Aluminum gunwale replacement

More like installing siding on a house than traditional canoe building, a Fiberglass Scott canoe came in with a kinked and broken gunwale after the shed fell on it from snow load. A pop rivet gun, rather than a steambox, is the tool of the day. 

Rear, port side. 

Starboard rear, nice gentle sweep of gunwale

Kinked gunwale, small crack from folding due to weight

Kinked, cant be saved

Rivets from seats, thwart, carrying handles and decks drilled out, before drilling rivets along gunwale

Lots of guck, a wood boat would be well on its way to rotting away

Gunwale starting to go back on

Guck. Scott, and an offshoot Abitibi canoes, are iconic Canadian 'glass canoes, and are very common anywhere there is water to be paddled

Gunwale showing slot for top of fiberglass, it introduces tremendous rigidity to otherwise floppy sides.

Trusty pop rivet gun

More kevlar boat repairs

Another kevlar boat in for renovation, a Swift 16' this time. While the hull is in near perfect condition, it is heavily oxidized and the wood has suffered from being left outside upturned. Trimmed in ash, it needs sanding, bleaching and sealing.

Nice Swift details like a sliding front seat

This boat also has the curved solo paddling thwart behind the carry thwart, all blackened from exposure

They sure come apart easier than an 80 or 90 year old woodie.

Rotten tips stopped just short of the cherry decks, a nice touch 

Whether classic or contemporary, they dont like being left out in the weather over the seasons

Typical deck rot

DY, designed by David Yost, swifts prolific and talented designer. Great paddling boats and a great guy to meet. 

A quick buff shows the oxidation will come off the gelcoat nicely

 Lots of black rot starting. 

All good reasons to give modern boats trimmed with wood the same care as the classics

Framework going back in after refinishing, and new gunwales going on.

New tips scarph joined on both ends, remarkably decks survived and were not rotten.

Completed boat shined up, good as new

 

Ready for delivery back to the owner, as spring fast approaches and the last of the snow melts.