wooden canoe repair – Canoeguy's Blog

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

Unless you live in British Columbia, you have probably never heard of Bill Greenwood or Greenwood canoes. And if you want to start a fight amongst wood-canvas canoe enthusiasts, just ask them to name the prettiest canoes ever made. In Maine, you would hear names like Morris, Gerrish and White. In Ontario, Peterborough canoes are top of the list. But in British Columbia, people speak about Greenwood canoes in hushed tones and bow down to Bill Greenwood’s exquisite water craft.

There is very little information available about Bill or his canoes. Whatever I have collected is from people who bought their canoes directly from the builder at his shop as well as some antecdotes from Jim Kinzell, who worked with Bill as an apprentice from 1969 to 1975. There is also a small biography produced in 1972 as an assignment for a physical education course at a college. My information is incomplete to say the least and is probably full of errors and omissions. That said, Bill Greenwood and Greenwood Canoes deserve recognition in the world of wood-canvas canoes.

As I understand it, Bill was born around 1910 and was an active outdoorsman who loved hiking, skiing, canoeing — just about anything that got him outside. Then in 1934, at the age of 24, he suffered a stroke while hiking in the mountains. As part of his rehabilitation, Bill decided to learn how to build canoes. He boarded a train in Vancouver, BC and made his way to Old Town, Maine. He hung around the Old Town Canoe Company shop and absorbed everything he could about canoe building until they realized what he was doing and kicked “the spy” out. Bill spent some time at other canoe factories including the Peterborough Canoe Company in Ontario before returning to British Columbia and setting up Greenwood Water Craft Company. The shop location changed a number of times over the years until he estabished a large shop complex on Mitchell Island in Richmond, BC in the late 1960′s.

Not surprisingly, the lines and details of Greenwood Canoes borrow heavily from the “Maine Guide” canoes of Old Town and other builders in Maine. They all sport wide, flat bottoms and have very little rocker. The stem profile is heavily recurved and the hulls all contain a lot of tumblehome. Bill’s 16’ (4.9 meter) canoes did not have a centre thwart, but instead had both bow- and stern-quarter thwarts as was typical of Maine Guide canoes. Many of the canoes had bottoms reinforced with half-ribs between the main ribs to create a strong comfortable floor. And Bill absolutely refused to make a canoe without a keel. In fact, one of my clients asked Bill to leave the keel off the canoe he was ordering. Apparently, Bill said something like, “My canoes have keels.” When my client told Bill that many Chestnut Canoes paddled very well without a keel, Bill said, “If you want a Chestnut Canoe, then buy a Chestnut Canoe.” My client told me that story while I was preparing the restoration work order on his 17’ (5.2 meter) Chestnut Cruiser.

The workmanship in Greenwood canoes is outstanding. He used “aircraft quality” Sitka Spruce for the double-tapered ribs. The wide planking was made of old-growth Western Red Cedar (edge grain). The stems (and slat seats) were White Oak while the rest of the canoe was trimmed in Philippine Mahogany (Luan). All of the woodwork was flawless – tight planking, graceful lines and elegant detailing. The one drawback in many Greenwood canoes built in the early 1970’s is the fact that he used steel screws to attach the mahogany outwales. Apparently, Bill was feuding with one of his suppliers. He wanted 1.5” (37 mm) #8 brass wood screws in lots of 1,000 while the supplier insisted on selling lots of 10,000. Bill ordered steel screws from another supplier in lots of 1,000. I have had to cut that beautiful mahogany into hundreds of tiny pieces because the steel screws had corroded to the point of being fused into the wood. I’m sure Bill thought he had won the war with his supplier, but it has made the restorer’s job much more difficult 40 years later.

The quality of the workmanship is all the more impressive when you consider the fact that Bill worked almost entirely with one hand. The stroke affected his left side. Consequently, his left hand was crippled to the point that he had limited use of it. My understanding is that he used jigs for almost every step of production. That and a few very good assistants in the shop (including George Fletcher and Jim Kinzell) made it all work beautifully.

Greenwood Canoes came in lengths from 15’ (4.6 meter) to 18’ (5.5 meter). He had two basic models – the Pleasure Model (12” – 30 cm – deep) and the large volume Prospector Model (14” – 36 cm – deep). He built a full range of lengths in both models (as well as a 12′ car-top boat) until 1970. One client of mine has a beautiful home in North Vancouver overlooking the entire Lower Mainland. He had ordered a canoe from Bill in 1970 and was expecting a call any day to say that the canoe was ready. Then, he heard a news report of a large fire on Mitchell Island in Richmond. He looked out over the valley from his home and saw a big cloud of smoke. The Greenwood Water Craft shop was engulfed in flames. The next day, my client went to the site and saw Bill kicking through the ashes that used to be his shop. He said, “I only had time to grab two canoes – The yellow one over there — that’s yours.”

Bill rebuilt the business with a limited number of moulds and continued building canoes until he sold the business in 1975. According to Doug Ingram of Red River Canoe and Paddle, the moulds ended up in Cranberry Portage (a small community in Northern Manitoba east of Flin Flon). Apparently, they were never used again and are now in very poor condition. Bill died in 1979. His contribution to the world of wood-canvas canoes is significant here in British Columbia. People bow their heads in reverence to these stunning works of art.

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. Last year, I coordinated the restoration of a 30′ C-15 Racing War Canoe (circa 1949) for the museum 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 were 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.

