Minor repairs to an (old) Old Town Canoe

[tmperkins]

We have had this canoe in our family since 1970 I think. It is kept on a lake in the Poconos and sees a good bit of use during the summer. Its what I use mainly for fishing when I am up there. I noticed that the paint and then the fiberglass over the years has been scraped away. Any advice on a simple easy repair? It does not have to be pretty. Thanks

[tmperkins]

Thanks for all of the great tips. I was thinking about doing the fiberglass tape. Now I just have to wait for a warm enough weekend to go to the Poconos and do this work. I love this canoe as it handles beautifully solo or with two people.

[tmperkins]

Oh yea I know about epoxy and protecting your skin :eek2: . I have helped out on a few projects using fiberglass tape and epoxy but that was a long time and this will be the first project that I am tackling myself. Once again thank you for all of your information. I will definitely be printing it out and taking it with me.
Thomas

[Tom Powers]

What Jim says plus a few other things.

You MUST paint over the epoxy with something. Are you going to paint the entire boat?

I would use several layers of tape alternating from side to side which piece of tape extends out further. This makes it so that you don't have one big ridge. You can put three or for layers in one application. On the last layer apply some thickened epoxy with a wide putty knife to fill in the low spots as well as the weave of the cloth.

If you want to avoid this in the future you can get a strip of Brass/copper "stem band" to put over the bow/stern of the boat. Both of these materials can be bedded in epoxy very well however you will still need to attach them using screws, etc.

Here are some links to stem bands.

http://www.wooden-canoes.com/material.htm

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GQn-_CoIhZQ/SvnYQLxXgQI/AAAAAAAAAtY/_33OuXrG4jw/s320/102_1544.JPG

http://sailingcanoes.dragonflycanoe.com/sailing_canoe/stembrass.jpg

[tmperkins]

Tom Powers- Thank you for your advice. I think I will eventually repaint the whole thing. But as the boat is a three + hour drive from me not sure if I will do it in the spring or the fall. Would it be a problem to just paint the new fiberglass in the spring and then repaint everything in the fall?
Thanks to both of you.

[Tom Powers]

Sure that would work. Painting over epoxy is necessary to preclude UV light damage. 3 to 6 months stored in the sun is killer for most epoxy. The color match issue is one of aesthetics.

If you don't go for the stem band I would make the last 1/4 inch of material a buildup of epoxy and west systems colloidal silica. That stuff is tough as nails.

Is the boat painted now or is that gelcoat I see? The reason that I ask is one of what kind of paint to use. If you are going for the inexpensive approach Rustolium makes a one part marine topside paint that sells for like $16 a quart, next up the scale is one part polyurethane from someplace like West Marine $32 a quart. The Rustolium is probably the best bang for the buck.

Two part polyurethane paints will eat up most any other paint, but not gelcoat. In my opinion it is the best that can be applied by a brush. If you go that route don't paint until spring/summer. . . the fumes are nasty and you will want to do it in a super well ventelated place. I only apply it with my roll up garage door open. Not something that can be done in the dead of winter.

[tmperkins]

Yea I will probably hold off on painting until the summer. Thinking through time and temperature I probably won't be able to start the project until April but thank you for all of your advice. Jimrockfish- I looked that photos of your skiff and it looks very nicely built.

[tmperkins]

I am not sure if the boat if that is a gel coat or not. We haven't done a thing to it since the day it was bought 40 some years ago.

[DDan]

Is this canoe fiberglass or wood with a fiberglass or canvas covering? Old Town has been making 'glass canoes for a long time, but they started making wood/canvas ones - and still make a few every year.

[tmperkins]

That one is fiberglass. We have a really old wood/canvas one. But it has not been used in ages.