New Proud Owner of a 1947 18' Old Town Guide!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dugkim]

1947 18' Old Town Guide Restoration Project by dugkim

Thanks to everyone for the great information while I was researching this potential purchase. The sale is now final and she (s#148784) is MINE!!

As soon as I have her home, I will take some pictures of the restoration work needed to bring her back. I will need your advice and help to do it right.

PRESENT CONDITION:
After a few looks at her, she is in need of new gunwales (inner and outter). The hull looks really good and am thinking she wont need ANY plankss or supports ribs replaced. The only canvas on her now is that which is left a couple inches each side (and under) of the full length keel. Can you buy new ready-made gunwales to install? Or do you have to make them from scratch?

I really am a newbie when it comes to this and will definitely need to find someone to either outright perform the restoration or even better, someone who will allow me to help in the process. Any recommendations for someone in SE Michigan who might would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

dugkim.

is lapeer far? Got the barn right here and all that. you can buy it all from Old Town or make it yourself. Ever been to Armstrong Millworks on 59 near milford? About 10 minutes east of 23.Seems to be quite a few folks here in se Mi area. Copngrats on the Old town. Get to work. ice melted off the pond yesterday. Temp dropped 40 degrees today. I heard frogs saturday. so spring is very near.

 

[dugkim]

Lapeer is not that far...

is lapeer far? Got the barn right here and all that. you can buy it all from Old Town or make it yourself. Ever been to Armstrong Millworks on 59 near milford? About 10 minutes east of 23.Seems to be quite a few folks here in se Mi area. Copngrats on the Old town. Get to work. ice melted off the pond yesterday. Temp dropped 40 degrees today. I heard frogs saturday. so spring is very near.

Were you offering for me to bring my canoe up to your barn and we restore this sucker together? I was a little fuzzy on your response. My thinking would NOT to build the gunwales...I'd like to be canoeing this summer with her. I'd buy from Old Town and install. These and the recanvass and paint should be all she needs, but I need a professional to confirm that this is all she needs. Are you that guy for me?

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Just ask Gil

I AM fuzzy. South Haven is quite a ways from Milford. Sure you can bring it up. I got a canoe building pal nearby. And the Roxinator enjoys working on them too. So, if you want, I'm offerin'. the thing is that a board from Armstrong would cost much less than having a stick shipped form Old Town.
Decks and stems i would most definitley get from Old Town, but just for the gunnels I'd just make 'em. Your call. So what shape is it really in?

 

[dugkim]

Pictures to follow

As soon as I get her back into my garage and on some saw horses, I will take some pictures and post them so that you all can confirm what my hunches are on its condition. Stay tuned!

 

[dugkim]

Pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just brought her home and have these pictures to share. I welcome any comments, observations, suggestions, etc...remember I am a newbie who knows not what he is looking at. (except that she is a thing of beauty to behold even now, of course)

 

[dugkim]

More Pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some more pictures...

 

[MikeCav]

Looks like a great project, and you came to the right group of folks. THe boat seems in decent shape. I wonder if the seats & thwarts are original - they look too new compared to the rest of the craft.

 

[ebeeby]

Old Town shipped me new outwales with a canoe order they sent to REI Dallas. They were "pre-bent" and in one piece (18 plus feet).
This was a great help as I had no source for that long stock and in any case did not have the tools to shape the inside of the wood.
It was unfortunate that they strap taped the two outwales together while they were wet from bending and this made indentations in the wood in 3 places.
Other than that unfortunate packing problem, it worked out great.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Good look'en pup.

Oh, nice canoe too.
It looks like a good project.

Dan

 

[dugkim]

Great Suggestion

Old Town shipped me new outwales with a canoe order they sent to REI Dallas. They were "pre-bent" and in one piece (18 plus feet).
This was a great help as I had no source for that long stock and in any case did not have the tools to shape the inside of the wood.

I am evaluating my options right now and definitely considering getting my gunwales from OT. However, they only offer them in cedar, and my canoe came with open spruce. Would I be hurting the value by not putting the gunwales back to spruce?

 

[dugkim]

She'd be flattered...(the pup, that is)

Good look'en pup.

Oh, nice canoe too.
It looks like a good project.

Dan

Widgeon is 8 years old now, but still acts as young as ever.

 

[dugkim]

Good Catch...

Looks like a great project, and you came to the right group of folks. THe boat seems in decent shape. I wonder if the seats & thwarts are original - they look too new compared to the rest of the craft.

I agree with you that the seats and thwarts look newer than the rest of the canoe.

 

[ebeeby]

In 2001 I purchased outwales in spruce from OT. Cedar outwales?!?

 

[dugkim]

Step One...Complete! (with pictures)

Hey guys, I had a tree service show up today to work on a couple trees at the house, so I had to stay home until they finished. I took the opportunity to TSP and power wash (ever so carefully) the canoe. Here are the pics of the first step. The look of the existing finish clean and wet makes me think twice about stripping the whole dang thing! It looks beautiful.

 

[LenLee]

Hey guys, I had a tree service show up today to work on a couple trees at the house, so I had to stay home until they finished. I took the opportunity to TSP and power wash (ever so carefully) the canoe. Here are the pics of the first step. The look of the existing finish clean and wet makes me think twice about stripping the whole dang thing! It looks beautiful.

If the original finish seems in good enough shape, and you don't mind having a little "patina" to the finish, then you might be able to just lightly sand the original finish with some 150 or 220 grit and apply a fresh thinned coat of varnish over that. I did that to my 1956 Yankee and was very satisfied with the results.

Good Luck!

 

[dugkim]

More Questions...

Everyday that I grow in confidence, I poke a little deeper and eye a little closer the details of this canoe. Insodoing, I have found two more problems:

1) the bow stem end is rotted away, which became visable after I started pulling off rotten planks at the ends and;
2) the thwarts (at least the center one) are showing stress at the least and are rotten where the bolt goes through at the worst.

I have attached pictures of each of these for your general comment and suggestions. Big thanks to member Dave Wermuth, who guessed that I might have removed that center thwart (which I had) to get a better look at it. Per his admonition, I have now installed a clamp in its place while this gets sorted out! Thanks Dave! I have also included a picture of this too, as some of you might appreciate the vintage clamp. No idea how old it is, but I have held onto it as long as I can remember...

 

[Ric Altfather]

That's the joy of restoration...

The more you poke, the more you find.

Did you order a copy of Jerry Stelmok & Rollin Thurlow's The Wood Canvas Canoeyet? It covers in detail the items you mention. For the thwart, you can cut out a wedge of the bad wood, cut a new wedge (same wood), epoxy back in and reshape and drill a new hole. The stem is best scarfed with a new section of wood...a complete replacement may be more work than you are ready to handle. Also, take a look at the site below for a real good picture story on the trials of restoration...Good luck!

http://members7.clubphoto.com/eric520065/1482806/guest.phtml

 

[MikeCav]

Here is a picture of another spliced stem

 

[dugkim]

Books

The more you poke, the more you find.

Did you order a copy of Jerry Stelmok & Rollin Thurlow's The Wood Canvas Canoeyet? It covers in detail the items you mention. For the thwart, you can cut out a wedge of the bad wood, cut a new wedge (same wood), epoxy back in and reshape and drill a new hole. The stem is best scarfed with a new section of wood...a complete replacement may be more work than you are ready to handle. Also, take a look at the site below for a real good picture story on the trials of restoration...Good luck!

http://members7.clubphoto.com/eric520065/1482806/guest.phtml

I sure did pick that book up, which is what made me start poking a little deeper. it is a little difficult to read and understand for a newbie like me. i was thinking of picking up a video of his too.