In 2014, Ted Fogg, curator of Gallery 2 in Grand Forks, BC, walked across the street from his office at the art gallery and entered my workshop at Kettle River Canoes. He was planning an exhibit called “Tom Thomson and the grey canoe”. He was looking for an old wreck of a canoe hull he could paint grey and use as part of the display in the show. I shrugged and said, “What if KRC restores a 16′ Chestnut Cruiser (the same make and model of canoe that Tom Thomson owned). Not only will it be a highlight of the show, but you could then raffle it off as a fundraiser for the gallery.”

Ted thought that was a great idea. “When can you get started on the restoration?” I smiled and said, “As soon as a 16′ Chestnut Cruiser turns up.” The only difficulty was that in the course of eleven years in business — restoring over 150 canoes — I had never seen a 16′ Chestnut Cruiser available ‘for adoption’ from someone who could no longer keep it.

Tom Thomson in his grey canoe circa 1914.

Tom Thomson was an artist and fishing guide who lived and worked in Algonquin Park. He began as a graphic artist in the early 1900’s. In 1912, he started to paint images of the landscape north of Toronto in Algonquin Park and Georgian Bay. He died under mysterious circumstances in 1917 — accidental drowning? murder? — on Canoe Lake in Algonquin Park at the age of 40. In the course of those five years, Tom Thomson established a style of painting that was uniquely Canadian.

He introduced his friends to that landscape — Arthur Lismer, A.Y. Jackson, J.E.H. MacDonald, Lawren Harris, Fred Varley, Franklin Carmichael and Frank Johnston. They formed ‘The Group of Seven’ in 1920.

Tom Thomson’s canoe, a 16′ Chestnut Cruiser (more precisely a heavy-duty version called the Guide Special), was fundamental to the art produced by the painter. Tom painted the canoe a colour of his own creation that Arthur Lismer described as “Dove Grey” to make it easily recognizable as his. He used it to venture deep into the wilderness. Many of his paintings are images as seen from his canoe.

In January 2015, I was ready to begin the canoe restoration for the art gallery show — scheduled to open in May. The only problem was that I didn’t have a canoe. Then, a client contacted me to say that things had changed in his life and he was no longer able to proceed with the restoration of his canoe which he had already delivered to my shop. “Please keep the canoe and find it a good home.” It was a 16′ Chestnut Cruiser.

The canoe was built around 1965 and had seen better days. There were 15 broken ribs. About 45′ of planking would be replaced. The ends (as is usually the case) were rotted and needed to be repaired and rebuilt. The seats had to be re-caned and new Ash outwales would replace the rotted originals. I also carved a pair of one-piece Ash paddles to compliment the canoe. It would take every minute of the four months we had, to complete the restoration in time for the opening of the show on May 9, 2015.

Mike Elliott delivering a fully restored Chestnut Cruiser wood-canvas canoe to Gallery 2 in Grand Forks, BC for the opening of the exhibit ‘Tom Thomson and the grey canoe’ on May 9, 2015.

I completed the restoration late in the afternoon on May 6, took photos of it on the water the next morning and delivered the canoe to the gallery that afternoon — May 7, 2015.

Ted Fogg, curator at Gallery 2 in Grand Forks, BC (left) with Mike Elliott, canoe restoration artisan (right) at the opening of the exhibit ‘Tom Thomson and the grey canoe’ on May 9, 2015.

This fully restored 16′ Chestnut Cruiser wood-canvas canoe (valued at $7,000) will be raffled off on October 3, 2015 at 2:00 pm. Only 200 tickets are available at $100 each. Phone 250-442-2211 for tickets.

The opening of the show was a success. Many of the people who attended, purchased tickets for the canoe raffle. There are only 200 tickets available at $100 each. Phone 250-442-2211 to purchase tickets. The draw will take place on October 3, 2015 at 2:00 pm at Gallery 2 in Grand Forks, BC.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

A number of canoe builders operated in a small aboriginal community just outside of Quebec City. Names such as Bastien Brothers, Gagnon Brothers, Groslouis, Picard, Faber, Yaho and Big Chief came out of this community now called Wendake (formerly Huron Village or Loretteville). They also produced canoes generically for department stores such as Sears and were referred to as “Huron” canoes. The history of canoe building in the village dates back to the days of the Fur Trade but the more modern wood-canvas canoes were made from the 1920’s until the 1970’s. If you have one of these canoes, it is most likely from the later period – 1960’s or 1970’s.

These canoes were typically of a “rough-and-ready” nature — built quickly with less attention to the fine woodworking “finish” details. When I was growing up as a kid in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, I heard people refer to these canoes as “The Poorman’s Chestnut”. This derogitory comment discounted the beautiful lines in these canoes. The hull was flat-bottomed which normally results in a slow-paddling canoe. However, “Huron” canoes also had a ‘soft’ chine. That is to say, the transition from the bottom to the sides of the canoe was very gradual. As a result, when paddling an unloaded “Huron”, the waterline width was narrow which made for a fast boat. This, combined with substantial rocker in the ends, created a canoe that is quite simply a delight to paddle.

The process of restoring a wood-canvas canoe is very different from that of building one. You use the existing hull to form replacement ribs for any broken ones. As a result, you don’t require the lines for the hull. Most of the dimensions for replacement parts can be taken from existing components. However, depending on the condition of your canoe, you may need the specifications for the odd piece or two. So, here is a restorer’s guide to the “Huron” canoe.

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 originally built with imperial measurements, so I find it easier and more accurate to stick with the original measurements.

