Often when a canoe comes into the shop it needs very little work. A good cleaning, a few rib tips, maybe a plank or two where it rode up on a rock. But sometimes a canoe has seen a LOT of adventures. Sometimes it's been riding through rapids, running down rivers in the back country, cruising across lakes for many days at a time. These canoes often need some extra love and attention.
The latter is the case with this beautiful Chestnut Fort. It's even seen some time on the ocean! To date it has received 2 new inwales, 2 new ribs, 5 new rib tips, cant rib repairs, stem repairs, and over 100 feet of new planking! For now it's joined the other canoes on the rack while the oil finish cures. Very soon it will get it's new canvas, and this summer it will be back on the water, showing off it's shiny new parts but still carrying the memories of all of it's past.
That's one of the things I love most about wood canoes. They are infinitely restorable, coming back to life and carrying their owners on new adventures...generation after generation.
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