I just got from my dad our old canoe that we have had since the 1970's. It is a 13' Mansfield made by the Stowe Canoe Co. which went out of business a number of years ago. Wide-ocean style... It is in OK shape considering it's age - but being stored mostly outside near the ocean for all those years, it is in a state of semi-decay. The area that needs the most work is the Gunwales, and the entire keel needs to be replaced.
Does the canoe really need the keel? The way my canoe is built, the keel is completely EXTERIOR - now, the bow and stern pieces of the keel are fastened from the outside with screws. Easy enough. However, the part that runs the length of the canoe(main piece) is secured from the inside and the heads are underneath a resin seal. I need to replace the keel completely due to wear and decay. When I break off the rotted main piece(the part secured from the inside), the screws are sticking out of the bottom from the inside. I do not want to have to dig through the resin to remove screws and resecure a new keel. Can I just eliminate it? Take it off and cut the screws??? I know not all canoes have keels... Or, what is the best way to get to those screws through the resin? Can I drill a hole to the screw head? Re-attach a new keel, and then fill holes? I hope I am making sense - please help. I have no knowledge of boat repair -yet - but plan on making this my winter project...
The results don't have to be perfect - just better than it is now.
Thanks again,
Steve
Does the canoe really need the keel? The way my canoe is built, the keel is completely EXTERIOR - now, the bow and stern pieces of the keel are fastened from the outside with screws. Easy enough. However, the part that runs the length of the canoe(main piece) is secured from the inside and the heads are underneath a resin seal. I need to replace the keel completely due to wear and decay. When I break off the rotted main piece(the part secured from the inside), the screws are sticking out of the bottom from the inside. I do not want to have to dig through the resin to remove screws and resecure a new keel. Can I just eliminate it? Take it off and cut the screws??? I know not all canoes have keels... Or, what is the best way to get to those screws through the resin? Can I drill a hole to the screw head? Re-attach a new keel, and then fill holes? I hope I am making sense - please help. I have no knowledge of boat repair -yet - but plan on making this my winter project...
The results don't have to be perfect - just better than it is now.
Thanks again,
Steve