One more note: The canoes referenced here were built in a period around 1970. Most of them were purchased through the Sears catalogue. They are representative of “Huron” canoes. However, it is not my intention to say that these dimensions will be exactly the same as those in your “Huron”. It will give you a general idea of how these canoes are constructed and how they differ from other major manufacturers. It is my hope that after you read this article, you will be able to differentiate a canoe like this from one built by the Chestnut Canoe Company.

One last note: All of the canoes shown here have been restored for clients. Often they asked me to do things on the canoe that were not in keeping with the original configuration. Therefore, you will see canoes with seats lowered on 6” carriage bolts with hardwood dowel spacers or outfitted with a portage yoke. They are not original, so take note and please excuse the lack of historical accuracy.

Gunwales – “Huron” canoe gunwales consist of three components. The inwale is a rough piece of spruce 7/8” square. For a 15’-6” canoe, the inwales were 14’ long while the 13’-6” canoe had 12’ inwales. The last 6” or so of the inwales at each end are tapered down to ¾” wide to fit into the decks. All of the transverse components (thwarts and seats are attached to the inwales with 10-24 (3/16”) steel machine bolts. All of these attachments are rough looking, so they are covered up with a thin spruce gunwale-cap. The outwales were originally made of spruce as well. I always replace the outwales with hardwood – usually ash or oak. If I am replacing the inwales I use hardwood as well (again ash or oak) and cut them to ¾” wide to reduce the weight of the component while maintaining the overall strength. Consequently, the gunwale cap is also ¾” wide.

Decks – The decks in a “Huron” canoe were built very roughly. Typically, they used a slab of birch or maple that varied in thickness from ¾” to more than 1”. The stem-top sits flush with the nose of the deck and is held in place with a steel common nail. By the time you start restoring your canoe, the decks are usually rotted along with the stem-top. What is left of the common nail is often sticking out of the rotted nose of the deck. I attach the rebuilt stem-top to the nose of the new deck with a 1½” #8 bronze wood screws. The deck extends 18” into the canoe from the end.

Stem-Top – You will rarely if ever have to replace the entire stem. However, I have yet to see an original stem-top that is not partially or completely rotted away. Depending on the amount of wood to be replaced in the stem you may have to pre-bend the wood to fit the original stem-profile.

Keel – If you want to keep the keel as part of the canoe, it is a simple piece to make. Use a piece of hardwood and taper each end roughly to ½” wide. The overall length is about 13’. It will accept the brass stem-band which is ½” wide.

Ribs – The ribs are simple slats 5/16” thick and 1-7/8” wide. The edges are chamfered 10° on both sides with the top cornered rounded off slightly. There are 2” spaces between the ribs.

Planking – Many people worry about the gaps between the planks in a “Huron” canoe. The original canoe was constructed with ‘green’ wood that subsequently shrunk to create spaces between the planks that can be as much as ¼” wide. This is one of the defining characteristics of “Huron” canoes — so don’t mess with it. The spaces do not compromise the overall strength of the canoe, so please maintain the look of the canoe by matching the width of the planking when you replace some of it. Do not try to fill the spaces with anything. It will only result is a mess that some other restorer will have to deal with.

Another aspect of the planking relevant to a restoration is the fact that more than half of the connections between a plank and the ribs were held together with two canoe tacks rather than the three typically used in other canoes such as Peterborough and Chestnut. As a result, the hull of a “Huron” canoes tended to flex more than other canoes. It is common for a restorer to find that most of the tacks in the “Huron” hull have either snapped or worked loose. I routinely take the time to tack every plank to every rib with three canoe tacks and replace all of the loose tacks. It takes a long time to drive 2,500 tacks into the hull with a clobber’s hammer and a clinching iron. However, it creates a very strong hull that is better than the original.

Seats – The seat frames are made of ¾” birch or maple that is 1-3/8” wide. The stern seat is attached directly under the inwales while the bow seat is suspended below the inwale using a spacer on either side. The height of the spacer varies from 1” to 1½”. The forward edge of the bow seat is 49½” from the bow-end of the canoe while the forward edge of the stern seat is 35½” from the stern-end of the canoe. The seat frames are laced with rawhide (also called “babiche”).

Thwarts – The thwarts are made of ¾” birch or maple that is 2¼” wide. They taper from the centre to create handle grips on either side that are 1-3/8” wide. They are attached directly under the inwales with steel 10-24 machine screws. I replace the machine screws in the seats and thwarts with bronze carriage bolts. The stern-quarter thwart is positioned 59” from the stern-end of the canoe while the centre thwart is positioned 93” from both ends.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

People email 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).

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 1974. 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. Stand to one side near 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. However, in most cases, it is best to re-cane the seats (hand-woven with natural cane — rattan).

5. Gunwales and Centre Thwart (Above 3/4 Profile)

The rails along each side of the canoe are called gunwales. They consist of an inside rail called the inwale and an outside rail called the outwale. Stand near the bow seat off to one side and take a picture from above that includes a view of the inwale and outwale as well as the centre thwart. In most cases, it was difficult for the builders to find full-length wood for the gunwale components. They spliced pieces together by gluing a scarf joint. Often the glue lets go and needs to be re-glued. In the final years of the Chestnut Canoe Company, they attached the ribs to the inwale with steel tacks. Over the years, they corrode causing the entire canoe to come apart. Most companies assembled their canoes completely before applying paint and varnish. As a result, the inside surface of the outwale is bare wood and the top-edge of the canvas is raw as well. If the canoe has been used at all over the years, water collects under the outwales creating a moist environment for the fungi that cause rot. Often, the canvas rots and begins to fall away from the canoe. The outwales may look fine on the outside but are often rotting from the inside out. Most canoe builders used steel carriage bolts to attach the thwarts and seats to the inwales. Again, the original carriage bolts often look fine until you try to remove them. I replace these with silicon bronze bolts as a matter of course in most restorations.

