What weight canvas?

CParker

Rookie
I am getting dangerously close to the time when I will be adding new canvas to my 16 foot 1940 Old Town Yankee. When completed, the boat will be exclusively for lake use; fishing and/or just cruising around, at least during my lifetime.

I'm concerned about the boat's considerable weight when I took ownership. It was all I could do to get it on and off my truck without beating it (and my truck, and me) up.

Anyway, I am seriously considering using lighter weight canvas to make the boat more manageable.

Will using #12 canvas as opposed to #10 make an appreciable difference in the weight of the finished canoe? Will I be sacrificing too much strength in going with lighter canvas?

Any and all opinions would be greatly appreciated!
 
dangerously close

I think that w/c canoes nowadays are much more gently used and cared for. I would not hesitate to use #12. I use it and like it. As for weight difference-sorry, don't know. I've heard Dacron and cecofil filler is alot less weight. I've no experience with it except I hear it can show tack heads and other minor flaws that would otherwise be hidden under #12.
 
Rollin or Gil can give you actual weight saving in the matl difference. You do, however save weight in the amount of filler it takes to fill the weave. I wouldnt have a problem with #12 as Dave says. It'll just not hide as many "sins", but thats a wood canvas canoe anyhow. You pull all of the ripples out of the planking, only to find more later on after they move around after the first soaking anyhow, right? Dont worry, be happy!:)
 
Oh, by the way, Jack McGreivey made me a 17 foot Racine, and it weighs 57 lbs! He used Dacron and filled it with buterate dope. It's tough as nails and I've had it down rivers and over beaver dams.;)
 
For what it's worth on the weight difference issue, I've built two Chestnut Pals. One is covered in traditional canvas and filler, the other was done with Dacron, cecofil, Zinser 123 primer and Kirby paint. The Dacron canoe weighs in at just about 60 lbs. The canvas one is closer to 75 lbs. I think it's a pretty safe bet that you can save at least 10 lbs with Dacron. As stated above, you have to be extra careful in fairing the hull as lumps and bumps are much more likely to show through the Dacron. I've found the Dacron hull to be perfectly serviceable. If you're looking to save weight, I'd be inclined to go with Dacron as opposed to lighter canvas. IMHO most of the weight is in the canvas filler.
 
What weight canvas

Since this is likely to be the one and only wood/canvas canoe that I will ever own, let alone rebuild, I'm inclined to go with the traditional canvas in the lighter weight, as opposed to the dacron.

Thanks for all the input!
 
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