by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

The blogs I do on the specifications of canoe components for various types of canvas-covered canoes seem to be quite popular.  Apparently, I am the only one out there taking the time to write about this stuff and share it with others on-line.  This time around, I am presenting a restorer’s guide to the Bobs Special from the Chestnut Canoe Company.

This canoe was one of two lightweight pleasure canoes built by Chestnut (the other was an 11’ solo canoe called the Featherweight that weighed about 35 pounds**).  Before I talk about the canoe, I’d like to clarify the name.  According to Roger MacGregor in his book “When the Chestnut was in Flower”, Harry and Will Chestnut were real history buffs.  The telegraph code for the 15’ 50-Lb. Special was BOBS and made reference to Lord Roberts, a major figure during the Second Boer War in South Africa. Over the years, as this wide, light-weight canoe became more difficult to keep under the weight limit of 50 lbs (the average weight was 58 pounds while the carrying capacity was 700 pounds), they changed the name.  I have seen a variety of Chestnut catalogues call it Bob’s Special, Bob Special and Bobs Special.  So, feel free to take your pick.

Archibald Belaney (better known as Grey Owl) standing up in a 50-pound Special canoe (better known as Bobs Special),

If you happen to have a Bobs or have been lucky enough to come across one in need of some TLC, you will notice what a sweet little canoe this is.  It paddles like a dream which is surprising for a canoe that is 37” (94 cm) wide.  Its bottom has a shallow-arch that reduces the waterline width when paddled with a light load.  There is a fair amount of rocker in the ends which adds to its maneuverability.  At the same time, it is not difficult to stand up in a Bobs – making it ideal for fly-fishing or general recreational paddling for a less experienced paddler.

One little note here: I am listing all of the dimensions in inches.  I apologize to all of you who are working in metric.  The canoes were built with imperial measurements originally, so I find it easier and more accurate to stick with this measurement scale.

Inwales –The inwale is a length of White Ash or Douglas Fir 15/16” high with the edge grain visible on the top surface.  It is fashioned to fit the tumblehome present on most Chestnut canoes.  Therefore, the top surface is 9/16” wide while the bottom width is 11/16”.  The last 18” or so at each end is tapered down to about ½” wide (top and bottom) along the sides of the decks.  All of the transverse components (centre thwart and seats) are attached to the inwales with 10-24 (3/16”) galvanized steel carriage bolts.  I replace these with 10-24 silicon-bronze carriage bolts.

The gunwales (both inwales and outwales) are pre-bent about 18” from the ends.  If you are replacing these components, the wood will have to be soaked, heated and bent onto forms in order to get a proper fit.

Outwales – The outwales are also made of White Ash or Douglas Fir.  Depending on when the canoe was built, the outwales may have a chamfered edge on the bottom of the outside surface.  Water often gets trapped under the outwales and results in rot on the inside surface.  Therefore, I usually end up replacing this component.  Prior to installation, I seal the wood on all surfaces with a couple of coats of spar varnish.

Decks – The decks the Bobs Special were made of hardwood – usually maple, ash or oak.  Sometimes, they used mahogany to help reduce the overall weight.  By the time you start restoring your canoe, the decks are often rotted along with the stem-tops and inwale-ends.  They are attached to the inwales with six 1¾” #8 bronze wood screws.  As with the outwales, I help prevent future rot by sealing the decks on all surfaces with a couple of coats of spar varnish.  The deck extends about 18” into the canoe from the end.

Stem-Top – You will rarely if ever have to replace the entire stem.  However, I rarely see an original stem-top that is not partially or completely rotted away.  Because the top 6” or so of the stem is straight, you can usually make the repair without having to pre-bend the wood to fit the original stem-profile.

Keel – The Bob Special had a regular keel installed.  Use a piece of hardwood (the original was ash) and taper each end to 3/8” wide.  The overall length is about 13’.  It will accept the brass stem-band which is 3/8” wide.

Ribs – The Bobs Special was constructed with so-called “regular” ribs (2-3/8” wide) that were ¼” thick instead of the normal 3/8”.  They create a light-weight canoe but are not as robust as the regular ribs.  You will probably encounter several broken ribs in your canoe restoration.

The edges of the ribs are chamfered in most Bobs Specials.  Replicate the angles found in your canoe.  Often, the edge closest to the centre of the canoe has tapered ends (11° chamfer) while the edge closest to one end of the canoe is chamfered about 25°.

Planking – The planking in Chestnut Canoes was made of either Eastern White Cedar or Western Red Cedar.   Although the planks started out at 5/32” thick, you will probably be shaving replacement planks down to match the original planks.  Again, this results in a lighter, less robust canoe.  You will probablly encounter many broken planks in your canoe.

Seats – The seat frames are made of ¾” ash that is 1½” wide.  Both seats are suspended under the inwales with 10-24 carriage bolts and held in position with 5/8” hardwood dowel.  The rear stern seat dowels are 1¾” long while the front dowels are ¾” long.  All of the bow seat dowels are ¾” long.  The forward edge of the bow seat is about 51½” from the bow-end of the canoe while the forward edge of the stern seat is about 39½” from the stern-end of the canoe.

Centre Thwart – The thwart is made of ¾” ash that is 2½” wide.  It tapers from the centre to create handle grips on either side that are 2” wide.  They were attached directly under the inwales with galvanized steel 10-24 carriage bolts.  As with every component in the canoe, I seal the entire thwart with a couple of coats of spar varnish prior to installation.

** If you are interested in owning an 11’ Chestnut Featherweight, give me a call toll free 1-855-KRCANOE (1-855-572-2663) or e-mail me artisan@canoeshop.ca .  I don’t buy or sell canoes.   Instead, I focus on the restoration.  For this canoe, you pay the current owner $1,000 to transfer ownership from him to you.  Then the canoe comes to KRC for a full restoration costing (in this case) $2,900 plus taxes.  Since it is your canoe, you have complete control over all aspects of the restoration (colour, etc).

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

For those of you new to this blog and have not heard me on this topic, let me be as clear as I can be: To anyone thinking about applying fiberglass to a wood-canvas canoe, I say, “DON’T DO IT!”  To anyone wanting to remove fiberglass from a wood-canvas canoe, the short answer is: HEAT.

Wood-canvas canoes are a product of a by-gone era; a time before planned obsolescence when things were built with the long term interests of the consumer in mind.  The whole idea of building a canoe with wood and canvas was to have a vessel that lives and breathes.  These canoes are part of the natural environment they work in.  They are held together with tacks and screws – no glue.  The wood flexes and moves with the water around it.  When part of the canoe breaks or rots, it can be repaired or replaced with comparative ease because it is designed to be taken apart.

It has been about forty years since these canoes were the standard in the marketplace.  Not only has the technology of wooden canoe repair faded into obscurity, but the mindset of both manufacturers and consumers has also changed.  Synthetic materials are now generally seen as better – easier, tougher and longer lasting.  The consumer has been convinced that the new materials can improve that which is outdated or at least maintain it quickly and easily.

In the fall of 2002, I was building my business plan for Kettle River Canoes through programs delivered by the local branch of the Community Futures Development Corporation here in British Columbia.  As part of the program, they assigned me a marketing consultant to assist with my plans.  The consultant asked me about the “turn-around time” for the products and services offered by my proposed company.  When I told him that the canvas usually lasts about thirty years (over forty years if well-cared for), I thought his heart was going to stop.  I then explained to him that once a new canvas is stretched onto the canoe and filled, the filler has to dry for a month before the canvas can be painted.  At this point, he just shook his head in disbelief, “That just doesn’t make sense from a business perspective.  Why don’t you just cover the canoe with fiberglass?  You could have the job done in a day.”

When it comes right down to it, wooden canoes and fiberglass just don’t mix.  Since the ribs and planking are held together with tacks, they flex and move naturally.  Over the years, the tacks tend to work loose and eventually have to be either re-clinched or replaced. Conversely, fiberglass resin is rigid.  Once applied, it tends to resist any movement.  The combination of a flexible hull and a rigid outside layer results in cracked or delaminated resin.  The tacks can also wear against the resin from the inside to the point where they come right through the resin.  It can take as little as ten months or as much as ten years.  At some point though, the fiberglass has to come off.  And it is then that the real problem with fiberglass on a wood canoe comes to light.  All of that synthetic resin has to be removed.  It is a long, painstaking process that usually has you cursing the person that put the stuff on in the first place. The moral of the story is: Avoid applying fiberglass to the hull of a wood-canvas canoe.  Learn how to re-canvas the canoe or find a professional to do it for you.

This leads us into the next question: How do you remove fiberglass from a wood-canvas canoe?  All you require is a professional-grade heat-gun, a 2” putty knife, a pair of pliers, safety equipment (work gloves, safety glasses and a respirator mask) and lots of patience.  The first step is to move the canoe into a well ventilated work space – preferably outdoors.  Then start at an edge of the canoe and apply heat to the resin.

At this point it is important to note that fiberglass resins come in two basic types – polyester and epoxy.  Polyester resins were the first to be developed.  If your canoe had fiberglass applied to it in the 1970’s or earlier, you can bet that polyester resins were used.  They tend to become brittle and deteriorate rapidly, so if the fiberglass on your canoe is delaminating it is most likely that you are dealing with a polyester resin.  Fortunately, this makes the removal of the fiberglass relatively quick and easy.  In many cases, the cloth can be ripped off by hand with very little need for heat.  When I say rip, please be gentle.  If you get carried away and pull at the fiberglass cloth too rapidly, you could end up tearing sizeable chunks of planking off the canoe as well (I speak from first-hand experience).

Epoxy resins hit the market in a big way in the 1980’s and are the standard today.  They are applied by first mixing a hardener with a resin in a two-part formula.  What results is a strong, tough plastic that bonds very well to wood.  Unfortunately, this means that the removal process is arduous and painstaking.

As mentioned earlier, start at an edge of the canoe and apply heat to the resin.  If you are dealing with epoxy resin, you will probably have to apply the heat for several minutes before the cloth begins to respond to your attempts to lift it with the putty knife.  At some point, it does let go and the fiberglass cloth can be separated from the canoe.  Then move a few centimeters and continue the process.  Again, polyester resins let go fairly quickly.  You will find that large sheets of cloth come off in fairly short order.  I usually grab the cloth with a pair of pliers rather than with my hand.  Even with work gloves on, the pliers prevent nasty encounters with heat and/or sharp edges of fiberglass (again, this is the voice of experience talking).  If you are dealing with epoxy resin, be prepared to settle into hours of tedious work as the cloth is lifted one square centimeter at a time.  It took me 17 hours to remove the fiberglass cloth from one 16’ Chestnut Pal.  There was a double layer of fiberglass cloth on the bottom of the canoe.

Once you are back to the bare wood, the restoration is like that of any other wood-canvas canoe.  So, enjoy the pleasures of life in the slow lane, stay away from fiberglass and celebrate the fact that you have a wood-canvas canoe.

Many people complement me on the great fiberglass job on my canoes. They are shocked to learn that the canoes are covered with painted canvas.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

A Zen Master and his student were walking together across a bridge when the student asked, “Master, What is Zen?”  Before the student had a chance to react, the Zen Master picked him up and threw him off the bridge into the river below.

Zen is the moment – right here, right now.  Zen Masters have written thousands of books in an attempt to explain the unexplainable.  As the student hurtled through the air towards the water in the river, he was totally consumed in the moment.  No past – No future – Just now.

So, what does this have to do with wooden canoes?  I have found that a successful canoe restoration demands a mind and body that work together in the present moment.  As soon as I rush things, I make mistakes and have to start all over again.  As soon as I think of myself as the expert, I find something I’ve never come across before.  As soon as I think the task is simple, I get bogged down in complex problems.  As soon as I obsess over technical aspects and try to think my way through them, everything grinds to a halt in a mass of frustration.  And the more I try to get out of my head and get back to “the moment”, the worse the frustrations become.

