Getting Ready & The First Step

Well I needed a place to work on the canoe, and unfortunately the place I'm living does not have space for a workshop the size needed for a canoe project.  So outside was my only option.  But if I was going to work outside, I'd at least want a space that would make it a bit easier and a bit sheltered from the elements so I created a portable shelter partially attached to my job trailer that was otherwise going unused.  The trailer will make a nice place to keep the tools I need close at hand and the awning will give me a place out of the sun and rain to work.  I also set up some boat saw horses that cradle the hull of the boat when upright and with the addition of a top board support the boat when it is upside down.  The $20 of lumber is worth it so I don't have to work on the ground.  I'm thinking I may at some point need to make another addition to the stands to support the boat from the inside when both the inner and outer gunwales are removed.

Next I moved on to the quickest step of this project, mainly because I was eager to get SOMETHING done.  I removed the outer gunwales and got a good look at just how bad some of the tails of the ribs are.  In the picture below, you should see the end of each rib come up to the level of the inner gunwale, but as you can see, all are missing in this picture.  This is the worst location, but I'm guessing at least 75% of the ends of the ribs will need to be replaced.  My next step in this process will be removing the fiberglass.  I haven't dug into that project yet, but from what I've read it's going to be a long and arduous process.  That will wait until next time.

Finding the Perfect Canoe

I first searched for the perfect boat.  One that was in need of repairs, but not so destroyed that I would be basically starting from scratch.  I found the perfect canoe in Gatineau, Quebec, about an hour's drive from my home.  Not only did this boat have character, but it also had history.  The canoe was made in Huntsville, ON, just south of Algonquin Provincial Park, by Northland Canoe Company in the early 1970's by a man named Mr. Albert Maw.  This canoe company designed canoes that were very well suited to the rough terrain of Algonquin Park.  What made this company stand out from the crowd was their unique for the time technique of replacing the traditional canvas with fiberglass, thus creating a much lighter boat.  An unfortunate fire took place in 1995 which put the Northland Canoe Company out of business, although it's been rumored that Mr. Albert Maw is still repairing and restoring canoes near his home in Novar, Ontario.  The canoe was used for many years by the family whom purchased it until it got old and tired and was replaced by a number of other canoes.  It was left unattended for a number of years until the family was downsizing.  Now it's time to breath new life into this old beautiful canoe.  The following photographs are of the boat in it's current condition.  Over the next few months I will work on bringing the canoe back to her former glory and documenting my experience for others to follow.