Mad River ME !!

[mshelton]

You need to spraypaint "DEATHMOBILE" down the side of that thing.

Nice looking repair though.

[craig]

For gunwales try to stay away from the straight grain fir,its pretty soft and if they get beat up any you'll get some nasty splinters. You could try some straight grained mahogany, or bite the bullet for some ash. Longer pieces can be spliced together from two shorter ones;shallow angle with gorilla glue or similar. My explorer is on its 7th season with spliced gunwales for all 4 sections. I'm sure it'll look good when your done. Post some pics as the resurection is complete. Or is that resurwrecktion.

[ezwater]

The straight grain fir may not be a splinter problem. I had sitka spruce gunwales on a Mad River one time, and I didn't have splinter problems even when they broke when running a drop one day. I suggest softening the 90 degree corners before oiling or varnishing. Make sure the boat has plenty of time to dry between runs. Incidentally, spruce or fir gunwales will stiffen the hull more than ash...... but they can't take the distortion that ash absorbs without breaking.

It will prolong their life if you either varnish them, or oil the hades out of them. The more expensive approach is to put on at least a couple of coats of West epoxy, but I don't think I'd spend that much.

Like sitka spruce, douglas fir has been used for instrument soundboards occasionally.

[sbroam]

I believe in oiling the snot out of gunwales - I think it leaves them more resilient than *trying* to seal them. Almost invariably, any attempt at sealing them will leave an avenue for water *in* (that dent from that rock you hit, the back side flush to the boat, etc) and there won't be a way *out* and you will get rot.

If you want to purty that boat up - hit it will some of that Krylon Fusion - their red is a good match for Royalex red. Also, I have always wanted to paint a sharks mouth like from a WWII P-40 on mine but have never gotten round to it...

[philcanoe]

under the laboratory conditions, of laying to rot in my back yard....
and severe procasternation...
i've noticed that the gunwhales which have been oiled a couple times and then varnished (two weeks later), appear to have the longest 'Shelf' life;
althought have insufficent data to report on with the expoxy coated

[squeakyknee]

I believe in oiling the snot out of gunwales - I think it leaves them more resilient than *trying* to seal them. Almost invariably, any attempt at sealing them will leave an avenue for water *in* (that dent from that rock you hit, the back side flush to the boat, etc) and there won't be a way *out* and you will get rot.

If you want to purty that boat up - hit it will some of that Krylon Fusion - their red is a good match for Royalex red. Also, I have always wanted to paint a sharks mouth like from a WWII P-40 on mine but have never gotten round to it...

I think I'm gonna try the Oil route.
Also, this boat had the sharks mouth on the front when I got it but was pretty far past recognition at this point. Perhaps I will put it back on when I am done.
I have had good luck with the Krylon Fusion paint and will probably go for yellow as it will suit my paddling partner well
I'm not too worried about using the Fir as it is a cheap first attempt at making them myself.
Thanks for all the input
Shawn

[Marc Evans]

Hi Squeaky

Do a search for Ash Gunwales on the web. You should be able to find what you want. I did a quick check and came up with the following: http://www.handcraftedcanoes.com/building_supplies.html .

Others are out there also. Check Bear Mountain Canoes as another resourse.

Cheapest route would be to find someone to cut them locally from lumber yard stock. Fairly simple.

Marc

[sbroam]

Hi Squeaky

Do a search for Ash Gunwales on the web. You should be able to find what you want. I did a quick check and came up with the following: http://www.handcraftedcanoes.com/building_supplies.html .
...

Dang, I think I paid about that much for an ash 1"x6"x16' that *I* had to rip! Too bad shipping and tarrifs pretty much negate any bargain there...

[squeakyknee]

That is a great price.
I've already started putting on the Fir ones I've made so I'll stick with them for now and see how long they last.
Hopefully if the weather is good and work doesn't get in the way I can be ready to start outfitting by Sunday...

[oc1paddlr]

get a long pcv pipe, slide your pre-ripped and sanded wood in. cap one end and pour in the oil of choice. cap other end, lay flat and rotate daily. i like the watco teak oil, but thats old school and something out there might be improved

[sbroam]

get a long pcv pipe, slide your pre-ripped and sanded wood in. cap one end and pour in the oil of choice. cap other end, lay flat and rotate daily. i like the watco teak oil, but thats old school and something out there might be improved

Bingo! I like that! I was trying to figure out how to make a long skinny trough for just that. I use Watco, too, when I can find it, though some times I use cheaper stuff - Watco smells better and seems to have a less tacky finish.

[squeakyknee]

Hmmm, what about Linseed oil?

[sbroam]

I think linseed oil is one of the main ingredients in "teak oil", but as I remember when I used it, it leaves a kind of sticky finish. I think teak oil includes some other ingredients that may thin it and enhance penetration. Linseed oil should work fine, though - it worked when it was all I had.

[mshelton]

Don't buy any Teak oil Squeak, I've got a can at the house your welcome to use up.

I bought it for a project that has filled up with fail.