Tack Dimples

Curt Rudge

New Member
I'm doing my first restoration on an Old Town HW. I've removed the canvas and noticed that nearly all the tacks in the planking are set just below the surface of the planks resulting in small dimples the size of the tack heads. Should these dimples be filled before stretching and filling the canvas or will they not show?
 
If they didn't show before then they won't show with new canvas. What I do is use 120 grit sandpaper in the random orbital sander, and go over the hull lightly, removing the weathered wood which provides no strength, and keeping an eye on the tack heads. If they look shiny, it's time to quit sanding.
 
Do not fill. The dimples you may have heard referred to are the dents the size of the hammer head that compresses the wood when driving the tacks. This makes sure that the head is below the surface after the wood swells back out. The hole the size of the tack head that you are seeing is what you are after. If you were to fill it the filler would eventually fall out causing bumps under the canvas.
 
Thank you both for the advice. Having never recanvassed a canoe before I wasn't sure what would show through.
 
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