6. Obvious Damage (Above 3/4 Profile)

Please photograph any areas with obvious damage. As with most photos of the canoe, take these at an angle (to one side and slightly above). Sometimes the canoe is stored away in the back of a shed. It may be a real hassle to haul the canoe out into the daylight, but please make the effort. Good lighting is essential for these photos and taking the shots 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 (between 500 KB and 1 MB). It is not necessary to overload an email with huge picture files. As long as the photos are large enough to allow close examination, they will work well.

In all of this their is light at the end of the tunnel. All of the damage can be repaired and all of the rotted components can be replaced. The restored canoe will be part of the family for many decades to come.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

Frequently, I get an email 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 $3,000 to $5,000. Bear in mind that a brand-new Old Town 16′ Guide canoe – made by hand on the original mould – currently sells for $9,000 USD. Serviceable canoes that need some work tend to be offered somewhere in the neighbourhood of $1,000 to $2,000. 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 $2,000 to $2,500 after you have bought the canoe. If the canoe ‘needs a little work’, be prepared to pay $3,000 to $4,000 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 $4,000, they are probably just trying to recoup the cost of the restoration.

About twelve 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

Sometimes, I post pictures of a canoe restoration only to have people ask or comment about the tools they see in the background. Here are a couple of tools that have generated a lot of interest lately.

An Old Ironing Board — The next time you are poking around a local yard sale keep your eyes open for an old ironing board. Back in the day, perhaps in the 1960’s or so, ironing boards were made of steel. They were strong, sturdy and lasted forever. They are a fairly common sight at yard sales these days because they are just a little too bulky for the average household. However, in the canoe shop, they are very handy indeed. I use them to support a long length of wood as I feed it into the table saw. I also set one up on either side of the canoe to hold tools and fasteners as I am installing new components such as ribs, planks, etc. When I’m done, it folds up and stores away easily. I have three of these in the shop and use them almost every day.

An AV Trolley — Not too long ago, television sets and video monitors were built around a cathode-ray-tube (CRT). Large TV sets were very big and very heavy. In schools and other public facilities, big TV sets were set up on sturdy steel trolleys so that they could be moved from room to room without too much trouble. Now, with lighter, thinner flat-screen technology, there is no longer a need for these large steel trolleys. Most of them are now collecting dust in the back corners of warehouses. Sometimes, organizations and institutions are more than happy to free up some room in their storage space. In the canoe shop, they are perfect work companions. The strong, steel shelves hold all the tools you require at a very comfortable height. Most of these trolleys have built-in power bars and a long extension cord. I can plug in a saber-saw and a random-orbital sander and have them ready for action as I rebuild a canoe-end . They are very easy to move around the shop, thanks to heavy-duty wheels. They take up room in the shop, but are always in use.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

Of the lesser known canoe manufacturers in Canada, Tremblay Canoes Limited (Les Canots Tremblay Limitée) from St. Félicien, Québec stood out from the crowd. They were well constructed with Mahogany trim and their sweet lines made for a lovely paddling canoe.

The specifications I present here are for the standard line of canoes produced by Tremblay known collectively as the Chibougamau canoes. There were six canoes in the Chibougamau line ranging in length from 14’ to 20’. As in all of my blog articles presenting specifications for canoes, I do not present the lines for the hull. I am presenting specifications for anyone faced with the restoration of a Tremblay canoe. As such, it is not a builder’s guide but rather a restorer’s guide. Most of the dimensions can be taken from existing components in the canoe.

One more note: In the later years of production, Tremblay canoes were known for their use of vinyl impregnated canvas (Verolite). Although a couple of canoe builders still use this material, I have yet to find a single canoe restorer who will touch the stuff. The vinyl coating acted as a plastic bag wrapped around the canoe and effectively held water against the hull for extended periods of time. This lack of ‘breathing’ in the canvas cover resulted in extensive rot through many (if not most) Tremblay canoes that were paddled on a regular basis.

Inwales – Tremblay inwales are made of Mahogany with nicely rounded edges. The ends curve sharply necessitating soaking the wood and heating the wood with hot water. This facilitates the bend through that section. I have repaired inwales that were cracked through the bend originally. Mahogany is temperamental at the best of times.

Outwales – The outwales are also Mahogany, but being only 7/16” wide, they do not require heat-bending. For such a thin outwale, they are surprisingly robust. The 3/8” rabbet helps keep the piece stable.

Decks – Tremblay usually made their decks from Birch, but I have seen Mahogany used as well. They are simple in design but nicely finished.

Stem-Top – It is unlikely you will ever have to replace the entire stem. However, I rarely see an original stem-top that is not partially or completely rotted away. The top of the stem-profile is straight thereby making the repair fairly straight-forward. The end assembly is held together with a 1½” #8 bronze wood screw.

Keel – If you want to keep the keel as part of the canoe, it is a simple piece to make. Use a piece of hardwood and taper each end gradually to ½” wide. It will accept the brass (or copper) stem-band which is ½” wide.

Ribs – The ribs are simple slats 3/8” thick and 2-1/8” wide. The edges are chamfered 10° on both sides with the top cornered rounded off slightly. There are 1¾” spaces between the ribs.

