Time for another solo canoe project

Decision time has come and gone. With only so much time available and summer fast approaching, time to decide what to work on, what will get done, and what will get enjoyed through spring and summer as free time gives way to activity. 

New build on the form has been put off; time spent readying the Grand Laker for summer pushed a new build back, to where it wont get finished for spring. We'll work on that to ready it for fall. The solo boat turned out to be so much fun,and got so much use we need another. Post here: 

http://blog.ravenwoodcanoes.com/2017/04/pack-canoe-done-photos-of-process.html

At a fraction of the cost of a new one, while the hull design might not be modern and the weight heavier than modern composites, the old hand laid glass hulls are solid and do pretty well all around. 

Single keel hulls are uncommon compared to the poorly built 3 keel hulls made with chopper guns so when this one popped up for a song we snapped it up.

An easy project that'll be ready as soon as consistent -shirt weather arrives.

A familiar site on the van

34" width, will be pulled in to 31-32"

 Nice shape, small keel

 Aluminum decks coming off

 Aluminum rails, coming off

Tubular steel thwart - definitely coming off

Snazzy blue seats. Already off

This one is hers

Nice lines, will pull into a nice shape

Nice solo from Clipper, not sure yet if we'll go with a hung seat or a kayak style like the first one

 Nova Craft solo, sweet shape

Time to get the pressure washer out, then:

drill rivets and take off rails, decks and thwart

grind off seat mounts and smooth interior

felt skid plates

paint inside of hull

sand outside of hull, paint with 2 part urethane

wood rails inner and outer

fit decks, thwarts

varnish all

mount seat

go paddling...

Model 50 done

Paint, final varnish and stembands. Shame we wont get to paddle it as its moving on.

 That great Model 50 shape, one of the Canadian Canoe Company's best

Front seat placement makes a great solo boat

Stern seat

Last touches, screws and washers in place of keel screws, as keel left off. 

Stem bands on

Ready to go

Temagami Special Resto update

The boat is stripped, next up are the rail end repairs, oiling and varnishing and re canvas. A few surprises turned up during the teardown as well.

 The boat is built with copper tacks, unusual for 1946 as canoe factories had long turned to brass for tacks. The earliest boats are built with copper, very hard to locate these days. Possibly during the war old stocks were used up, or production had shifted to copper with brass being used for the war effort

Keel and stembands off, canvas is next

Nice recanvas done 20 years ago by the new owner of the |Temagami |Canoe |Co, John Kilbridge

Canvas was in fair shape, but outer rails were rotted, and stem and inner gunwale tips need replacing along with stripping and revarnishing.

 Peeling it back

Bare hull

Various plank repairs, along with 3 new ribs at the last canvassing

Old skin

Having once worked for the Peterborough Canoe company, the influence is seen when next to a '30s Peterborough cruiser, both 16 footers.

 Period logos are similar as well

Logo reproduced for the restoration

As the boat was well looked after, there appeared to be no more varnish applied than when built, making for an easy strip.

Stripper washed out with hot water and TSP to dislodge the remaining bits of varnish and stripper, and to lighten up the wood.

Butternut decks, front one has decal image shadow

 Initials and name of original owner, appears to have been put there by Smith back when he built the boat for him in 1946. This boat lived its life at the cottage in Temagami until this summer, when were privileged to acquire it. Overall it was in great shape, due in part to the solid build quality

Tips to be replaced.  Bill used red pine, and John gave us 2 pieces with enough material to splice in new tips.

  Tung oil after sanding, pine rails

Stripped boat, waiting for oil and varnish and minor repairs

Old canvas

 Back in the shop for finishing

More to come