Repairs to Peterborough Rib canoe

[samb]

On my rib canoe there are three previous repairs, all patched on the inside, two with aluminium and one with copper. The smaller aluminium patch will be replaced with a copper one as I’ll need to remove it anyway because of the wormy stringer that it's nailed to. I haven’t stripped the outside of that one or the copper one yet, so don’t know what is lurking underneath.


This is the big one,

And on the outside after stripping, I find this is the damage it covers.

When I remove the patch, I imagine there will be a hole right through the rib.

The patch is certainly over large and unsightly so I’ll have no problem improving things on the inside, but what about outside?


I have my ideas for how to repair/ improve it but I’d be interested in what others might do. Has anyone done anything similar before?


Thanks

Sam

 

[Gil Cramer]

I most likely would use wood patches with epoxy. The sides of any hole can be cut on an angle to give as much of a gluing surface as possible. Cut the angles so that the water tries to push the patch into the canoe. If the patch crosses a joint, an awl can be used to simulate the joint.

 

[samb]

Thanks Gil, that's exactly what my current thoughts are.

Any one else?

Sam

 

[samb]

 

[Gil Cramer]

Looks good. Some stain on the new wood should make it blend in . A brown permanent marker over the white filled holes will help those blend in ,also.

 

[samb]

Thanks - I'm well practiced with UV resistant art markers: they are alcohol based so they can be put on in between layers of varnish, and if you go too dark, just wipe off with meths on a cloth. There is an amazing colour range available.

Sam

 

[Blott]

Looks like you have got the broken stringers off too? Bet their removal was fun…….not.

Nick

 

[samb]

In parts it was so easy. so wormy and dry that I just looked at them with a slight scowl and they just fell off . . . in other parts I had to swear quite a bit.