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

Temagami Special Restoration begun

A beautiful October day for a visit to the birthplace of the canoe whose restoration we're beginning. Built here in 1946 by Bill Smith who put this building up in the early 30s, its a wonderful time capsule of the canoe building that took place for decades, and is carried on today by John.

Substantial restoration on a 1930s canoe.

As collected from the son of the original owner, and worked on years ago by John

Deck detail, painter ring and ghost of decal. We've had the decal reproduced to finish off the restoration when its complete

Thwarts show longer ends, similar to Chestnut and Peterborough 

Chestnut style deck with nice crown. Looks like butternut, will know for sure after stripping. 

Rot to be repaired on stern end. Smith used red pine for gunwales, we got enough from John to splice in sections to be repaired. 

Stem joint as done by Smith

 Pulling tacks from stems

Minor repairs from previous work

Canvas off

 Canvas off ready for chemical stripping

Update to follow...

1946 Temagami Special

From  

 http://www.ottertooth.com/Temagami/Sites/tem_canoe_shop.htm,

Temagami Canoe Company, located in the village of Temagami, is Canada's second oldest canoe builder.* It is dedicated to wood-canvas canoe construction.

Although it says on the building facade that it was established in 1929, it was actually started in 1928 by William "Bill" Ernest Smith. The following year it became a business partnership with the addition of Henry Black, a Chicago freight agent with the Pennsylvania Railroad. They signed the papers on October 10, 18 days before the crash on Black Monday.
The company was bought by Steve and John Kilbridge in 1978 from Smith. Today it is operated by John. The old shop (left) was built in 1931. It still contains the old boiler for generating steam to run the saws and soften the ribs for bending.
Contact John Kilbridge at 705-569-3777

Wanting one of these boats for some time, i've only come across one i could identify, at too high a price for a boat needing a restoration. Another claimed to be one but with no identifying marks, and not being familiar with their features, i couldnt be certain so passed on it.

 

 Meeting John and getting a tour of his operation along with the history of the company, a chance encounter with a customer led to a ride to a cabin on a local lake to see the boat they had come to the shop to inquire about selling.

After WWII, the owners father had purchased the boat from BIll Smith after buying the property. Repaired some 20 years ago by John, it was time to move it on.

Largely original, as built by Bill Smith, a 16' Temagami Special. Largely based on a Chestnut or Peterborough design, but altered accordingly. 

After a deal had been struck, they agreed to bring the boat from the water access property to the local landing. 

 

Tied alongside, it made the trip of a little over a mile.

John in front of his shop posing with us tourists.

Arriving home to be restored

 Chestnut influence

 Original deck decal, to be reproduced.

Heart shaped and crowned deck, chestnut influence 

Keel screws in groups of 2

Elongated thwart ends

 Settled in for restoration

to be updated as work begins