Planking – Tremblay did a nice job on the planking. The boards are usually 2¾” wide and 5/32” thick.

Seats – The seat frames are made of ¾” birch or maple that is 1-1/8” wide. Both seats are attached to Mahogany braces on either side of the canoe with 1½” #8 bronze wood screws. The seats are approximately 2” below the inwale. The body of the seat is laced rawhide done the same way snowshoes were laced.

Thwarts – The thwarts are made of 5/8” birch or maple that is 2” wide. They are simple pieces with no taper. They are attached directly under the inwales with steel 10-24 bronze carriage bolts.

Portage Yoke – If present in your canoe, you will appreciate the lovely shape of this yoke. It is made of Ash 5¾” wide tapering to 2¼” at the ends. Like most designs that are pleasing to the eye, it is also very comfortable to use.

Hand Thwarts – These are used as carrying handles on both ends of the canoe. They are positioned about 7” back from each deck. They are made from birch or maple 3/8” thick, 1½” wide and about 13” long with nicely rounded edges.

Here is a specification sheet with most of the components on one page.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

In Canada, the canoes from the Chestnut Canoe Company set the standard by which all others are measured. Now, thirty-six years after the company went out of business, they are still held up as classic canoe icons. So, how can you identify a canoe as a Chestnut and what makes a Prospector a Prospector?

The Chestnut Canoe Company – William and Henry Chestnut started building wood-canvas canoes in 1897. They bought a canoe in Maine (probably a Gerrish canoe) and made exact copies of it which they then sold out of their father’s furniture business in Fredericton, New Brunswick. They incorporated the canoe business in 1905 which most historians view the birth date of the company. However, the 1972 Chestnut Canoe Company catalogue proudly celebrated 75 years in business. It seems the company viewed its birth as 1897. Be that as it may, the company grew into the largest canoe manufacturer in Canada and, at their height, were producing in excess of 3,000 canoes/year. In 1923, Chestnut Canoe Companyand Peterborough Canoe Company (and later Canadian Canoe Company) amalgomated under an umbrella group called Canadian Watercraft Limited. As a result, the wood-canvas canoes for all three companies were built in Fredericton by Chestnut. The Peterborough Canoe Company ceased operations in 1961 while the Chestnut Canoe Company continued until it closed in 1978.

Chestnut produced over 50 different canoes in a wide variety of models. In this article, I will focus on the most common Chestnut canoes — Ogilvy, Cruiser, Bobs Special, Pal and Prospector.

The Chestnut Ogilvy – Although never as popular as the others, fishing guides on the salmon rivers of New Brunswick helped create a working canoe that was unmatched for its purpose. They needed a river canoe they could stand up in all day long. They were often poling the canoe upstream through shallow rapids in order to offer the prime fishing spots to wealthy clients. The canoe had to be stable and tough with a shallow draft so as to avoid many (but not all) of the rocks. They came in six models that ranged in length from 16’ to 26’ – real, honest working canoes.

The 16’ model had a 36” beam and 13½” depth at the centre. The ribs were 3” wide, 3/8” thick and had only ½” space between them. This created what amounted to a double-planked hull. The rugged nature of the Ogilvy comes with a price in terms of weight. The 16’ had an average weight of 84 pounds and a carrying capacity of 850 pounds. It had a flat-bottomed hull, straight sides, full entry lines and modest rocker in the ends. This made for a canoe that was slow and steady – exactly what was needed when working shallow, rapid rivers.

The Chestnut Cruiser – This canoe was one of the first canoes that Chestnut developed. It was influenced very heavily by (if not copied directly from) Gerrish, White and Morris canoes built in Maine in the late 1890’s. The lines are sleek, narrow and graceful – designed to handle rivers with speed and efficiency. This narrow canoe had an arched bottom, fine-entry lines and generous rocker at the ends. Therefore, it was not for the novice paddler. However, in the hands of someone who knew what to do, this canoe was a dream to paddle.

Three models were 16’ 17’ and 18’ long. The ribs were 2-3/8” wide, 3/8” thick with 2” spaces between the ribs. The 16’ model had a 34” beam, was 13” deep and weighed 70 pounds. They were also built with ribs 3” wide, 3/8” thick and ½” spaces between the ribs. These heavy-duty models were called the Guide Special. The 16’ model weighed 75 pounds. Both 16’ models had a carrying capacity of 600 pounds.

The Chestnut Bobs Special – This canoe was one of two lightweight pleasure canoes built by Chestnut. 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 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.

Many outdoor enthusiasts were looking for a lightweight, stable canoe that would allow them to enjoy fly fishing or just a quiet paddle on the lake. With a 37” beam and 12½” depth at the centre, the Bobs Special was very stable — ideal for those who find a regular canoe too ‘tippy’. At the same time, it was surprisingly quick and maneuverable in the water. This was due to the shallow-arch bottom combined with moderate rocker and fine entry lines in the ends. The ribs were 2-3/8” wide and ¼” thick with 1½” spaces between them.