For me, a canoe restoration it is an opportunity to immerse myself in the moment – now and now and now and now.  When I succeed, the hammer drives the tacks straight into the wood – almost by itself.  The hot, steamed wood bends to hug the canoe in a warm embrace.  The work flows and I lose track of time.

However, as soon as I try to take credit for the accomplishment or repeat the masterful actions of the past, everything goes wrong.  I bend a new rib over the canoe only to find that it is upside-down and has to be thrown away.  The air of the shop is filled with my not-so-quiet curses.

In those moments, I endeavor to see the cloud of frustration as a gift.  Sometimes at least, I am able to catch myself and laugh at the situation and – with any luck – laugh at my approach to it.  I take a deep breath and shake my head.  Instead of trying to change the situation, I revel in the fact that I am feeling frustrated.  I practice learning how to stay with the day where nothing seems to be going my way.  When I succeed in taking the day – and myself – for what it is, things tend to turn around.  Paradoxically, as soon as I try to hold onto my feelings of frustration they vanish and the rest of the day tends to flow a little more smoothly.

Perfection is Impossible

When it comes right down to it, you are not working on your old wooden canoe, you are working with it. You and your canoe are active partners in search of a successful conclusion.  You must listen to your canoe and accept its strengths and limitations. There will be times when you want one thing and your canoe simply has something else in mind.  You must be prepared for times when things don’t go as planned.  The fact is, when things work out the first time, it will be the exception rather than the rule.

The minute you try to force the issue, your canoe will remind you who is in charge.  Let your mind wander and your canoe will shake you back to reality.  Think for a moment that you know what you are doing and your canoe will show you otherwise.

Mistakes are the engine of learning and mastery.  Indeed, in order to allow your body to learn anything, you must give it permission to screw up.  However, you are starting down a particularly challenging path.  A friend of mine, a master carpenter with 25 years of experience, ran from the room five hours into a canoe restoration and wished me luck on my crazy adventure.

Your canoe may have been made in a factory as one of thousands in the production line.  However, after four or five decades, it is unique.  The lines are no longer completely fair.  The wood is no longer smooth and even.  Abraham Lincoln said, “Every man over forty is responsible for his own face.”  So too, the life of your canoe is written in every crack and warp in its venerable hull.

I use a lot of photographs to illustrate the techniques I describe in my articles.  Bear in mind, that I have the luxury of selection.  If I were to illustrate the mistakes as well as the successes, the articles would be at least twenty times as long.

My hope is that by presenting some of my successes and alerting you to some of the pitfalls, your canoe restoration will be rewarding, enjoyable and successful.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

While repairing your wood-canvas canoe, you may come across some ribs that are perfectly good except for a small portion attached to the inwale.  Rather than replacing the ribs, it is possible to repair the rib-tops.

First of all, you need access to a substantial portion of the damaged ribs in order to do the repair.  Remove the planking along the sheer line to expose all of the damaged rib-tops.  Identify each piece of planking as it comes off since you may be able to replace the original pieces once the repairs are completed.

Now, machine new cedar to replace the damaged rib-tops.  Sometimes the rib-tops are tapered, so make sure each replacement piece is cut and shaped to match the original wood.

Cut the rotted top off the rib to be repaired.  I use a Japanese utility saw with 14 teeth per inch.

Create a scarf angle in the original rib.  For a solid scarf joint, the glued surface ought to be at least six times that of the rib thickness.  Therefore, ribs 3/8” thick have a scarf angle with a surface area approximately 2¼” long.  You can use a rasp to make the scarf.  I use a 4” angle grinder that is set up with a 24-grit sandpaper disc.  It makes quick work of the job – perhaps too quick, so careful attention and a light touch are needed.

Line up the new wood with the original rib and mark the location of the matching scarf.

Create the matching scarf in the new cedar.

Glue the new wood to the original rib and clamp it in place with spring clamps.  I use either a water-proof resorcinol glue (such as Weldwood or Dural) or a polyurethane glue (such as Gorilla Glue).  The resorcinol glues are water-based which makes clean-up a breeze.  After clamping the new piece in place, wipe away any excess glue with a damp rag.  When dry, it sands easily and blends well with the wood.  Polyurethane glue sets more quickly, sands easily once cured and creates a very strong bond.  Lacquer Thinner is used to clean up polyurethane glues.  I use these two glues interchangeably.

The repaired rib-top is fairly rough at first.

However, a quick sanding evens out the joint and creates a clean repair.

Attach the rib-top to the inwale (I use 7/8” 14-gauge bronze ring nails, copper canoe nails or brass canoe tacks) and trim the rib-top flush with the top edge of the inwale.

When faced with rib-top repairs next to each other, it is easiest to do every second rib-top to avoid clamping difficulties.  Therefore, it takes a couple of days to complete all of the repairs.

If most of the rib-tops in your canoe are rotted, it is still possible to repair the ribs rather than replace every rib in the canoe.  Since every rib will be cut, the original sheer-line will be lost.  Therefore, the first step is to establish a reference line for the sheer-line.  Go around the canoe with a carpenter’s pencil and mark a position 5” below the top of each rib.  Where the entire top of the rib has rotted away, skip to the next rib and mark the reference point there.  This will give you enough reference points to create a fair line the full length of the canoe.  Now, tack a spruce batten (approximately ¼” x ¾” x 16’) at the reference points to create a fair reference line.

As mentioned before, every second rib will be repaired.  Unless you have hundreds of 3” spring clamps, it will take a week or two to splice new wood into every rib.  Once done, mark each new rib-top 5” above the reference line and cut every rib to re-create the original sheer-line of the canoe.

Reattach the original planking and replace damaged planking with new cedar.  Stain the new wood to match wood in the rest of the canoe.

The finished product is strong and solid.  Many of the rib-tops repairs extend less than an inch below the inwales, so it was difficult to realize that they had been replaced.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

Without a doubt, the most horrible job in the restoration of a wood-canvas canoe is the process of stripping the old varnish from the interior.  It is messy, stinky, agonizing work that takes forever and cannot be rushed.  Truly, the only positive thing to be said about stripping varnish is that as long as you keep going, the job will end.

However, it is not always necessary to strip the old varnish.  If the interior varnish is in good shape – not peeling, cracked or gone altogether – you can simply clean the interior with TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) and rough up the surface of the varnish with fine steel wool.  After vacuuming the interior and removing any residual dust and débris with a tack cloth, you are ready to apply new varnish.  In my experience, if the varnish is stripped with chemicals, the canvas has to be replaced as well.  As a result, one big job leads to another.  That is why many people opt for simply cleaning the interior and applying new varnish to whatever is still there.

If, as is often the case, the interior varnish is peeling away, breaking apart or gone completely, the varnish has to come off in order to rebuild the interior finish from the ground up.  Sometimes, the varnish is peeling so much that it comes off with a combination of a paint scraper, coarse steel wool and a lot of elbow grease.  I have tried sanders and “sandpaper stripping wheels” powered by a variable-speed drill, but soon gave them up when I saw that I was removing just as much wood as varnish.

When it comes right down to it, the best way to remove all of the old varnish (and still have the original ribs and planking left intact) is to apply chemical strippers. I strip the old varnish before removing the old canvas.  This way, the chemicals tend to stay inside the canoe.  They soak into the old canvas and lift the filler and paint from the canvas, so unless you are extremely careful with the chemicals, you cannot strip the interior varnish without then putting a new canvas on the canoe.

I have heard of some people using a pressure washer to remove the chemicals from the hull once they have done their job.  This would work well as long as the nozzle is wide enough to reduce the pressure to avoid ripping the planking apart.  One downside I see to removing the chemicals with a pressure washer is that the work is usually done outside, often in your backyard.  Consequently, all those nasty chemicals end up on the ground and (probably) in the water-table.  At the very least, you succeed in killing the grass in that corner of the backyard.

When stripping varnish, the first step is to protect yourself from all those nasty chemicals.  The commercial products usually contain dichloromethane (commonly used as a propellant in aerosol cans) and methanol (wood alcohol).  Sometimes toluene (lacquer thinner) rounds out the mix.  Besides long sleeves, long pants and an apron or coveralls, be sure to wear gloves (heavy-duty latex/neoprene), a respirator and eye protection.  Have lots of water close at hand to wash off any stripper that contacts your skin.

It is essential to maintain a wetted surface when using varnish strippers.  It evaporates quickly, so be sure to use lots of this stuff and do the canoe in small sections.  I usually divide the job into four quarters of the canoe.  Once the stripper has been poured onto a section of the canoe, use a sturdy scrub-brush (natural bristles) to spread the chemicals around and ensure that they get into every corner and let it work on the old varnish for about 20 minutes.  When it turns dark brown and becomes thick, you know it is working.

Use a scrub brush and a scraper to remove the stripper.

Any stripper remaining in the canoe can be cleaned out with TSP mixed in a pail of water.  Use a scrub brush, a scraper and/or steel wool to ensure that remaining stripper is removed from all of the nooks and crannies.  Once the hull interior has dried, I go over the wood again with medium or fine steel wool to remove the last of the TSP and/or chemical stripper residue.  Then, vacuum the interior to remove the dust and steel wool fragments to finish the job.

This takes as long as it takes – no short cuts.  As with almost everything in life, if you don’t do a good job on the foundation work, it just creates problems later on.  As much as I want this job to be done as quickly as possible, there is no way to speed it up.  It takes time to do a thorough job.  Right now, I am project manager for the restoration of three 30′ C-15 Racing War Canoes from the 1940’s in Penticton, BC.  A crew of six people took five weeks and four times through the canoes with those nasty chemicals to remove all of the old varnish.  They are happy to see the end of that job.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

If you are preparing to restore your wood-canvas canoe – especially in Canada – you are often looking at a canoe built by the Chestnut Canoe Company based in New Brunswick from 1897 to 1978.  Of the many models produced over the years, the 16′ Pleasure Canoe was one of their best sellers.  It had a variety of names and the hull shape changed as well over the course of eighty years.  However, this canoe is most commonly referred to as the Chestnut Pal.

The dimensions of the components that make up the Pal are often the same as those found in many other Chestnut (and Peterborough) canoe models – including the famous Chestnut Prospector.  As a result, if you have these dimensions, you can use them to restore about thirty different canoe models.  So, here is a restorer’s guide to the Chestnut Pal.

This Chestnut pleasure canoe is from around 1952. The telegraph code was Ajax. It was 16′ LOA and had a 34″ beam.

The 16’ Pleasure Canoe from the Chestnut Canoe Company had a number of incarnations over the years.  From the early 1900’s until 1953 it had a 34” beam, its ribs were 1.5” wide and was called the Ajax.  Then the beam was widened to 36” and it was called either the Pal (1954 – 1978) or the Deer (1965 – 1978).  Through the later years, the ribs were either 1.5” wide or 2-3/8” wide.

 One little note here: I am listing all of the dimensions in inches.  I apologize to all of you who are working in metric.  The canoes were built with imperial measurements originally, so I find it easier and more accurate to stick with this measurement scale.

Inwales –The inwale is a length of ash 15/16” high.  It is fashioned to fit the tumblehome present on most Chestnut canoes.  Therefore, the top surface is ¾” wide while the bottom width is 7/8”.  The last 15” or so at each end is tapered down to about 5/8” wide along the sides of the decks.  All of the transverse components (thwarts and seats are attached to the inwales with 10-24 (3/16”) galvanized steel carriage bolts.  I replace these with 10-24 silicon-bronze carriage bolts.

