Now that summer is over I can report on my final project. This is one of the canoes that my good friend Cliff Johnson (fondly known as "Cliffy" or "Cliff Diver") gave me. Both canoes needed to be repaired before they could be sea worthy. The larger, nicer one needed some supports built to keep it from caving in on itself when anyone sat in it. (Ask me about the story sometime, I was there when Cliff wrapped it around a boulder in the Yuba River at Parks Bar. No danger, just a good story.) The canoe pictured above was in pretty tough shape though. It's a 12' canoe (the other one is the standard 18') and a light-weight affair. It holds one adult or two small youth.
Anyway, there were several cracks and breaks in the fiberglass hull, the paint was chipping off all over it, and the wood slats used for the seats were well worn. So after a few weeks of working on it with whatever time I had, I put at least six fiberglass patches on the inside and outside of the hull. I sanded down the entire canoe (inside and out plus the wood seats), put four heavy coats of extra tough duty paint on the outside hull, and two coats of regular exterior house paint on the inside. I also put two heavy coats of Verathane on the seats. I still want to add some thin rubber bumpers to the three skids that run along the length of the bottom for extra protection.
It looks pretty good... but will it float? Of course it will, I just need to take it out next week end and piddle around with it. Anybody what to join me?
Anyway, there were several cracks and breaks in the fiberglass hull, the paint was chipping off all over it, and the wood slats used for the seats were well worn. So after a few weeks of working on it with whatever time I had, I put at least six fiberglass patches on the inside and outside of the hull. I sanded down the entire canoe (inside and out plus the wood seats), put four heavy coats of extra tough duty paint on the outside hull, and two coats of regular exterior house paint on the inside. I also put two heavy coats of Verathane on the seats. I still want to add some thin rubber bumpers to the three skids that run along the length of the bottom for extra protection.
It looks pretty good... but will it float? Of course it will, I just need to take it out next week end and piddle around with it. Anybody what to join me?
3 comments:
I would love to, but it it is a little out of my way.
I want to join you!
I do too! Kim let's do it!
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