Shrunken Canvas

[i2canoe]

I am new to this forum and love paddling.
Hopefully I can find some advise for the care of my canoe.
It is a Nominingue 16ft Cedar canoe that was restored and re-canvased in 2007. I find that the canvas has shrunk and pulled away from the gunnels. Ultimately I believe the canoe will need be re-canvesed again but I am wondering if it would be feasible to seal the separation, maybe with epoxy or a small strip of fibreglass and epoxy for the summer and delay proper repair until the fall.

 

[Craig Johnson]

If you just want to use it for the season slap some good duct tape on it. if you want to get a little fancier pull off the gunwales, add a strip of duct tape along top edge up to the origional height of the canvas, then put the gunwale back on securing the top edge of the duct tape. Dont use epoxey or fiberglass or you will be sorry when you get around to new canvas. when you do recanvas get a good seal between the gunwale and canvas and then bring the paint over the joint on to the bottom of the gunwale to seal the joint. Dont leave the canoe on your truck ,outside in the rain for weeks at a time and maintain that joint each winter (experiance speeking).Have fun.

 

[i2canoe]

Thanks Craig, Just the answer I was looking for . . . duct tape was my first choice, just thought the epoxy would be stronger, without thinking or the later removal. . . will also watch to keep a tight seal between the gunnel and canvas

 

[Andre Cloutier]

Thanks Craig, Just the answer I was looking for . . . duct tape was my first choice, just thought the epoxy would be stronger, without thinking or the later removal. . . will also watch to keep a tight seal between the gunnel and canvas

Happily, they now make 100mph tape in many colours, making an aesthetically pleasing repair possible. You can hardly notice this one at all..
We even dared some Norumbegas to take it out in Georgian Bay, but it they laughed at our challenge - not high risk enough for them to even think of a PFD, so good was our repair.

 

[Gil Cramer]

If you want to use it longer than this summer, you can fasten a small piece of molding under the gunwale to hold the canvas in place. If the canoe has a lot of upsweep in the ends small pieces might need to be used in that area. Kennebec, at times, sent canoes from the factory with similar molding under the gunwale.

 

[woodfyr]

Don't believe the canvas shrunk. Most likely the canoe was covered when the canoe was very dry (as in a heated or overheated environment). When brought outside and/or put overboard, the wood absorbed moisture and swelled. The stretched canvas can not expand and-----