Outwales – The outwales are also made of ash.  Depending on when the canoe was built, the outwales may have a chamfered edge on the bottom of the outside surface.  Water often gets trapped under the outwales and results in rot on the inside surface.  Therefore, I usually end up replacing this component and I make sure I seal all of the surfaces with shellac and varnish before installing the outwales.  The sheer-line of Chestnut and Peterborough Pleasure Canoes turns up sharply about 18” from the end.  As a result, it is necessary to soak, heat and pre-bent new inwales and outwales over custom-built forms to make the ash fit without breaking.

It is also worth noting that both the inwales and outwales were very often made by joining two pieces together with a 9″ scarf joint to create the full length Ash required.  Apparently, it was difficult to get full length Ash even in the 1960′s.

Decks – The decks were made of hardwood – usually maple, ash or oak.  By the time you start restoring your canoe, the decks are often rotted along with the stem-tops and inwale-ends.  They are attached to the inwales with six 2” #8 bronze wood screws.  The deck extends about 15” into the canoe from the end.

Stem-Top – You will rarely if ever have to replace the entire stem.  However, I rarely see an original stem-top that is not partially or completely rotted away.  Because the top 6” or so of the stem is straight, you can usually make the repair without having to pre-bend the wood to fit the original stem-profile.

Keel – If you want to keep the shoe keel as part of the canoe, it is a simple piece to make.  Use a piece of hardwood (the original was ash) and taper each end to 3/8” wide.  The overall length is about 14’.  It will accept the brass stem-band which is 3/8” wide.

Ribs – There were typically two styles of ribs used in Chestnut Pleasure Canoes.  Depending on the age and model, the ribs were either “narrow” slats 3/8” thick and 1½” wide or so-called “regular” ribs that were 3/8” thick and 2-3/8” wide.

The edges of the narrow ribs are chamfered 18° on both sides with the top corners rounded off slightly.  The edge of the regular rib closest to the centre of the canoe has tapered ends (11° chamfer) while the edge closest to one end of the canoe is chamfered about 30°.  The chamfer angles varied over the years, so you will have to use the original ribs in your canoe as templates.  There are 2” spaces between the regular ribs and 1½″ spaces between the narrow ribs.

Planking – The planking in Chestnut Canoes was made of either Eastern White Cedar or Western Red Cedar.  They started out being 5/32″ thick, but were often sanded down from there.  I often have to pass new planking through the thickness planer to match the thickness of the original planks.

Seats – The seat frames are made of ¾” hardwood (ash, oak or maple) 1½” wide and hand-caned seats.  Both seats are suspended under the inwales with 10-24 carriage bolts and held in position with 5/8” hardwood dowel.  The rear stern seat dowels are 1¾” long while the front dowels are ¾” long.  All of the bow seat dowels are ¾” long.  Again, this varied over the years.  When re-installing seats, I tend to use 1¾” spacers for the bow seat.  The stern spacers are then 1¾” and 2¾”.  This adds a noticeable degree of stability to the canoe.  The forward edge of the bow seat is 58” from the bow-end of the canoe while the forward edge of the stern seat is 38½” from the stern-end of the canoe.

Thwarts – The thwarts are made of ¾” hardwood (ash, oak or maple) that is 2½” wide.  They taper from the centre to create handle grips on either side that are 2” wide.  They were attached directly under the inwales with galvanized steel 10-24 carriage bolts.  The stern-quarter thwart is positioned 67” from the stern-end of the canoe while the centre thwart is positioned 96” from both ends.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

A Chestnut Bobs Special wood-canvas canoe is available “for adoption”.  $4,500 to get it restored to your specifications.  Let me provide some background information on the adoption process as well as the canoe itself.

The Canoe Adoption Program – Since the beginning of Kettle River Canoes in 2003, I wanted to focus entirely on the restoration of wood-canvas canoes.  At the same time, there are people looking to purchase a fully restored canoe.  I wanted to meet this need without having to maintain and store an inventory of restored canoes.  What emerged is the Canoe Adoption Program.  Here is how it works:

1. I am contacted regularly by people who have an old canoe and can no longer use it. In this case, a man in Grand Forks, BC has a Chestnut Bobs Special that was built around 1960. It is his canoe and will keep it until someone agrees to adopt it.
2. If you want this canoe, contact me (email: artisan@canoeshop.ca or phone toll free 1-855-572-2663; 1-855-KRCANOE).
3. The first step is to transfer ownership of the canoe from the current owner to you. In this case, he is asking for $800. The actual buying and selling of the canoe is done by the current owner and you as the “adopting parent”.
4. Once the ownership has been transferred, KRC is notified and I transport your canoe to the canoe restoration shop in Grand Forks, BC. Normally, the new owner pays a transportation fee to get the canoe into the shop. However, in this case the canoe is already in Grand Forks, so no transport fee is involved.
5. Then, KRC has a close look at the canoe to determine exactly what needs to be done in the restoration. You have complete control over this process. The colour of the canoe and any other details are completely up to you. In this case, the full restoration is $3.700 plus taxes. Options such as lowered seats or a Chestnut-style portage yoke are available at additional cost.
6. There are always several other canoe restoration projects in the shop when your canoe arrives in the shop. Therefore, it is impossible for me to give you a time-line for your canoe restoration. All of the work done at KRC is custom-fitted. We cannot work to a deadline.
7. When the restoration of your canoe begins, I post pictures of your canoe in a dedicated photo album on the KRC FaceBook page. There, you can follow the progress of the project.

The Chestnut Bobs Special – The Chestnut Canoe Company was located in New Brunswick and produced more than 150,000 canoes from its start in 1897 until they closed their doors in 1978.  They produced a wide range of canoes to meet every conceivable need.  Many people want a versatile, all-purpose canoe that is light-weight.  The Bobs Special is just that canoe.

The Bobs Special is very popular with people who fly fish or just want a stable, easy paddling, light-weight canoe.  It has a 37” beam providing excellent stability; depth of 12½” in the centre; weighs 58 pounds; carries 700 pounds; and is 15′ long.  The ribs are 2-3/8” wide with 1½” spaces between the ribs.

It is fitted with a centre thwart and two hand-woven cane seats.  The Chestnut Bobs Special originally came in two colours – dark green and red.  That said, the colour of your canoe is entirely up to you.

The hull has a shallow-arch bottom and moderate rocker at the ends which results in a canoe that is very easy to paddle – stable yet quick; maneuverable yet forgiving.  The Bobs Special is stable enough to stand up in comfortably, is light enough to load on and off the car with ease and has the carrying capacity for extended canoe trips.  This canoe can handle light rapids but is not a Chestnut Prospector.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

A Chestnut Prospector wood-canvas canoe is available “for adoption”.  $4,500 to get it restored to your specifications.  Let me provide some background information on the adoption process as well as the canoe itself.

The Canoe Adoption Program – Since the beginning of Kettle River Canoes in 2003, I wanted to focus entirely on the restoration of wood-canvas canoes.  At the same time, there are people looking to purchase a fully restored canoe.  I wanted to meet this need without having to maintain and store an inventory of restored canoes.  What emerged is the KRC Canoe Adoption Program.  Here is how it works:

1. I am contacted regularly by people who have an old canoe and can no longer use it. In this case, a man in Vancouver, BC has a 17’ Chestnut Prospector (model name Garry) that was built around 1970. It is his canoe and he will keep it until someone agrees to adopt it.
2. If you want this canoe, contact me (email: artisan@canoeshop.ca or phone toll free 1-855-KRCANOE (572-2663).
3. The first step is to transfer ownership of the canoe from the current owner to you. In this case, he is asking for $1,700. The actual buying and selling of the canoe is done by the current owner and you as the “adopting parent”.
4. Once the ownership has been transferred, KRC is notified and I transport your canoe to the canoe restoration shop in Grand Forks, BC. As the new owner, you pay a transportation fee of $200 to get the canoe into the shop.
5. Then, KRC has a close look at the canoe to determine exactly what needs to be done in the restoration. You have complete control over this process. The colour of the canoe and any other details are completely up to you. In this case, the full restoration is $2,600 plus taxes. Options such as lowered seats or a Chestnut-style portage yoke are available at additional cost.
6. There are always several other canoe restoration projects in the shop when your canoe arrives. Therefore, it is impossible for me to give you a time-line for your canoe restoration. All of the work done at KRC is custom-fitted. We cannot work to a deadline.
7. When the restoration of your canoe begins, I post pictures of the work in a dedicated photo album on the KRC FaceBook page. There, you can follow the progress of the project.

The Chestnut Prospector – The Chestnut Canoe Company was located in New Brunswick and produced more than 150,000 canoes from its start in 1897 until they closed their doors in 1978.  They produced a wide range of canoes to meet every conceivable need.  Without a doubt, the Prospector is the best wilderness tripping canoe ever built.  Most modern canoe manufacturers have a “Prospector” model and they try – with varying degrees of success – to emulate the lines of this canoe.  However, this is the real deal.

The Prospector was designed to transport heavy loads through wild rivers and lakes.  This particular canoe is 17’ long.  It has a 37” beam providing excellent stability; depth of 14½” in the centre; weighs 82 pounds; carries 950 pounds.  The ribs are 2-3/8” wide with 2” spaces between the ribs.  It is fitted with three main thwarts and two hardwood slat seats.  As with all true working canoes built by the Chestnut Canoe Company, the Prospector originally came in a light green colour called “Chestnut Grey”.  That said, the colour of your canoe is entirely up to you.

The hull has an arched bottom and substantial rocker at the ends which allows the canoe to dance through Class 3 rapid rivers.  The Prospector is perfectly designed for rough conditions in wilderness lakes and rivers.  The hull is flared about 4’ from the ends to throw water away from the canoe when it hits big waves.  This is not just a canoe – the Chestnut Prospector is a true classic.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

People e-mail regularly asking me to identify their canoe and/or give them an estimate on a restoration.  When I ask them to send me some pictures, I often see a big difference between what people regard as a helpful image and what I require, so here is a little tutorial on the art of photographing a wood-canvas canoe.

1.       A General Picture (3/4 Profile)

The first picture I ask for is a general picture in a three-quarter profile.  It is a view taken from an angle to show both the inside and outside of the canoe.  You are standing off to one side near one end.  The picture shows the decks, seats and thwarts as well as giving a good view of the hull shape.  Many people send me a series of pictures of the bottom of the canoe from every conceivable angle.  Other than the presence or absence of a keel, these pictures do little to help identify it or determine the condition of the canoe.  For identification purposes, along with a picture like the one presented above, it is useful to let me know the overall length from tip to tip as well as the maximum width and depth in the centre of the canoe.  If the canoe has a serial number (often stamped into the stern stem), that information is also useful.  This canoe is 16’ long, 33” wide and 13¼” deep.  I can see two caned seats, a centre thwart, a stern-quarter thwart and two hand thwarts (one at each end near the deck).  From this single picture and the accompanying dimensions, I can identify this canoe as a Chestnut Cruiser (called the Kruger).  If your canoe has a serial number somewhere on the canoe (often on one of the stems), please send me that information as well.

2.       Both Decks (Top View)

Take a picture of each deck from directly above.  Be sure to show the entire area from the tip of the canoe to the base of the deck.  If a hand thwart is present (as illustrated above) include it too.  These pictures help me see the condition of the various components at the ends.  There is almost always some degree of rot in this area.  The decal on this canoe shows it to be a Chestnut Canoe built in Oromocto, NB.  The Chestnut Canoe Company was located in Fredericton, NB from 1897 to 1975.  They moved to Oromocto in the mid-1970′s and stayed there until they went out of business in 1978.  Therefore, this canoe was built in the period between about 1974 and 1978.

3.       Stem-Ends (3/4 Profile)

It helps to have close-ups of the ends taken at an angle off to one side, near the end and slightly above.  In some cases, as in the bow deck above, the damage is obvious.  However, in most cases, it is helpful to remove a few screws from the outwales (and perhaps the stem-band) to reveal the ends more fully.  In this canoe, rot in the stern-end is seen only once the interior surfaces are exposed.

