The Cellar / Stalek Canoe

**Posted by griff** 11/06/2022 9:06 am

This may be a job for footfootfoot footie.

I'm looking to do a restoration of a wooden canoe, probably built in the 70s or 80s. I don't know if it originally had a canvas hull or was built with just a clear fiberglass shell. My FiL had it hanging in the house after he cracked the hull and decided not to further damage it.

**Posted by griff** 11/06/2022 9:24 am

Hull has been messed with...

**Posted by griff** 11/06/2022 9:52 am

YouTube would appear to be the thang. As I surf, I'm finding these boats with a clear fiberglas finish. This is the way.

**Posted by xoxoxoBruce** 11/06/2022 11:54 am

Looks in better shape than the ones they want $1200 for.

Last edited by xoxoxoBruce (11/06/2022 11:54 am)

**Posted by griff** 11/07/2022 6:39 am

Yeah, I'll have a better Idea when I get it in the shop.

**Posted by Diaphone Jim** 11/07/2022 12:27 pm

Seems like a long way between seats.

**Posted by glatt** 11/07/2022 5:21 pm

Seems like the cedar strip canoes and kayaks I've seen have much narrower strips. This canoe seems to be built with planks more than strips. And the layout pattern for the planks is really cool. Very different from a typical cedar strip canoe.

It looks like there is some sort of pattern in the finish of the hull that looks almost like fiberglass weave, but it could also be the left over impression of canvas.

My understanding of the old canvas canoes was that they were HEAVY, so it's cool that this one is fairly light. I guess if it was covered in canvas, and that canvas was impregnated with paint, it could have weighed much more.

**Posted by fargon** 11/07/2022 5:38 pm

Sand it down to bare wood and give it a natural finish, do not put cloth of any kind on that hull. Cloth harbors moisture, and that causes dry rot.
I highly recommend Man O War Spar varnish.
Plastics (epoxy, or polyurethane) should not be put on old wood, because no matter how hard you try, you will never get all of the moisture out of the wood. And moisture causes rot.

**Posted by fargon** 11/07/2022 5:49 pm

These people have a lot of knowledge.
https://www.woodencanoe.org/

**Posted by monster** 11/07/2022 10:49 pm

monster has a slight disappoint.

Visual field cut left over from stupid stroke 10 years ago means monster doesn't see first part of words/lines when reading quickly.

was expecting to see Dalek Canoe....

;)

(welcome to my life)

**Posted by griff** 11/08/2022 5:47 am

Thanks for all the input guys, I'm sure we'll get it sorted. Except the Dalek situation.

**Posted by griff** 11/08/2022 6:48 am

Diaphone Jim wrote:
Seems like a long way between seats.

You may be on to something here. I'm going to look for evidence of oar locks. Could be a guide boat variation.

**Posted by griff** 11/08/2022 7:30 pm

The seats seem to be in canoe orientation. The ribs of a guideboat are pretty thick and a guideboat should be 40+ inches wide. Still it would be nice to learn enough to finish it properly. I'll get it into the shop for inspection in the next couple weeks.

**Posted by xoxoxoBruce** 11/12/2022 1:26 am

Yeah Honey, bring that into the shop with you when you come please. I'm carrying the camera.