Advice on wooden canoe repair

[tanner1919]

I have an older (at least pre 1970) wooden canoe that I inherited from a relative in Bangor, ME. I would like to repair the hull but I am not sure of the best way to go about doing so. I believe that the material is canvas with a resin coating with paint over the top. What is the best way to repair the bare spots? Should I re-resin? Complete re-paint? Touch up paint? This is a gorgeous canoe that was loved and used, I want to do it right. Any help on techniques and materials (resin, paint) would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[Rod Tait]

I would start with a few good books on building and repairing cedar canvass canoes. As for coatings, there should only be a sealer coat under the paint, unless someone has put resin over the canvass. Wooden boat has a few listed in their store.

[nedL]

As great as this web site is, if you want the best information on wood and canvas canoes go to the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) web site. You will get the best step by step information available anywhere there.

[Fitz]

The WCHA forum was down for some time, but the great voluteers have rebuilt it and the forum is back.

http://forums.wcha.org/index.php?

It is hard to say from your picture and your "resin" description. Usually, the weave of the canvas was traditionally filled with a mixture of paint, silica, linseed oil, etc. that resulted in a hard durable surface on the canvas that was painted. Some later builders experimented with something like rubber impregnated canvas, some were fiberglassed.

Usually canvas of this age is ready for replacement. It is not really that difficult to do.

If you can, take some better pictures of the entire canoe and post on the WCHA. It would also be helpful if you know who the manufacturer/builder was.

The WCHA folks will be glad to help.

[Kevin G]

A fairly common repair is to use a canvas patch with Ambroid Glue, however, a complete recanvas is not difficuelt, even with just one pair of hands.
"The Wood & Canvas Canoe" by Jerry Stelmok and Rollin Thurlow is a great resource and is usually available at Barnes and Noble or its competitor (can't remember name right now).

Complete instructions for recanvas are in there with good pixx.

KMG