4.       Seats (Above 3/4 Profile)

Take a picture of each seat from above at an angle from one side towards the centre of the canoe.  This view shows the bolts and spacers as well as the seat.  In this canoe, the original 3/16” carriage bolts have been replaced with 1/4″ threaded rod and nuts.  The original cane is in good condition.  Although it is weathered, it could be revitalized with a mixture of boiled linseed oil and turpentine followed by the usual finish of shellac to seal it followed by a number of coats of spar varnish.

5.       Obvious Damage (Above 3/4 Profile)

Any obvious damage should be photographed.  As with most photos of the canoe, take these at an angle (to one side and slightly above).  Having the canoe well lit also helps.  Taking the photos from an angle emphasizes areas of light and shadow.  In this canoe, the broken rib and cracked planking are brought into clear view by the angled light.

All of the pictures are best in a fairly large format but it is not necessary to attach 2MB photos in an email.  As long as the photos are large enough to examine in detail, they will work well.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

Frequently, I get an e-mail from someone who is looking to sell their wood-canvas canoe.  Typically, they tell me, “The canoe has been stored under-cover for the last twenty or thirty years and is in excellent shape.  What would be a reasonable price to ask for my canoe?”  Conversely, a person is considering the purchase of an old canoe and wants my opinion on whether or not the asking price is a reasonable one.  In both cases, the best I can do is refer them to what I see on classified ads offering other wood-canvas canoes for sale.

I guess the simplest answer is: “It is worth whatever someone is willing to pay.”  I have a hard time seeing these canoes as commodities.  That is why I am in the business of repairing and restoring wood-canvas canoes.  My clients tend to value their canoe based on a set of criteria far removed from monetary concerns.  That said, wood-canvas canoes are bought and sold.  Most of them are at least thirty years old and range in condition from pristine to ‘ready for the burn pile’.  So, let’s look at the market and what tends to be ‘the going rate’.

Fully restored wood-canvas canoes tend to be listed in classified ads in a range from about $2,500 to $3,500.  Bear in mind that a brand-new Old Town 16′ Guide canoe – made by hand on the original mould – currently sells for $7,600 USD.  Serviceable canoes that need some work tend to be offered somewhere in the neighbourhood of $500 to $1,500.  Canoes requiring a full restoration can be picked up for $50 (or free) to $500.

When people ask for my opinion on a specific canoe, I base my answer on what a professional canoe restoration shop would charge to bring it back to ‘like new’ condition.  Any ‘original canoe in mint condition’ will require a new canvas.  Unfortunately, the original canvas will only last about forty years (Oh, how I long for a return to the days before planned obsolescence).  If the work is done by a professional canoe restorer, you are looking at spending about $1,500 to $2,000 after you have bought the canoe.  If the canoe ‘needs a little work’, be prepared to pay $2,500 to $3,500 for a full restoration.  And if it is a ‘basket-case’, the bill can often far exceed the cost of a brand-new canoe (not unlike the cost of renovating an old house versus building a new one from the ground up).  So, when you see a fully restored canoe listed in a classified ad for $3,500, they are probably just trying to recoup the cost of the restoration.

About ten years ago, I bought an original Greenwood Canoe for $900.  The bulk of the woodwork was in excellent condition and the interior varnish was still in very good condition.  The canvas was original (about forty years old) and although it was not rotting, it needed to be replaced.  Greenwood canoes are well-known to wood-canvas canoe enthusiasts in British Columbia.  Bill Greenwood built canoes in Richmond, BC from 1934 to 1975.  His workmanship was unequalled not to mention all of the Philippine Mahogany used in components such as gunwales, decks and thwarts.  Anyone who knows these canoes bows their head in reverence whenever they speak of Bill Greenwood and his canoes.

In my shop, I brought the canoe back to life.  The original mahogany outwales were shot, so I replaced them with exact copies.  I added a couple of coats of varnish to the woodwork and painted the new canvas the dark green that was typical for Greenwood canoes.

The next spring, I replaced the original slat seats with mahogany-framed hand-woven cane seats in the style of Greenwood canoes.  I removed the bow-quarter thwart, installed a mahogany carrying yoke and moved the stern-quarter thwart to a position halfway between the stern seat and the centre yoke.  I had no intentions of selling this canoe and, at that time, I had not seen a restored canoe sell for more than $2,500.  So, when anyone asked me how much I wanted for it, I told them, “The canoe is all yours for $4,500.”  In 2008, someone fell in love with my canoe and handed me a check.

If you are selling, it is possible to get the price you are looking for.  Just be prepared to wait a long time for that ‘special someone’ to come along.  If you are buying, be prepared to factor in the cost of a full restoration once you have purchased the canoe.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

One aspect of canoe restoration that seems to confound many people is the process of bending wood.  It is puzzling, and sometimes terrifying, until you know what is happening in the wood itself.

Wood fibres are made up of countless cells that have a tough exterior wall made of cellulose which cannot be bent or stretched.  Therefore, when a piece of wood bends, it is the space between the cells that is either compressed or lengthened.  A compound called lignin holds the wood fibres together.  When it becomes hot (close to the boiling point of water – about 200°F or about 93°C), it is liquefied thus allowing the cells in the wood fibres to move.  The cells on the inside of a curve are forced closer together while the cells along the outside of the curve are pulled further apart.  When the wood cools, the lignin solidifies again to hold the new shape.

To bring the internal temperature of the wood to 93°C, two things are required: Water and heat.  Heat is used to heat water molecules in the wood.  They heat the lignin which then liquefies and allows the wood to bend.

Normally, there is not enough water in the wood to heat the lignin effectively.  So, the first step in the wood-bending process is to raise the moisture content of the wood.  This is achieved by soaking the wood long enough to saturate the wood.  The time required depends on the wood species and the thickness of the piece.  I don’t bother measuring the moisture content.  Instead, I just go on experience.  For example, a piece of Red Cedar rib stock 3/8” thick requires about 2 to 3 days of soaking time while a piece of White Ash stem stock 7/8” thick requires about 6 to 7 days.  A piece of Red Cedar planking stock 5/32” thick requires less than one hour of soaking time.

Once the wood has been soaked, the wood is heated with steam or near-boiling water.  The amount of heat required depends on the thickness of the wood.  The Red Cedar rib stock is steamed for about 45 minutes while the White Ash stem stock is steamed for about 65 minutes.  Meanwhile, the Red Cedar planking stock requires about15 minutes of steam.  Too little heat and the wood will break, too much and the fibres are cooked and start to break down.  The over-cooked wood then crumples on the inside curve when bent.

A key element in this process is the steam generation itself.  It takes a lot of steam to create the heat required to liquefy the lignin.  I use a 2 gallon (8 litre) pot over a propane stove.

My steam box (inside dimensions – 12” high by 12” wide by 7’ long) sits directly above it (balanced horizontally) with a firm seal made of plywood rings.

Each piece of wood in the box must have lots of air around it to allow the steam to heat each piece evenly.  A series dowels creates a number of shelves in the box.

In the “old days” many of the canoe factories were heated with large boiler systems.  These boilers were also set up to deliver steam into large steam chambers for wood bending.  In many cases, the steam could be held under about 5 psi pressure in these chambers.  These “pressure cookers” could reduce the amount of time required to soak as well as heat the wood quite considerably – about 6 hours soaking instead of 48 and about 15 minutes steaming instead of 45.

With the heated wood pliable and ready to bend, it is removed from the steam box and bent into shape immediately.  The “working time” is about one minute.  If the bending can be achieved in the first 30 seconds, that is ideal.

When I am bending a thicker piece of wood (more than ½ inch thick), I use a thin strip of hardwood – usually ash – as a backing strip for the work.  It helps keep the integrity of the piece while it is bending.  Make sure your wood is as close to perfectly straight grain as possible.  If the grain slants, the outer edge of the wood grain will “run out” and it is more likely that the wood will split or break when bent.

Once the wood is bent into the desired shape, it is important to keep it in the form for at least 3 days.  This allows the wood to dry and thereby retain its new shape.  When I am bending stems, I let the stock dry for at least a week to reduce the amount of “spring-back” in the piece.

Sometimes, you must construct and use custom forms for the specific bend required.  One example are the gunwales of the Chestnut or Peterborough Pleasure canoes.  A quick look at the sheer line reveals a sharp curve about 18” from the stem-end at each end of the canoe.  This bend is too sharp to be done when the new wood is dry.  It must be bent prior to installation.  To do this, you need custom forms for the job.  I’m sure there are as many types of steam-bending forms as there are canoe builders.  Here is the system I use.

I take the shape of the form directly from the original outwale and transfer it on to a piece of ¾” plywood that is 8”x24”.  For four bending forms, I use eight pieces of 8”x24” plywood.  Although the outwale is ¾” wide, the form is 1½” wide.  The extra width makes it easier to work quickly when bending the hot wood.  The curve in the form must be greater than the final curve desired.  Compensate for a certain amount of “spring-back” in the new wood once it has been bent and dried.  By adding about 2” more curve over the 18” of outwale than in the final curve required.  Cut the first piece of plywood and use it as a template for the other seven pieces.

Cut strips of ¾” plywood 2½” wide.  These will be the braces for the holding points along the length of the form.  For the outwale forms, I use three holding points.  In this series of photos, I numbered the stations starting with the first is at the end of the form that is 8” wide.  The third is at the end of the curve in the form while the second is placed 18” from the third holding point.  The second point is where most of the curve in the outwale occurs.

Each holding point will consist of a dowel and wedge system held in the braces.  A ¾” hardwood dowel is placed in a 7/8” hole in each set of braces.  The dowel is located so that the outwale (1-1/8” high) can fit between the top of the form and the dowel.  There must also be enough room to allow a hardwood wedge to fit between the outwale and the dowel.  Each brace piece extends at least 3¼” beyond the top edge of the form.  The centre point for a 7/8” hole is placed about 1-7/8” above the top of the form.  Attach each of the braces on one side of the bending form at their intended locations using 2” deck screws.

Now, flip the form over and place the braces in their intended positions.  Insert the dowel into the holes and make sure that the dowel fits properly.  It should fit easily into the holes on each side of the form and be located with enough space to accommodate the outwale and the wedge.

Cut the new outwales as exact copies of the originals.  You will need four pieces to create two outwales.  Determine which pieces will fit together to form each outwale and then mark the ends to identify them for bending.  Soak all four ends for about 72 hours.  I use a piece of 4” ABS pipe 7’ long as my soaking tube.

When ready to bend, remove one of the outwale pieces and lock it into the form at location #3 with the dowel and wedge.  Pour boiling water over the outwale between the braces #2 and #3.  Immediately, bend the outwale on to the form until you can lock it into place at brace #2 with a dowel and wedge.  Repeat the heating and bending process between braces #2 and #1.  The entire process is very quick.  The dowel and wedge system allows this to happen with a minimum of delay.

Once all four outwale pieces are bent, set them aside to dry.  The results vary with each piece of wood.  Some hold the bend with very little “spring-back” while other pieces straighten out a fair bit.  In any case, the wood can be adjusted easily to fit the canoe.

For new stems, I bend the stock (7/8″ thick by 2″ wide) first and then slice it on the table saw to make two stems that are then shaped to fit the canoe.  It is all a bit complicated with lots of trial and error along the way.

At times like this, I think back to my years training to become a Fencing Master.  My mentor was Zbigniew Skrudlik, who had trained the Polish Olympic Men’s Foil Team to 2 gold medals at the 1972 Games in Munich.  As I was struggling for months to learn a particularly subtle and elegant action, I complained about my troubles in mastering something so difficult.  He replied, “If it was easy, then everybody would be doing it.  And if you can only do what everyone else can do, where is the advantage in that?”