The Chestnut Pleasure Canoes – It is no accident that Bill Mason used a 16′ Chestnut Pal in most of his films. It was stable, yet quick; steady, yet agile. With a 36” beam, 12¾” depth at the centre, weight of 72 pounds and a carrying capacity of 700 pounds, the Pal was as close to being a perfect recreational canoe as you ever hope to get. It was one of the Chestnut Pleasure Canoes which also came in 14’ and 15’ lengths. Until 1958, the 16’ Pleasure Canoe had a 34” beam. Then, the mould was widened. The economy version of the 16’ pleasure canoe had been called the Pal for several years (from about 1954). The pleasure canoes came in both narrow and wide versions until about 1960 when the wider versions were adopted exclusively. Over the years, the ribs of the Pal (as well as the 15’ Chum and the 14’ Playmate) came in two different sizes – either 1½” wide and 3/8” thick with 1½” spaces between ribs or 2-3/8” wide and 3/8” thick with 2” spaces.

The bottom was a shallow-arch hull with tumblehome extending through the entire length of the canoe. The fine entry lines and moderate rocker make it very easy to paddle. In his film, “Path of the Paddle: Solo Whitewater”, Bill Mason demonstrated very well that the Pal was not designed for Class 3 rapids. But, that didn’t stop him from trying. The Pal was a great general-purpose canoe and was the canoe of choice for many generations of canoeists – even if many of them called it a Chestnut Prospector.

The Chestnut Prospector – This was the real deal – often copied, never matched. A quick search on the internet produces at least ten modern canoe companies with a “Prospector” in its catalogue. However, the Chestnut Canoe Company found the winning combination. With high sides, substantial arch in the bottom and lots of rocker in the full ends, it was designed to transport heavy loads quickly through rapid rivers and large, challenging lakes. It was essentially a deeper, wider Cruiser and is still regarded as the ultimate wilderness tripping canoe.

They were made in five lengths from 14’ to 18’. The 16’ model had a 36” beam and a 14½” depth at the centre. The 16’ model weighed 76 pounds and carried 850 pounds. It was a fun canoe to paddle solo, but it really came into its own when loaded for an extended trip. Although there was good tumblehome at the centre, the hull flared about 4’ from the ends in order to throw water away from the canoe while hitting big waves in rapid rivers. The ribs were 2-3/8” wide, 3/8” thick with 2” spaces between them.

I was interviewed by Sheryl MacKay for her show on CBC Radio 1 called “North-by-Northwest”. We talked about the exhibit at Gallery 2 in Grand Forks, BC called “Tom Thomson and the grey canoe”. I restored a 16′ Chestnut Cruiser for the show ($7,000 value). It will be raffled off on October 3, 2015 at 2:00 pm. Only 200 tickets are available at $100 each.

Check out the interview in my posting on YouTube:

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

Proper storage of your wood-canvas canoe is essential to its long, rot-free life. The basic principles of proper storage revolve around creating an environment that is hostile to the growth of the fungi that cause wood to rot. This means keeping the canoe: a) well off the ground; b) upside-down; protected from rain, snow, etc. and; in an area with lots of air circulation. Finding a suitable place is one challenge. The other is how to store your canoe. I’m sure there are as many ways to store a canoe as there are canoes. Let’s look at a few.

Some examples of suitable storage spaces include:

1) Carport; 2) Covered Porch; 3) Unheated Garage; 4) Lean-To Shelter (against a building).

Once you have identified a spot, the next step is to develop a storage method. I will describe three possible systems. From them, you ought to be able to come up with something that works for you.

1. A Basic Rack – Does your space have a solid wall on one side? Is there enough room away from the wall to allow access into the space? If so, build and install two large racks about 7’ (2 meters) apart. The example illustrated here is made from spruce 2×4’s. The joints are glued and screwed to ensure a sturdy structure. The top edges of the rack can be rounded and/or padded to protect the gunwales of the canoe. Make sure the racks are secured well to the wall (with lag-bolts or through bolts and washers).

If you are able to use the services of a steel fabricator, a canoe rack can be constructed from 1″ (25 mm) square tubing. A single weld to create a right angle is more than strong enough to support a canoe, so there is no need for extra bracing if the rack is made of steel.

2. A Roller System – Is your space long and narrow? Is it awkward or impossible to access the space from the side? In this case, it may be possible to feed the canoe into the space from one end. For this situation, install two support racks about 7’ (2 meters) apart. Each support rack is a length of standard 1” (25 mm) steel pipe at least 40” (one meter) long threaded through a length of 1½” (38 mm) ABS pipe at least 38” (96 cm) long. Install each steel pipe securely at the desired height. The ABS pipe acts as a roller and makes it easy to store the canoe in and remove it from a confined space.

3. A Hoist System – Is it possible or desirable to get your canoe up out of the way above everything else? If so, try using a system of ropes and pulleys to hoist your canoe up and away. Support the canoe with a length of rope wrapped around each end. Tie a permanent loop in both ends of the ropes. Use a carabiner to clip the ends of each rope together to create a support loop for each end of the canoe. Then rig a length of ¼” (7 mm) braided rope (I use multi-filament polypropylene – MFP – rope) through a series of pulleys as illustrated above and install a cleat to secure the free-end of the rope.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

As I was completing the restoration of an 18′ Chestnut Prospector Vee-Stern canoe for a client, he asked me to create a wood-canvas canoe field repair kit. He lives in Whitehorse and plans to use the canoe on hunting trips in the Yukon. A few basic supplies along with a hammer, a screwdriver and the ubiquitous roll of duct tape are all you need to hold your canoe together until you get out of the bush and back to civilization.

