Model 50 almost done

Building seats. Sitting for so many years in the weather, we made new seats, thwarts and decks, all out of ambrosia (wormy) maple

 

Decks

 

Varnish going back

 

 Period correct shield logo

Not too much wind makes learning to solo easier.

 

J stroke mastered

 

Another solo outing, Muskoka River

 

Decal is on

 

I hate golf, but  tees are great for plugging screw holes in gunwales

 

All thats left are new cant rib tops, small amount of planking to go on and its ready for canvas

Canadian |Canoe Company model 50, new project

 

 Right out of the weeds, after sitting for years. Soaking wet right through.

 On the van headed home

CCCo deck decal remants

 Before the highway canvas peel

 What canvas didnt come off on the drive back was taken off 

 Muck and dirt to be power washed out

 Years of grime and dirt

 This will be the apprentices project

 Washed out and drying, has the great lines of the model 50.  My favourite paddling canoe for solo paddling and trips, this is an early one with wide 4" planking, nice and tight from the factory. in the late 1930s the boats were well built.

 Drying out nicely

 Next will be the chemical strip, carpentry work and bleaching and oiling

Dried out and ready for restoration

 

 Sleek and fast

To be updated when work begins

Chestnut Moonlight restoration, part one.

Time to start the Chestnut Moonlight we bought a while back, it needs an entire restoration but is a great hull with no lumps or cracked ribs. Outer gunwales were changed out for these extra deep ones crafted by a previous owner, along with a strip of fiberglass to bridge the gap between the canvas and boat. The canvas had been trimmed down no doubt due to rot, and extend its lifespan. The ends have the typical rot, and will be rebuilt. Originally green, then red, then finally blue. This one will be kept (for a while at least) as its a very slender 16' hull, at 32" wide and with the undercut heart decks. The seller stated they retrieved the boat from a cottage in Lac Megantic Que, where my family originated. Seems fitting to do it up right..

Original slanted decals, circa post-1956

Wide, tapered ribs and heart deck. 

Flaking interior finish

Gunwales,trimmed canvas and fiberglass strip

Bare hull, seats and thwarts to be removed

Typical end rots, will need rail and stem trips

Despite the drywall screws

Lots of help with  this one

Almost ready for stripping

Stems coming off, TONS of sealant and steel screws

Stembands were saved, to be cleaned up

Bites in rail from seat and thwart bolts

Nice original bronze carriage bolts. 4 wings under the head seat into the rails, reproductions made today lack this feature. 

Traditional weave, to be taken out  and redone. 

Rasp marks from fairing the hull, typical factory practice. 

Nice solid planking, hull will be faired after refinishing and repairs made, before canvassing.

Even got help with the cleanup

First results of stripping before the heat got to be too much and dried the goop too fast. 

Small amounts of varnish to be removed

Ash decks out, and all the steel screws

Ash stems, with serial number stamps, unusual for a Chestnut

Gunwale tips to be spliced

Most varnish off, one more pass and done.

Some vertical grain planking, some flat sawn 

One more pass with stripper and repairs, varnish and canvas.