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

If there is an area of controversy in the world of wood-canvas canoes, the question of the keel would be it.

Historically, canoes (and kayaks for that matter) never had keels.  Edwin Tappen Adney documented hundreds of indigenous water craft throughout North America in the early part of the 1900’s.  His meticulous notes, drawings and scale models are presented in the book “Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America”.  It was compiled and edited by Howard Chappelle after Adney’s death.  The canoes and skin boats range from small hunting boats around 11’ (3.35 meters) in length to large cargo vessels over 36’ (11 meters) long.  None of these vessels had a keel.

As people of European ancestry came in contact with canoes through the 1800’s and tried to build them, they tended to approach the task of boat building from a European perspective.  For them, building a boat begins with a keel.  The rest of the vessel is built around it.  As canoes became a commodity for the general public, canoe builders also had to appeal to a market that didn’t trust a boat unless it had a keel.  Many people unfamiliar with canoes feel unstable in them and have trouble travelling in a straight line.  As a result, most canoes sold in the better part of the 20^th century were equipped with a keel.  However, it is interesting to note that true working canoes built at the same time (such as the Chestnut Prospector, Cruiser and Ogilvy) were usually keel-free.

The Chestnut Ogilvy was designed to be stable. The wide, flat bottom allows a person to stand up in it all day long. A true working river boat, it never had a keel.

To look at it from a design perspective, the stability of a canoe is determined by the hull shape.  Wider canoes – 36” (90 cm) or more – with flat bottoms tend to have greater “initial stability” than narrow canoes – 34” (85 cm) or less – with arched bottoms.  What is gained in stability with a wide, flat bottom is lost in hull speed and vice versa (what is gained in hull speed with a narrow, arched bottom is lost in stability).  Attaching a strip of wood an inch (2.5 cm) high to the bottom of a canoe does little to affect stability one way or the other.

The Chestnut Prospector was designed to dance around rocks in rapid rivers.  Although it has a more rounded bottom than the Ogilvy, the tumblehome and high sides in the centre of the canoe gives it very good “secondary” stability.  This means when it is tipped over on one side, it becomes stable in that position.  Also, the waterline width increases as more weight is loaded into the canoe.  Greater width at the water-line equals more stability.

Tracking – the tendency of a canoe to travel in a straight line – is determined by its length.  The longer the waterline length, the better the canoe tracks in the water.  Note here that I refer specifically to the waterline length rather than the canoe’s length overall.  The hull of a Chestnut Prospector lifts dramatically at the ends.  As a result, an unloaded 16’ (4.9 meters) canoe will only be about 14’ (4.2 meters) long at the waterline.  What is gained in maneuverability in a shorter waterline length is lost in tracking and vice versa (what is lost in maneuverability in a longer waterline length is gained in tracking).    If you are simply looking for a canoe that will travel in a straight line, get a long canoe – 17’ (5.2 meters) or more – with no rocker.  If you want your canoe to be able to dodge rocks in a rapid river, choose a canoe with lots of rocker at the ends.

Functionally speaking, most canoes are designed to navigate rivers.  The rivers of northern Canada present the traveler with many challenges – chief among them; rapids filled with large rocks.  The Chestnut Pal was equipped with a “shoe” keel. At 3/8″ (9 mm) high and 2¼” (57 mm) wide, it provided protection to the bottom without interfering with the canoe’s ability to sideslip past rocks in rapid rivers.

In lakes, many people complain that a canoe without a keel will be blown around by the wind.  Again, it comes back to learning how to handle the canoe.  When travelling on a large lake with the wind in your face, the canoe must be loaded with a majority of the weight in the forward half of the canoe.  It will always tend to “weathervane” – that is, it will orient itself with the lighter end downwind.  As long as the weight of the canoe is slightly upwind, the canoe will track easily into the wind.

Speaking as a canoe restorer, I wince slightly whenever I finish preparing a beautifully watertight canvas cover and then proceed to drill a dozen or more holes straight down the centerline of the canoe.  I solve the watertight issue by using a top quality marine bedding compound to set the keel.  Eventually, the bedding compound dries out and/or the keel is jarred by one too many encounters with rocks in rivers.  When the seal is broken, the canoe begins to leak.  It is difficult, if not impossible, to remove the keel without damaging the canvas.  Therefore, when the canoe starts to leak, it is usually time to for a new canvas.

If the question of keels in canoes were strictly one of form and function, there would not be a discussion – a canoe is better off without a keel.  You only have to look at any modern Royalex or Kevlar canoe on the market.  None of the canoes built today have keels – and rightly so (canoes often live on rivers and therefore must be able to move sideways to avoid obstacles).  However, in the world of wood-canvas canoes, there is more to consider.  Many people have grown up with their canoe.  It is part of their life and part of their family.  Their canoe has had a keel for fifty years, so it seems only natural that it stays that way.  In this context I say, “Fair enough.”  It turns out that wood-canvas canoes are more than form and function.  They must be seen in the context of family history and tradition.  For this reason, I have no problem re-installing a keel in a wood-canvas canoe.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

On October 23rd, I was a guest speaker at the 2014 BC Museum Association Conference in Penticton. I had the pleasure of delivering my presentation in the beautiful upper lounge at the SS Sicamous museum.  The theme for this year’s conference was “Museums as Third Space”, so my first task was to understand the concept of Third Space.

In his book “The Great Good Place” (1989), Ray Oldenberg describes “public places on neutral ground where people can gather and interact.” Places such as pubs, cafés, parks, street markets, post offices, museums, galleries and libraries allow people “to put aside their concerns and simply enjoy the company and conversation around them.”  More recently, this concept has developed into the idea of any space in a community or society that isn’t a family or work environment, but rather a “Third Space” (either physical or virtual) that is sociable, comfortable, accessible and engaging.

Many museums and galleries have mission statements focussed on collecting, preserving, researching and exhibiting objects. The question that arises is, “What role does the visitor play in this work?”  Museums and galleries have come to realize that, as important as the objects are, they are nothing if people are not there to experience them.  Therefore, museums and galleries exist, first and foremost, in order to provide experiences for people.  Their mission statements must shift to focus on the creation of visitor spaces that promote social affiliation, relaxation, easy access and stimulating interest.

For example, prior to 2008, the Biology Museum at the University of Colorado in Boulder averaged 50 visitors/week. After changing their mission statement, they redesigned the museum.  Now, the BioLounge is an inviting, relaxing space (offering coffee and free wi-fi) that averages 50 visitors/day – a seven-fold increase.

At the BCMA Conference in Penticton, I presented the idea of the wooden canoe as Third Space. More specifically, I talked about the Third Space created by the Penticton Museum as they restored a 30’ C-15 racing canoe (circa 1949) and re-established the tradition of the regatta in the Okanagan Valley.

Kettle River Canoes as Third Space

When I ask people what they think Kettle River Canoes does, they say, “You restore canoes.” If the focus of the business was on the technical work, that would be correct.

Instead, the focus of the business at KRC is on the people that want their canoes restored. The slogan for the company sums it up nicely – “Rebuilding friendships, one canoe at a time”.  Therefore, instead of restoring canoes, KRC restores the relationship that people have with their canoes.

photo – Gerry Albert

This difference is at the heart of the way the business operates. When a new client brings his/her canoe into the shop for restoration, I set aside three hours for the “in-take interview”.  I need to know the stories of family adventures with the canoe.  Through the stories, I learn about their canoe as a member of the family.  For example, this client had his canoe restored so that his daughter could paddle away in the family canoe with her husband on their wedding day.

Social media on-line plays a huge role in creating a virtual Third Space for KRC. This blog provides technical and historical information which creates an engaging experience for people interested in wood-canvas canoes.  The blog articles are linked to KRC on Facebook and Twitter.  As each canoe is restored, I take photos of the work and post them in dedicated albums on Facebook.  The clients love watching their canoes as they come back to life because it provides them with a renewed sense of connection.  The client can also see comments from people around the world who also enjoy watching the canoe being restored.  By sharing a common interest, people develop a social network with the canoe the touchstone.

All of this makes KRC more accessible to people who are interested in wood-canvas canoes. Anyone looking for canoe restoration services will find KRC appearing prominently in any search on-line.

The Penticton Museum War Canoe Restoration Project as Third Space

I was first invited to coordinate the restoration of 30’ (9 meter) racing canoes for the Penticton Museum in January of this year. The curator – Peter Ord, made it clear that he wanted the community (students and volunteers) to be involved in the restoration process. For Peter, it was important to build a knowledge base in Penticton around the skills and techniques required to restore these canoes.

He also wanted to restore the regatta as a grand social event in the Okanagan Valley. In the early 1900’s, regattas around Okanagan Lake attracted thousands of people from every community in the valley.

The premier event in these regattas was the C-15 ‘War Canoe’ race. Highly skilled crews of 15 paddlers would race 30’ (9 meter) canoes on courses that started and finished on the same beach.  This afforded the spectators the chance to see both the start and the finish of the race.

In this project, Penticton saw the regatta return to the Okanagan valley as well as the return of the C-15 ‘War Canoe’ race. It was truly a vibrant ‘Third Space for Penticton.  Kids made and raced model boats, people had a chance to take lessons in kayaking and stand-up paddle-boarding and everyone could buy a hamburger or cold drink and watch a variety of races.

The war canoes were the stars of the show.  I met people who raced in them 50 years or more ago.  I was approached by others who wanted to get involved in the restoration of two more canoes.  People walking along the beach on their regular Sunday morning stroll were treated to a wonderful event on Okanagan Lake.  They had a chance to meet other people, share in a common interest, relax and simply have fun doing something away from home or work.  These old canoes created a wonderful, engaging Third Space.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

Speaking strictly in terms of form and function, canoes and keels don’t belong together.  However, wood-canvas canoes that have been in the family for decades must also be seen in the context of family history and tradition.  Many were built with a keel installed and that is the way the owner wants it to remain.  For this reason, I have no problem re-installing a keel in a wood-canvas canoe.

Most keels were removed at the beginning of the restoration project and are being re-installed.  Therefore, the first step is to clean it and remove old paint and bedding compound.  This is usually a two-step process.  I start with an angle grinder set up with a 24-grit sanding disk.  This cuts through the worst of the old material and gets down to the original wood.  Care must be taken in order to remove only the old paint and bedding compound.  Finish the job with a random-orbital sander set up with 80-grit sandpaper.  This removes any marks made by the grinder and creates a smooth surface for new bedding compound and paint.

Having just spent a lot of time and effort creating a waterproof canvas cover, it seems a little strange to then poke a dozen or more holes through the bottom of the canoe.  It is essential, therefore, to use a bedding compound that seals the keel to the canoe, creates a waterproof barrier and stays flexible for decades.

Having tried a variety of products, I have returned to the old school.  Dolphinite 2005N Natural Bedding Compound is a linseed oil-based compound with the consistency of peanut butter.  It is the same as the bedding compounds used a century ago.  Unlike more modern compounds (such as 3M 5200 or Interlux 214) it stays flexible for the life of the canvas (several decades), seals well, accepts paint well and yet allows the keel to be removed from the canvas if necessary some years down the line.

Most canoes use 1” (25 mm) #6 flat head silicon bronze screws combined with brass finish washers.  Begin by driving one screw into each end of the canoe.  Turn the canoe on its edge to allow access to the bottom of the canoe inside and out at the same time.  This is where it is useful to have the canoe set up on two canoe cradles.

With one screw at each end, move to the outside of the canoe and line up each screw with the original holes in the keel.  Use a permanent-ink marker to show the position of the keel on the canvas.  Then mark the location of the screw where it comes through the canvas and mark the location of the screw hole on the side of the keel to facilitate attachment later.