The kit fits into a small food container (900 ml or 30.4 fluid ounces) and consists of the following items:

a piece of #10 (14.5 ounce) canvas 12″x12″ (30 cm x 30 cm)
10′ (3 meters) of 3/16″ rawhide lacing (babiche)
a tube of waterproof glue
30 – 3/4″ (19 mm) brass canoe tacks
20 – 3/4″ (19 mm) silicon bronze 14-gauge ring nails
12 – 1″ #8 silicon bronze flat-head square-drive wood screws
a small container of alkyd enamel paint

You could also pack a clinching iron (auto-body dolly) but I don’t see the need when a river rock will do the trick just as well. Most of the supplies are self-explanatory except for the babiche. It is very useful for lashing a broken thwart back together or holding a make-shift thwart (tree branch) in place. Soak the babiche for a few hours, do your lashing and wait a few hours for it to dry. The babiche will tighten and hold anything without fail.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

I completed the restoration late in the afternoon on May 6, took photos of it on the water the next morning and delivered the canoe to the gallery that afternoon — May 7, 2015.

This 16′ Chestnut Cruiser was won by Melanie Lloyd-Lewis from West Vancouver, BC. She grew up in Ontario and has paddled Canoe Lake in Algonquin Park in a canvas-covered canoe. Melanie was on-line looking for information about Chestnut canoes when she came across my blog article about the canoe restoration and raffle. She is looking forward to many adventures in her “new” Chestnut canoe.

by Mike Elliott, Kettle River Canoes

Once you’ve got your canoe out of the shed for the season, you’ll need some way of supporting it off the ground when it is not in the water. I can still hear my father saying, in no uncertain terms, “This canoe touches air and water, nothing else”. One of the most convenient systems is a pair of canoe cradles.

They are quick and simple to build and can be stored easily when not in use. They are also essential tools when repairing or refurbishing your canoe.

For the cradles I build, each one consists of two vertical struts, two base struts, two horizontal brace struts, two sling clamps and a cradle sling. All you need to build a pair of cradles are:

4 – 8’ 2×4’s (spruce) to make the struts;
A bunch of 2½” deck screws to hold the whole thing together and;
2 strips of material 3½” wide for the slings (I use pieces of carpet or scraps of canvas leftover from a canoe project). I have seen some people use 3/8” rope for the slings.

As far as dimensions are concerned, I find a stable design that still holds the canoe off the ground at a comfortable height have vertical and horizontal struts that are 28” long. The base struts are 24” long and are oriented parallel to the centre-line of the canoe to create stable “feet” for the cradle. The sling material is about 50” long. The clamps are just scrap pieces used to hold the sling material to the vertical struts. These can be about 6” long – whatever you end up with.

To build a cradle, start by creating the two sides. They each consist of a base strut attached to the end of a vertical strut to form a T-shape.

Next, the 28” bottom brace strut is attached between the two sides and the 28” upper brace strut is positioned somewhere in the middle of the vertical strut.

I take a minute to round-off the inside corners of the vertical struts. Otherwise, the sling material wears out quickly and has to be replaced frequently. I use an angle grinder to round the corners, but the same job can be done with a rasp and a little elbow-grease.

Construction of the cradle is completed by attaching the sling by means of the clamps. The whole process takes the better part of an hour for both cradles. If you want to pretty them up a bit, the struts can be rounded off and sanded smooth.

Any cradles that are going to spend a lot of time outside are finished with an opaque oil-based stain to protect the wood.

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 asking me about this. It appears that much of the knowledge about finishing wood for outdoor use 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. With the varnished wood properly prepared, it is ready for the application of new varnish as described below.

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 and 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 turns 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

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 who have been following this blog for a while, the launch of my book on wood-canvas canoe restoration is a much anticipated event. I began this blog with the idea of, at some point, putting all of the how-to information together as a book. That time has arrived and it is with great excitement that I announce that This Old Canoe: How To Restore Your Wood-Canvas Canoe will be launched in April 2016.

There will be many events, presentations, articles, reviews and interviews throughout the spring and summer of 2016. For now, I present to you the preface of the book. It explains how this book came about and puts it in the context of my life in the world of wood-canvas canoes. I hope you enjoy it.

If you would like to reserve a copy of the book, please send an email request to artisan@canoeshop.ca

book launch announcement Dec 27 2015

This Old Canoe: How To Restore Your Wood-Canvas Canoe

Preface

When I was a kid, my father worked for the Canadian government as a forest entomologist (He would always refer to himself as “a real bugger”). Our whole family spent a few summers at forest research stations in north-western Ontario. That is where my father infused us with a love of canoes and canoeing. Over the course of those summers, he and I would hop into a wood-canvas canoe. He took me out on the lake and taught me how to paddle. He had grown up in Peterborough, Ontario and raced cedar strip canoes in the 1930’s. My memories of those summers in northern Ontario include waking up to the sound of warblers singing in the black spruce trees, swimming in the freezing water of those lakes until my lips turned blue and watching the sunset over the lake from my position in the middle of a canvas-covered canoe.

About 36 years later, I had my head positioned inside an old 14’ “Huron” canoe — my first restoration project — as I cleaned and scraped the old wood. It was given to me by Richard Reid, a professional artist living in the southern interior of British Columbia. I happened to look up and had a view of the canoe from the centre looking towards the bow. Memories came flooding back to me. This was what I saw when I was six years old — the same ribs, the same seats, the same canoe. I checked with my father. He was a skilled carpenter and knew those old canoes inside-out. Sure enough, the canoes we used at the research stations were 14’ “Huron” canoes.

