What comes first?

[danherbert]

I am restoring what I beleive to be an OT probably close to 100 years. I have discovered that the canoe was restored once before many years ago. I think the bow and stern decks were replaced in the last restoration and cannot find a serial number anywhere which does not matter much to me.

I removed the canvas last summer, and began stripping the old black crusty varnish. I have been sanding the ribs and planks on the inside for what seems like an eternity, and I am almost ready to begin varnishing the interior. I have a friend of a friend who is apparently very good at applying new canvas and will take the canoe to him when it is ready. My question is:

Should I varnish the inside of the canoe before or after the canvas is installed? If I varnish before the canvas, should I apply masking tape to outside hull along the spaces between the planks to avoid having varnish drip and harden on the outside?

Many thanks,

Dan

 

[dugkim]

Great Question!

I also would like a rule-of-thumb outline of the steps too. The question is about the varnish and canvas, but I wonder if someone could just lay out the milestones of the entire process? What's first, second...last?

 

[pat chapman]

First, if you don't already have one or both of the following books, get them. They are the best investments regarding wood/canvas canoes you'll make, and they'll answer most of your questions about restoring or building these craft:

The Wood and Canvas Canoe by Stelmok and Thurlow
Building the Maine Guide Canoe by Stelmok

Second, a quick cruise of this forum will show that there is a wide range of opinions about how to do any of the steps involved in building canoes, so take mine as only one of many possibilities. I'm sure you'll hear others.

I always varnish before installing the canvas. Unless the gaps between the planks are very tight, varnish will dribble between the planks and wick into the canvas. When I've varnished with the canvas on, I've been able to see those areas on the outside of the canoe, even after painting. It seemed to be more obvious when the canoes warmed up sitting in the sun on a hot day. With the canvas off, you'll still get varnish dribbling between the planks and hardening on the outside of the hull, but it's easily removed with a scraper or sandpaper prior to canvassing.

If you're not replacing the canvas you don't have any choice, so use good brushing techniques to avoid slopping on tons of varnish.

An added benefit of varnishing first is that the first coat of varnish will invariably show one or more cracked ribs or planking that just weren't obvious until you varnished. You'll be able to repair or replace the damage with only minor aggrevation, but if the canvas is on, you're stuck!

 

[MikeCav]

I agree with the varnish first approach, especially when the possibility of rib repair is considered. On most old boats, the planking has shrunk, leaving wide gaps to allow the varnish to pool and soak into the canvas.

You sure that is an OT?

 

[danherbert]

OT or not OT? That is the question.

I agree with the varnish first approach, especially when the possibility of rib repair is considered. On most old boats, the planking has shrunk, leaving wide gaps to allow the varnish to pool and soak into the canvas.

You sure that is an OT?

Mike;

Many thanks for your reply. No... I'm not sure its an Old Town. I was told by the previous owner that the canoe is an Old Town. He acquired the canoe after his grandfather's death and was told that his grandfather purchased it as a second hand OT. As I indicated in my orginal post, I beleive it to be an OT but have no way of confirming it. The canoe was previously restored at some point and I cannot find a serial number anywhere. If you have some ideas about what kind of canoe it is from the photo, I'd like to know. Or if you know how to tell that it is NOT an OT, I'm interested as well. It really doesn't matter to me wheather it's an OT or not... but I'd like some clue as to it's origin.

Many thanks,

Dan

 

[Benson Gray]

The deck style, lack of a serial number, and general hull shape all indicate that this is probably not an Old Town. You may want to spend some time in the Wood Canoe Identification Guide at http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/id/ to see if you can identify it based on any other unique characteristics. Good luck,

Benson