Apply bedding compound generously to the keel with a putty knife.  Any excess will be cleaned up later. For now, it is more important to ensure a good seal along the entire length of the keel.  Then, open the original screw-holes at each end to make it easier to find them.

Not everyone has my “wingspan” – 79” (200 cm) from finger-tip to finger-tip – so not everyone can hold the keel in place with one hand and drive the screw with the other at the same time.  Installing a keel is normally a two-person job.  Get someone to line up the original holes in the keel with the screws coming through on the outside of the canoe while you drive the screws from the inside.  Sometimes, the original holes in the keel have been stripped.  In this case, use larger diameter 1” (25 mm) #8 screws to secure the keel.  If the keel has warped a little, you may need 1¼” (32 mm) screws to draw it tight to the canoe.  In this situation, especially with Chestnut and Peterborough shoe keels (3/8” thick), the screws may go right through the keel and poke out on the outer surface.  That will be dealt with later.

Once both ends are attached, check to make sure that the keel is properly lined up with the centre of the canoe.  Once aligned, drive the rest of the screws along its full length.  Usually, it is necessary to apply some pressure on the keel in order for the screws to catch properly.  Sometimes, I need to get under seats to drive the screws.  This is where a flexible drill extension comes in very handy. Most of the time however, I have removed the seats to refinish or re-cane them, so access to all of the screw-holes along the canoe’s centre-line is not a problem.

Remove excess bedding compound from the edges of the keel and apply more to areas that are not completely sealed.  Remove any bedding compound stuck to the canvas using medium steel wool soaked in lacquer thinner.

Use a file to take care of any screw-tips poking through the keel.  Finally, let the bedding compound cure for a few days before applying paint.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

A little research into traditional wood finishing methods will tell you that, for over a hundred years, there were three basic steps to finishing the interior of the canoe – Oil, Shellac, Varnish.  That said, I get a lot of e-mails and comments on my Kettle River Canoes Facebook page asking me about this.  It appears that much of the knowledge about finishing has been lost over the years or clouded by conflicting information.

Note: Oil, Shellac and Varnish are applied to bare wood.  If you are not stripping the old finish and simply want to add a coat of varnish to the existing interior finish, start by cleaning the varnished surface with TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) mixed in water.  Rinse the interior with clean water and let it dry.  Then, use fine steel wool to scratch the surface of the old varnish and make sure that all dust and debris is removed.  Now, the old varnish is ready for an application of new varnish.

MYTH #1: Applying Linseed Oil first to bare wood will hamper the adhesion of other finishes. Linseed Oil is the basis of all interior finishing in canoes.  I must add that I am referring to “Double Boiled” Linseed Oil.  The name is rather misleading since the oil is not boiled but rather contains a variety of drying agents (Japan Drier is often used).  Raw Linseed Oil takes years to dry.  This is useful when you want a compound to remain flexible for years (i.e. Marine Bedding Compound such as Dolphinite).

A mixture of Boiled Linseed Oil and Turpentine – usually in a ratio of two parts oil to one part turpentine has been the mainstay of wood preparation for exterior use for centuries.  The mixture soaks into the wood and keeps it supple and strong for decades.  It also prevents water from soaking into the wood thereby helping to prevent rot.  I apply a coat of the oil/turpentine mix to the entire canoe every couple of days until the wood can no longer absorb the oil.  Then, I let the oil dry for a couple of weeks.  The wood in old canoes is very dry and brittle, so lots of oil is required.  For new wood, I apply a single coat of oil and let it dry for at least a week before applying shellac.

MYTH #2: Varnish will not stick to Shellac.  Shellac is fundamental to hard finishes on wood.  It creates a superb base for varnish and seals the wood in order for the varnish to ‘build’ properly.  It is easy to apply, dries in an hour or two, and polishes quickly with extra-fine steel wool.  Back in the days when woodworkers made their own varnish, shellac (as well as other gums and resins) was added to heated linseed oil to create the varnish.  Shellac is made from resins exuded by the female Lac beetle in India.  The resin is refined and dried in the form of flakes that range in colour from almost clear, through various shades of amber to dark orange (almost brown).  The shellac flakes are sold typically in one-pound bags which are then dissolved in denatured alcohol (Ethanol mixed with a little Methanol to prevent people from drinking it. Methanol — also known as Methyl Hydrate can also be used on its own to dissolve the shellac flakes).  The concentration of shellac in the alcohol is referred to as the ‘cut’.  I normally buy pre-mixed shellac at the hardware store which is typically a ‘four-pound cut’ – four pounds of shellac flakes dissolved in one gallon of alcohol.  This is a rather thick mix.  Most woodworkers prefer a two-pound cut.  I dilute the pre-mixed shellac with lacquer thinner (a cocktail of volatile organic solvents usually including Acetone, Toluene, Xylene and Methyl Ethyl Keytone) in a 1:1 ratio.  Normally, shellac dissolved in alcohol is anhydrous and tends to turn cloudy white when it comes in contact with water – not a good thing for canoes.  The addition of lacquer thinner prevents that from happening and gives me a nice two-pound cut to work with.  In fact, shellac dissolved in lacquer thinner (primarily acetone) is often called lacquer.

Apply shellac with a natural bristle brush.  This stuff dries almost immediately, so application is fast and indelicate.  Apply lots of shellac to a small area to ensure full coverage with one brush stroke.  Shellac is more slopped on than painted on.  Once applied, do not go over an area again — one sloppy brush stroke and move over to the next small area.  It is important to maintain a wet edge as you move down the length of the canoe, so speed is the key. Allow the shellac to dry for a couple of hours.  Then use extra-fine steel wool to polish the surface and create small scratches in the shellac.  Remove, any dust and debris and you are ready to apply varnish.

Myth #3: Varnish is difficult to apply.  Traditionally, varnish is made by dissolving gums or resins (such as shellac, rosin, mastic, Amber, Copal and Damar) in heated oil (such as linseed oil or cotton-seed oil) and thinned with turpentine (distilled pine sap).  These days, most commercially manufactured varnishes contain petroleum-based alkyd polymer resins in oil thinned with mineral spirits (petroleum-based solvent).  If used straight from the can, the high concentration of solids (alkyd resins) makes it almost impossible to apply without ending up with sags, drips, streaks or bubbles in the finish.  There is a simple solution – thin the varnish about 12% with mineral spirits (paint thinner).  Some top-quality varnishes come with a higher concentration of solids and therefore require a little more thinning.  In any case, once thinned, the solvent allows the varnish to flow more easily which means that it will self-level to create a smooth surface.  The solvent also allows the varnish to dry faster thereby eliminating sags in the finish.

Before applying varnish, prepare the surface of the shellac base-coat or previous coat of varnish by scratching the surface with fine steel wool.  Too much rubbing will remove the previous coat, so quick and light is the key.  The scratches give the varnish something to hold onto.  Otherwise, the varnish will dry and then peel off.

Vacuum the surface thoroughly to remove dust and debris.  Then, go over the surface quickly with a tack-cloth to remove any remaining dust.

The interior of a wood-canvas canoe is irregular with lots of gaps and uneven surfaces.  Use a natural bristle brush to get the varnish into all the little nooks and crannies.  I use a 2” (55mm) brush.  It is a relatively major investment (currently costing about $45USD) and well worth it when called into service on a regular basis.  I used one brush on more than 100 canoes over a period of about eight years.  I finally had to retire it because the bristles had worn down to less than half their original length.

Set up your canoe in a well-lit space with good ventilation, away from direct sunlight.  Pour about two inches (5 cm) of thinned varnish into a clean, empty one gallon (4 litre) paint can.  Load the brush with varnish and rap the brush against the sides of the can to shake off excess varnish.  Apply the varnish quickly and vigorously making sure that it gets into all of the corners.  Work on a short section of the canoe.  Then, look at the surface from an angle with work lights set up at an opposite angle to reveal any areas that were missed.  Apply enough varnish to achieve full coverage while at the same spreading it thin enough to avoid drips.  Don’t worry about streaks or bubbles.  If the varnish is thinned properly, it will spread evenly and bubbles will disappear in a few minutes.  Once you have full coverage, ‘tip’ the surface by touching it lightly and quickly with the brush bristle tips.  It is best to tip the surface first across the grain of the wood and then with the grain.  However, it is difficult to tip in both directions in the canoe interior, so I usually just tip in one direction following the grain of the ribs.  The varnish is both applied and tipped very quickly.  Then, move over to the next section of the canoe.  Always maintain a ‘wet edge’ as you apply varnish to the full length of the canoe.  Work in small sections to make sure that the varnish in that section is still wet when varnish is applied to the next section.  That way, the entire surface will be smooth.  Once done, go away and leave the canoe in a well-ventilated, dust-free space for 48 hours.  I normally apply two coats of shellac and three coats of varnish.

Clean your natural bristle brush in three stages.  First, clean it with mineral spirits or turpentine.  Then, clean it with lacquer thinner.  Finally, clean the brush with a heavy duty cleaner such as Lestoil®.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

At first glance, stretching the canvas onto the canoe appears to be very tricky – and you would be right.  It is a complex process that requires a lot of time and effort just to get set up.  It should also be noted that the following is one of many ways to stretch a new canvas onto a canoe.  It is the method used in the original canoe factories.  Once completed, you have a skill that you will probably never use again.

Start by checking the hull one last time.  Re-clinch tacks that are raised above the hull as you run your hands over the outside of the canoe.  Any new planking still raised above the rest of the hull is sanded smooth.  Brush the hull and make sure there is no debris left behind to get trapped between the hull and the canvas. Even the smallest amount of dust will show itself as a lump under the stretched canvas.

Now, let’s talk about canvas.  I normally use #10 untreated artist canvas weighing 14.5 ounces per square yard.  Canvas 72” wide will work for most canoes.  Large canoes, such as freighters, often require canvas that is 96” wide.  Since I purchase canvas in 100-yard rolls, I have the advantage of being able to set up the roll on a rack.  This allows me to pull the required length directly over the upside-down canoe.  There must be enough canvas to extend about 18” (45 cm) past each end of the canoe.  This means a minimum of 19’ (5.8 meters) of canvas for a 16’ (4.9 meters) canoe.

Secure the canvas to the inwales with spring clamps before turning the canoe right-side-up.  With the canoe sitting in its canvas envelope, make sure the ends of the canvas are even before attaching the canvas clamps and securing them to the wall and the come-along.

With everything in place, remove the cradles and make sure the canoe is sitting squarely in the centre of the canvas envelope.

If you started stretching the canvas now, the canoe would pop right out of the envelope.  To keep it in place, use two-2×4’s as vertical struts wedged between the ceiling and the canoe.  My shop is an old warehouse with thick fir planks in the ceiling.  Other locations would require re-enforcements in the ceiling.  Protect the bottom of the canoe with 2’ (60 cm) lengths of 2×6.  The bottom end of each vertical strut is set up slightly further away from the come-along than the top end.  As tension is applied, the bottom end of each strut is pulled closer to the come-along bringing them closer to plumb.  Another option is to weight down the canoe.  I’ve used a number of 5-gallon pails filled with sand to push the canoe into the envelope as the canvas is stretched lengthwise.

With the canoe pressed firmly into the canvas envelope, crank the come-along a number of times to take up the slack.  Then, make sure that all of the clamps and struts are secure.  The last thing you want is for something to let go under all that tension.  Use a utility knife to cut straight down from the top edge of the canvas in line with the end of the canoe.  Stop about 4” (10 cm) from the sheer-line of the canoe.

Use a large “clothes-pin” to hold the sides of the envelope close together at each end of the canoe.  These clothes-pins can be no more than two lengths of hardwood (2’ x 1” x ½” – 60 cm x 25 mm x 13 mm) clamped together at the top with a C-clamp.  If you want to get serious about it, you can make proper one-piece units reinforced at the top with a ¼” bolt, washers and a wing-nut.