In my late teens, I became involved in elite-level sport and immersed myself in that — for me at least — neurotic, self-absorbed world. For the next twenty years I competed as both an athlete and a coach on national and international stages. In this environment, I gave little thought to life outside of the gymnasium. Then, I met Christy Luke in 1993 and soon decided to build a new life with her in Grand Forks, British Columbia. Yes, I had to look it up too. It was there that I decided to “get a life” and return to some of the things that brought me joy when I was a kid.

The next summer, as we looked out at the spectacular view from Chateau Lake Louise near Banff, Alberta, I turned to Christy and announced, “I am going to build a canoe and paddle it on this lake.” A few weeks later, Christy bought me a copy of Ted Moore’s Canoecraft: An Illustrated Guide to Fine Woodstrip Construction.

At this point, I should mention that I have dyslexia. It can take me up to an hour to read a page in a book. I find the prospect of reading anything to be daunting, unless I am reading something that interests me. I also require some previous background in the topic. Without a context for the words on the page, they are incomprehensible to me. Fortunately, as I started into Canoecraft, I found that Ted Moores included lots of pictures as well as some background information about the original cedar strip canoes. This harkened back to the stories my father told me about racing those canoes in Peterborough.

I poured over the book and soon approached my co-worker Barry Pratt with an idea. We were working with a group of boys who were having a rough time making sense of themselves and their place in the world. One thing I learned during my life in sport was that our worst personal demons can be conquered when there is a something worthwhile at the end of the road.

Barry and I asked the boys if they would like to go on a canoe trip. They were thrilled, but their enthusiasm waned when we told them they were going to build the canoes first. They were sure that the project would never happen and, if it did, the canoes would be ugly and sink to the bottom of the lake. They asked us if we had ever built canoes before. We held up our copy of Canoecraft and said, “No, but we have a book.” The boys were convinced that the project was doomed.

Five months later, as the boys paddled the finished canoes toward a campsite on Christina Lake in British Columbia, a big power boat cruised up. The men in the boat complimented us on the beautiful canoes. The boys straightened up a little. Was that a sense of pride I saw? Was there even the glimmer of self-esteem shining through? The boys replied, “Thanks, we built them.”

The boys donated the canoes to a local summer camp and became minor celebrities for a time. People around town started to refer to me as “The Canoe Guy”. It was then that Richard Reid gave me his old canoe. When Christy asked me if I had ever restored a canoe before, I said, “No, but I have a book.”

This time, it was a copy of The Wood & Canvas Canoe: A Complete Guide to its History, Construction and Maintenance by Jerry Stelmok and Rollin Thurlow. They devoted one chapter to canoe restoration. It was enough to get me started and once friends-of-friends found out that I knew how to do it, I restored half-a-dozen canoes in as many years.

When I am learning something, it helps me to write about it. Fortunately, the type of dyslexia I am dealing with does not present too many problems when I am writing. In fact, I find it easier to read something when I am the one who wrote it. It also helps if I teach others while I am learning.

I helped write coaching manuals as I studied to become a professional coach. So, as I learned to restore old canoes, I kept detailed notes with a view to writing a canoe restoration manual some day. Although Stelmok and Thurlow’s book was helpful, many of the situations I encountered were not addressed. By the time I started Kettle River Canoes in 2003, I had a notebook full of information that was not available in any book. The first thing I did to market my business was to post articles about canoe restoration on my website. I gave detailed instructions on some of the key aspects of the restoration process. Barry, who had many years of experience in business and advertising, was appalled by my generosity. For him, I was giving away my business. He asked me why I wasn’t giving away my tools too. For me, I was learning my craft and if I could help others learn at the same time, it was an added bonus. Once a coach, always a coach.

I started writing a blog about wood-canvas canoe restoration in 2009. My niece, Kristen Luke, was launching her business as a marketing consultant specializing in social media. She needed someone to practise on, so I was it. What astonished Kristen was the fact that I did everything she told me to do. The result is here in the following pages. This Old Canoe: How To Restore Your Wood-Canvas Canoe contains a lot of the information I shared in the blog as well as other descriptions, illustrations and photographs not published anywhere else. When Barry asks me if I am going to share all of my canoe restoration secrets, I will say, “Yes, I have a book.”

Mike Elliott, Grand Forks, British Columbia

preface 01b_sm

Bill Greenwood: A Man and His Wood-Canvas Canoes

How To Repair Rotted Rib-Tops in a Wood-Canvas Canoe

How To Strip Old Varnish from a Wood-Canvas Canoe

A Restorer’s Guide to the Chestnut Pal Wood-Canvas Canoe

Win this 16′ Chestnut Cruiser Wood-Canvas Canoe

A Restorer’s Guide to the “Huron” Wood-Canvas Canoe

How to Photograph a Wood-Canvas Canoe

How To Buy or Sell a Wood-Canvas Canoe

Handy Tools for your Wood-Canvas Canoe Shop

Restorer’s Guide to Tremblay Wood-Canvas Canoes

A Field Guide to the Wood-Canvas Canoes of the Chestnut Canoe Company

Wood-Canvas Canoe Restored for the exhibit “Tom Thomson and the grey canoe” at Gallery 2 in Grand Forks, BC

Proper Storage for your Wood-Canvas Canoe, How To

A Wood-Canvas Canoe Field Repair Kit

Tom Thomson and the grey canoe: We have a winner

How To Build Cradles (Display Stands) for a Wood-Canvas Canoe

How to Attach a Keel to a Wood-Canvas Canoe

How To Varnish and Wooden Canoe

Like this:

How to Paint a Wood-Canvas Canoe

“This Old Canoe: How To Restore Your Wood-Canvas Canoe” Book Launch April 2016