Rowboat

[Tony Denton]

I am working on a very interesting double ended rowboat, 15' long and built like a chubby canoe. It has an i.d. ZLD 111280582 but no maker's name, and is probably Canadian because of the Robertson screws.
The beam is 43 and a half inches, depth 17, the gunwales are 1" square ash and the planks are white cedar and quite thin, maybe 5/32".
This is a well made boat which raises some interesting questions about using ash. It has obviously been left lying on the ground, and there is rot in the ash which seems to have worked from the inside of the inwales. They look good from the outside but you can poke a finger into them, and when cut off the pieces are extraordinarily light.
The recanvassing/restoration is in the early stages and I should have a better idea of this boat later, and in the meantime would be interested to find out who made it.

 

[Dick Persson]

Hello Tony,

The canoe/boat you are working on was built by Langford Canoe & Wood Working, probably in 1985. This is company seems to have closed 1995. It sounds like an interesting reno-object.
By the way, thanks so much for your help with the delivery to the museum in the early summer.

Cheers
Dick Persson

 

[Tony Denton]

Hi Dick,
Thanks for the info, also the comments. More questions arise:-
1. The Langford website describes all products as having a stamp with a beaver logo. There is nothing like that on this boat, so perhaps the beaver came later?
2. The serial number which you identified so quickly is a little ambiguous in that the first 8 is overlaid with a 7, or maybe the 8 is on the 7, hard to tell and maybe it is not relevant.
3. This boat was exceptionally well faired when built, completely smooth including the tack heads which clearly were sanded and flush. Now, the heads are slightly proud of the surface, and I wonder if the usual linseed oil treatment will swell the wood and make them flush again.
4. The ash at the stems and gunwales was rotten, as described. After cutting the joints to splice the gunwales, I wonder if I should soak the cut ends with wood preservative, or would the epoxy joint be weakened?
5. On every canoe that I have ever worked on, the maker had used brass fastenings wherever they were visible, but ferrous ones if they were hidden. Why, when the cost difference cannot be great and the long term effect so detrimental?

Cheers, Tony

 

[Dick Persson]

Hi again Tony,

I don’t know when the company started using the Beaver logo.

A search of the Langford name actually returns many variations on the name over the last 65 years. The three latest being; Langford Canoe Co, 1973 – 2004, Langford Canoe & Woodworking, 1978 – 1995 and Langford Canoe Company 1988 – Present. I suspect they are one and the same company.

A re-clinching of the tacks and an oil treatment should be sufficient.

Glue the joint with epoxy, sand smooth and varnish well on all sides.
Cheers
Dick Persson

 

[Dan Miller]

3. Now, the heads are slightly proud of the surface, and I wonder if the usual linseed oil treatment will swell the wood and make them flush again.

This is one of the reasons you reclinch the hull. Water causes wood to swell, not sure how much, if at all, oil does... I've taken to using old cobbler's hammers for doing canoe work. The heads have a nice mass, and a wide, slightly domed face that really minimizes hammer blossoms.

I wonder if I should soak the cut ends with wood preservative

Dryrot organisms can extend several inches into what appears to be good wood adjacent to affected areas. A little wood preservative can't hurt, but do be sure it is compatible with your epoxy and finishes. Many wood preservatives also have water repellents in the form of silicones. Borates are proving to be effective for helping to prevent rot, are relatively safe for humans and won't interefere with finishes.

brass fastenings wherever they were visible, but ferrous ones if they were hidden. Why, when the cost difference cannot be great and the long term effect so detrimental?

A quick check, using #8 x 1-1/4" slotted flathead screws as an example, shows bronze at $12.41/100, brass at $6.21/100, stainless steel at $10.40/100 and steel at $3.12/100. Prices in US, first three from Jamestown Distributors, last from McMaster-Carr. As you can see, the cost savings really can add up, especially if you are using them in any volume. Also, I don't know for sure, but I would expect the cost differential to be even greater early in canoe building history. Brass was also very hard to get during wartime periods.

Dan

 

[Tony Denton]

Thanks Dan, that is all good info.
The question on tacks was prompted by the fact that I am not used to working with white cedar planking, and hoped it might be different and swell with oiling. I may try a test patch and hope not to have to reclinch the whole boat.
Tony