A pair of canvas pliers will be used to stretch the canvas along the sides of the canoe at the sheer-line.  They work best when there is about 3” (8 cm) of canvas extending above the top of the inwales all the way around the canoe.  So, put a new blade in your utility knife and trim the canvas.

In my first attempts, I trimmed the canvas down to about 6” above the sheer line and then carefully trimmed away more canvas as I worked around the canoe with the canvas stretchers.  With over 150 canoes under my belt, I trim it to the desired height by eye in one quick step.  However, don’t cut too close to the top of the inwales.  There must be enough canvas to grab with the pliers, so take your time.

Once the canvas is trimmed all the way around the canoe, the come-along is cranked until the canvas is stretched tightly around the canoe.  The amount of tension required varies with each canoe.  Tap the canvas at the end closest to the come-along.  When it rings like a tenor drum, start to attach the canvas along the sides.

Starting at the centre of the canoe, pull the canvas tight with canvas pliers.  To do this, rest the jaws of the pliers on the top of the inwale and grab the canvas.  Pull the pliers and hook the large “fulcrum” of the pliers over the inside corner of the inwale.  Rock the pliers to about a 45° angle and secure the canvas at the top of the planking with a 1” (25 mm) brass tack.  For a long time, I used ½” (13 mm) Monel staples and a staple gun.  In my opinion, the tacks do a better job.

Start by securing the canvas at four rib-tops on both sides of the canoe near the centre.  Sags in the canvas between the tacks indicate insufficient lengthwise tension in the canvas. If more tension is required, remove three of the four tacks on one side and crank the come-along a number of “clicks”.  Re-tack the canvas and check to see if the sags are gone.  If not, repeat the process with more “clicks” in the come-along.  There is a “feel” developed in terms of the amount of tension needed for each canoe.  If it is your first time, just keep an eye on the sags between the tacks.  When they disappear, the tension is right.

Once the canvas is sitting tight against the hull between the tacks, attach the canvas at three or four more rib-tops on both sides of the canoe.  Work from the centre towards both ends.  As with most things in a canoe restoration, your first attempts involve a lot of trial-and-error (with an emphasis on error).  It is all part of the learning process.

Once the canvas is attached to every rib-top, release the tension from the come-along and remove the struts.   Support the canoe with the cradles and cut the canvas away from the clamps being sure to leave at least 6” (15 cm) extending past each end of the canoe.

To close the ends of the canvas around each stem, turn the canoe upside-down and raise one end to a comfortable working height.  This is done by supporting it on top of the cradle with a scrap length of 2×4.  Crease the canvas at the centre-line and cut along the crease from the point where the stem turns away from the canvas at the bottom of the canoe.  This creates two flaps of canvas – one on each side.  Each flap is trimmed to leave about 3” (8 cm) of canvas extending past the stem profile.  Again, care must be taken to avoid cutting the canvas too close to the canoe.  There must be enough material to grab with the canvas pliers.

The end of the canvas is closed around the stem by stretching and tacking one flap around the stem, trimming away the excess canvas and then doing the same on the other side.  Start by stretching the canvas at the point where the stem turns up from the bottom.  Lever the pliers along the stem and pull the canvas tight along the centre-line of the canoe.  Secure the canvas to the stem with 3 or 4 tacks spaced about 3/4″ (19 mm) apart.  I use short tacks to attach the ends of the canvas to the canoe stem (about 5/8” or 16mm).  Next, move to the stem-top and use the pliers to stretch the canvas flap.  Make sure the canvas along the sheer line is sag-free and secure it along the stem with 3 or 4 tacks spaced about 1” (25 mm) apart. I alternate from top to bottom working towards the middle of the stem until the entire flap is tight and securely fastened.  Now, trim any excess canvas along the open side of the canoe stem.

The second flap is stretched, tacked and trimmed the same way as the first.  As each flap is secured to the stem, check to ensure the canvas is stretched smooth with no sags, creases or puckers.  You may have to fuss a bit with the tension of the canvas along the sheer line near the end of the canoe in order to create a tight fit at the bottom of the stem.  The length of the cut along the centerline of the canvas may also have to be extended ever so slightly to remove any puckers.  All this varies with the shape of the stem profile.  Your canoe may be straight-forward or may require some fussing.  As long as you stretch the canvas well both where the stem curves away from the bottom and at the stem-top, you ought to avoid any major difficulties.

Once both ends are closed and trimmed, support the canoe on top of the both cradles and get out the propane torch.  Before the filler is applied, the canvas knap must be removed.  Knap is the fuzzy balls of cotton extending above the weave.  This fuzz is burned away with a torch.  The only trick here is to keep the torch moving.  I’m not sure if this step is absolutely necessary to ensure a smooth surface because I’ve never omitted it.  You can certainly experiment and see if the finish is rougher without singeing the knap.  Meanwhile, I’ll stick with the traditional methods.

As you work the torch over the canvas, keep an eye open for any thread-ends that may ignite as you pass close to the edges.  Make sure these are extinguished.  Otherwise, the thread will continue to burn like a wick along its full length and cut the canvas in two.  I was able to catch a burning thread before it did irreparable damage.

So, there it is.  Unless a wayward tack has become trapped between the canvas and the canoe, it is ready to be filled.  You will find the learning curve a little steep.  Just remember to breathe and smile. Are we having fun yet?

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

Once the canoe has been canvassed, the filler has been applied and the keel and stem-bands have been installed, it is ready for paint.  Here are five secrets for a professional paint job:

Tip #1 – Paint First, Then Assemble – Fifty years ago, the canoe builders in the factories were in production mode.  To save time and space, they installed the outwales before applying varnish and paint.  However, this caused two problems in the years to follow.  First, the canvas under the outwales is not protected with paint.  Second, the inside surface of the outwales is bare, unprotected wood.  Over years of use, water can become trapped under the outwales.  This moist environment can be ideal for growing the fungi that cause rot.

Two things can happen: a) the canvas can rot under the outwales causing the canvas to detach from the canoe and; b) the outwales can rot from the inside out.

To avoid these problems, paint the canvas and varnish the outwales (being sure to seal all of the surfaces) before the outwales are installed.  Some builders go so far as to apply varnish along the cut edge of canvas before the outwales are installed.

Tip #2 – Sanding, Sanding and More Sanding – Generally speaking, the more you sand, the smoother the final finish.  Also, the more meticulous you are about sanding, the better the end results.  Before starting to paint the filled canvas, sand the filler with 120-grit sandpaper.  I use a random-orbital sander for this job.

Any tacks in the canoe hull that are not flush to the hull will show up as you sand.  It is essential to stop sanding immediately and re-clinch the tack to avoid creating a nice, round, tack-sized hole in the canvas.

For all practical purposes, oil-based alkyd enamel paint is essentially heavily pigmented varnish.  Both are handled in exactly the same way except that while the surface of varnish is scratched with steel-wool between coats, the paint surface is scratched with wet sandpaper.  I use 120-grit wet sandpaper between the first and second coats of paint.  I then use 220-grit wet sandpaper between the second and third coats and, if necessary, 320-grit wet sandpaper between the third and fourth coats.  As always, be sure to clean the surfaces well before applying the finish.  Remove sanding dust with a brush or vacuum.  Then, clean remaining dust with a tack cloth.

Tip #3 – A Little Thinner – Some articles about oil-based paints and varnishes would have you believe that avoiding streaks and bubbles in the final finish is one of life’s great challenges.  In fact, there is no great mystery to it.  Thin the paint (or varnish) about 12% with mineral spirits (paint thinner) before using it.  The thinned paint will self-level once it is applied.  The additional solvent also allows the paint to dry before sags and drips develop.  For a canoe, any alkyd enamel works well and provides a tough, flexible finish.  Recent changes to federal regulations in Canada make it difficult, if not impossible, to buy oil-based marine enamel.  Just go to your local hardware store and pick up a gallon of oil-based “rust paint”.  The label will say “For Metal Use Only”.  I’m sure they just forgot to include “Canvas-Covered Canoe” in the label.  I would gladly use a water-based paint for the canvas, but at this point, oil-based alkyd enamel is the only paint that works.

Tip #4 – Tip It, Then Leave It – As with any paint, you must maintain a “wet edge” while applying it to a large surface.  Therefore, it is important to work in small sections of the canoe.  Apply the paint quickly and vigorously to get complete coverage.  Don’t worry about streaks or bubbles.  Just make sure the paint covers the area without using too much.  I use a high-quality natural bristle brush to apply the first and second coats.

I use a disposable foam brush to apply the third (and, if necessary, the fourth) coat of paint.  Once you have paint applied to a small section of the canoe, hold the brush at a 45° angle to the surface and lightly touch the brush to the wet surface.  Move the brush quickly over the surface to “tip” the finish.  Do this first vertically from top to bottom and then horizontally.  After the section is painted and tipped in two directions, move to the next section.  Continue in this way until you have done the entire canoe.  Check to make sure there is no excess paint dripping anywhere – especially at the ends.  Then, go away and leave it alone for 48 hours.

Tip #5 – Protect Your Work – Are we done yet?  Well, that depends on whether or not you want to protect that beautiful new finish.  Once I have applied the final coat of paint and allowed it to dry for two days, I apply a coat of carnauba wax (pronounced car-NOO-bah) obtained at the local auto supply shop.

Follow the directions and use lots of muscle (or a good buffing wheel).  If you’ve never tried it, waxing the canoe is worth it just for the experience of shooting effortlessly through the water.  It’s like waxing a surfboard – the results are amazing.  Also, the paint is protected from minor scuffs and scratches.  Any oil-based finish takes several months to cure completely, so the wax helps protect it in the early months of use.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

For those of you new to this blog and have not heard me on this topic before, let me be as clear as I can be: To anyone thinking about applying fiberglass to a wood-canvas canoe, I say, “DON’T DO IT!”  To anyone wanting to remove fiberglass from a wood-canvas canoe, the short answer is: HEAT.

Wood-canvas canoes are a product of a by-gone era; a time before planned obsolescence — when things were built with the long term interests of the consumer in mind.  The whole idea of building a canoe with wood and canvas was to have a vessel that lives and breathes.  These canoes work in the natural environment and are part of it.  They are held together with tacks and screws – no glue.  The wood flexes and moves with the water around it.  When part of the canoe breaks or rots, it can be repaired or replaced with comparative ease because it is designed to be taken apart.

It has been about forty years since these canoes were the standard in the marketplace.  Not only has the technology of wooden canoe repair faded into obscurity, but the mindset of both manufacturers and consumers has also changed.  Synthetic materials are now generally seen as better – easier, tougher and longer lasting.  The consumer has been convinced that the new materials can improve that which is outdated or at least maintain it quickly and easily.

When it comes right down to it, wooden canoes and fiberglass just don’t mix.  Since the ribs and planking are held together with tacks, they flex and move naturally.  Over the years, the tacks tend to work loose and eventually have to be either re-clinched or replaced. Conversely, fiberglass resin is rigid.  Once applied, it tends to resist any movement.  The combination of a flexible hull and a rigid outside layer results in cracked or delaminated resin.  The tacks can also wear against the resin from the inside to the point where they come right through the resin.  It can take as little as ten months or as much as ten years.  At some point though, the fiberglass has to come off.  And it is then that the real problem with fiberglass on a wood canoe comes to light.  All of that synthetic resin has to be removed.  It is a long, painstaking process that usually has you cursing the person that put the stuff on in the first place. The moral of the story is: Avoid applying fiberglass to the hull of a wood-canvas canoe.  Learn how to re-canvas the canoe or find a professional to do it for you.

This leads us into the next question: How do you remove fiberglass from a wood-canvas canoe?  All you require is a professional-grade heat-gun, a 2” putty knife, a pair of pliers, safety equipment (work gloves, safety glasses and a respirator mask) and lots of patience.  The first step is to move the canoe into a well ventilated work space – preferably outdoors.  Then start at an edge of the canoe and apply heat to the resin.

At this point it is important to note that fiberglass resins come in two basic types – polyester and epoxy.  Polyester resins were the first to be developed.  If your canoe had fiberglass applied to it in the 1970’s or earlier, you can bet that polyester resins were used.  They tend to become brittle and deteriorate rapidly, so if the fiberglass on your canoe is delaminating it is most likely that you are dealing with a polyester resin.  Fortunately, this makes the removal of the fiberglass relatively quick and easy.  In many cases, the cloth can be ripped off by hand with very little need for heat.  When I say rip, please be gentle.  If you get carried away and pull at the fiberglass cloth too rapidly, you could end up tearing sizeable chunks of planking off the canoe as well (I speak from first-hand experience).

Epoxy resins hit the market in a big way in the 1980’s and are the standard today.  They are applied by first mixing a hardener with a resin in a two-part formula.  What results is a strong, tough plastic that bonds very well to wood.  Unfortunately, this means that the removal process is arduous and painstaking.

As mentioned earlier, start at an edge of the canoe and apply heat to the resin.  If you are dealing with epoxy resin, you will probably have to apply the heat for several minutes before the cloth begins to respond to your attempts to lift it with the putty knife.  At some point, it does let go and the fiberglass cloth can be separated from the canoe.  Then move a few centimeters and continue the process.  Again, polyester resins let go fairly quickly.  You will find that large sheets of cloth come off in fairly short order.  I usually grab the cloth with a pair of pliers rather than with my hand.  Even with work gloves on, the pliers prevent nasty encounters with heat and/or sharp edges of fiberglass (again, this is the voice of experience talking).  If you are dealing with epoxy resin, be prepared to settle into hours of tedious work as the cloth is lifted one square centimeter at a time.  It took me 17 hours to remove the fiberglass cloth from one 16’ Chestnut Pal.  There was a double layer of fiberglass cloth on the bottom of the canoe.

Once you are back to the bare wood, the restoration is like that of any other wood-canvas canoe.  So, enjoy the pleasures of life in the slow lane, stay away from fiberglass and celebrate the fact that you have a wood-canvas canoe.

Many people complement me on the great fiberglass job on my canoes. They are shocked to learn that the canoes are covered with painted canvas.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

The blogs I do on the specifications of canoe components for various types of canvas-covered canoes seem to be quite popular.  Apparently, I am the only one out there taking the time to write about this stuff and share it with others on-line.  This time around, I am presenting a restorer’s guide to the Bobs Special from the Chestnut Canoe Company.

This canoe was one of two lightweight pleasure canoes built by Chestnut (the other was an 11’ solo canoe called the Featherweight that weighed about 35 pounds**).  Before I talk about the canoe, I’d like to clarify the name.  According to Roger MacGregor in his book “When the Chestnut was in Flower”, Henry and William Chestnut were real history buffs.  The telegraph code for the 15’ 50-Lb. Special was BOBS and made reference to Lord Roberts, a major figure during the Second Boer War in South Africa. Over the years, as this wide, light-weight canoe became more difficult to keep under the weight limit of 50 lbs (the average weight was 58 pounds while the carrying capacity was 700 pounds), they changed the name.  I have seen a variety of Chestnut catalogues call it Bob’s Special, Bob Special and Bobs Special.  So, feel free to take your pick.

If you happen to have a Bobs or have been lucky enough to come across one in need of some TLC, you will notice what a sweet little canoe this is.  It paddles like a dream which is surprising for a canoe that is 37” (94 cm) wide.  Its bottom has a shallow-arch that reduces the waterline width when paddled with a light load.  There is a fair amount of rocker in the ends which adds to its maneuverability.  At the same time, it is not difficult to stand up in a Bobs – making it ideal for fly-fishing or general recreational paddling for a less experienced paddler.

One little note here: I am listing all of the dimensions in inches.  I apologize to all of you who are working in metric.  The canoes were built with imperial measurements originally, so I find it easier and more accurate to stick with this measurement scale.

Inwales –The inwale is a length of White Ash or Douglas Fir 15/16” high with the edge grain visible on the top surface.  It is fashioned to fit the tumblehome present on most Chestnut canoes.  Therefore, the top surface is 9/16” wide while the bottom width is 11/16”.  The last 18” or so at each end is tapered down to about ½” wide (top and bottom) along the sides of the decks.  All of the transverse components (centre thwart and seats) are attached to the inwales with 10-24 (3/16”) galvanized steel carriage bolts.  I replace these with 10-24 silicon-bronze carriage bolts.

The gunwales (both inwales and outwales) are pre-bent about 18” from the ends.  If you are replacing these components, the wood will have to be soaked, heated and bent onto forms in order to get a proper fit.

Outwales – The outwales are also made of White Ash or Douglas Fir.  Depending on when the canoe was built, the outwales may have a chamfered edge on the bottom of the outside surface.  Water often gets trapped under the outwales and results in rot on the inside surface.  Therefore, I usually end up replacing this component.  Prior to installation, I seal the wood on all surfaces with a couple of coats of spar varnish.

Decks – The decks the Bobs Special were made of hardwood – usually maple, ash or oak.  Sometimes, they used mahogany to help reduce the overall weight.  By the time you start restoring your canoe, the decks are often rotted along with the stem-tops and inwale-ends.  They are attached to the inwales with six 1¾” #8 bronze wood screws.  As with the outwales, I help prevent future rot by sealing the decks on all surfaces with a couple of coats of spar varnish.  The deck extends about 18” into the canoe from the end.

Stem-Top – You will rarely if ever have to replace the entire stem.  However, I rarely see an original stem-top that is not partially or completely rotted away.  Because the top 6” or so of the stem is straight, you can usually make the repair without having to pre-bend the wood to fit the original stem-profile.

Keel – The Bob Special had a regular (tapered) keel installed.  Use a piece of hardwood (the original was ash) and taper each end to 3/8” wide.  The overall length is about 13’.  It will accept the brass stem-band which is 3/8” wide.

Ribs – The Bobs Special was constructed with so-called “regular” ribs (2-3/8” wide) that were ¼” thick instead of the normal 3/8”.  They create a light-weight canoe but are not as robust as the regular ribs.  You will probably encounter several broken ribs in your canoe restoration.

The edges of the ribs are chamfered in most Bobs Specials.  Replicate the angles found in your canoe.  Often, the edge closest to the centre of the canoe has tapered ends (11° chamfer) while the edge closest to one end of the canoe is chamfered about 25°.

Planking – The planking in Chestnut Canoes was made of either Eastern White Cedar or Western Red Cedar.   Although the planks started out at 5/32” thick, you will probably be shaving replacement planks down to match the original planks.  Again, this results in a lighter, less robust canoe.  You will probablly encounter many broken planks in your canoe.

Seats – The seat frames are made of ¾” ash that is 1½” wide.  Both seats are suspended under the inwales with 10-24 carriage bolts and held in position with 5/8” hardwood dowel.  The rear stern seat dowels are 1¾” long while the front dowels are ¾” long.  All of the bow seat dowels are ¾” long.  The forward edge of the bow seat is about 51½” from the bow-end of the canoe while the forward edge of the stern seat is about 39½” from the stern-end of the canoe.

Centre Thwart – The thwart is made of ¾” ash that is 2½” wide.  It tapers from the centre to create handle grips on either side that are 2” wide.  They were attached directly under the inwales with galvanized steel 10-24 carriage bolts.  As with every component in the canoe, I seal the entire thwart with a couple of coats of spar varnish prior to installation and replace the original galvanized steel bolts with silicon bronze bolts.

** If you are interested in owning an 11’ Chestnut Featherweight, give me a call toll free 1-855-KRCANOE (1-855-572-2663) or e-mail me artisan@canoeshop.ca .  I don’t buy or sell canoes.   Instead, I focus on the restoration.  For this canoe, you pay the current owner $1,000 to transfer ownership from him to you.  Then the canoe comes to KRC for a full restoration costing (in this case) $3,300 plus taxes.  Since it is your canoe, you have complete control over all aspects of the restoration (colour, etc).

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

A Zen Master and his student were walking together across a bridge when the student asked, “Master, What is Zen?”  Before the student had a chance to react, the Zen Master picked him up and threw him off the bridge into the river below.

Zen is the moment – right here, right now.  Zen Masters have written thousands of books in an attempt to explain the unexplainable.  As the student hurtled through the air towards the water in the river, he was totally consumed in the moment.  No past – No future – Just now.

So, what does this have to do with wooden canoes?  I have found that a successful canoe restoration demands a mind and body that work together in the present moment.  As soon as I rush things, I make mistakes and have to start all over again.  As soon as I think of myself as the expert, I find something I’ve never come across before.  As soon as I think the task is simple, I get bogged down in complex problems.  As soon as I obsess over technical aspects and try to think my way through them, everything grinds to a halt in a mass of frustration.  And the more I try to get out of my head and get back to “the moment”, the worse the frustrations become.

For me, a canoe restoration it is an opportunity to immerse myself in the moment – now and now and now and now.  When I succeed, the hammer drives the tacks straight into the wood – almost by itself.  The hot, steamed wood bends to hug the canoe in a warm embrace.  The work flows and I lose track of time.

However, as soon as I try to take credit for the accomplishment or repeat the masterful actions of the past, everything goes wrong.  I bend a new rib over the canoe only to find that it is upside-down and has to be thrown away.  The air of the shop is filled with my not-so-quiet curses.

In those moments, I endeavor to see the cloud of frustration as a gift.  Sometimes at least, I am able to catch myself and laugh at the situation and – with any luck – laugh at my approach to it.  I take a deep breath and shake my head.  Instead of trying to change the situation, I revel in the fact that I am feeling frustrated.  I practice learning how to stay with the day where nothing seems to be going my way.  When I succeed in taking the day – and myself – for what it is, things tend to turn around.  Paradoxically, as soon as I try to hold onto my feelings of frustration they vanish and the rest of the day tends to flow a little more smoothly.

Perfection is Impossible

When it comes right down to it, you are not working on your old wooden canoe, you are working with it. You and your canoe are active partners in search of a successful conclusion.  You must listen to your canoe and accept its strengths and limitations. There will be times when you want one thing and your canoe simply has something else in mind.  You must be prepared for times when things don’t go as planned.  The fact is, when things work out the first time, it will be the exception rather than the rule.

The minute you try to force the issue, your canoe will remind you who is in charge.  Let your mind wander and your canoe will shake you back to reality.  Think for a moment that you know what you are doing and your canoe will show you otherwise.

Mistakes are the engine of learning and mastery.  Indeed, in order to allow your body to learn anything, you must give it permission to screw up.  However, you are starting down a particularly challenging path.  A friend of mine, a master carpenter with 25 years of experience, ran from the room five hours into a canoe restoration and wished me luck on my crazy adventure.

Your canoe may have been made in a factory as one of thousands in the production line.  However, after four or five decades, it is unique.  The lines are no longer completely fair.  The wood is no longer smooth and even.  Abraham Lincoln said, “Every man over forty is responsible for his own face.”  So too, the life of your canoe is written in every crack and warp in its venerable hull.

I use a lot of photographs to illustrate the techniques I describe in my articles.  Bear in mind, that I have the luxury of selection.  If I were to illustrate the mistakes as well as the successes, the articles would be at least twenty times as long.

My hope is that by presenting some of my successes and alerting you to some of the pitfalls, your canoe restoration will be rewarding, enjoyable and successful.