Good news-Bad news

[Robin]

The good news, I started back working on a couple of canoes I had in Limbo, feels good to be back in the shop. It's been a while and I really feel motivated, which is a good thing, that's when I do my best work and also enjoy it more. The shop is somewhat messy, I needed to make room in my barn for hay so some stuff got moved into my canoe only area.This is a 15'9" Chestnut Cruiser that Sweeper generously gifted me, it was originally 18' but I removed 2' 3" from the middle a while ago, then put it on the rack for a year plus. More on that at a later date.

The bad news, the local canoe shop which has been in operation for close to 30 years will be closing it's doors in the near future. The owner of the shop is in semi retirement and the young man who took his place was unable to make it work. Just too many things working against him. Connecticut is not know to be small business friendly it seems. Sad day, I bought my first wood canvas canoe there, a Chestnut Pal and spent many a day restoring other canoes in this shop.

Some pics of days past in the canoe shop, Schuyler filling a canvas with "Gluvit" epoxy with my friend Bob

canoes in various stages of restoration

A new canoe just off the form

 

[Canotrouge]

Good for you to be back in the shop with motivation and some projects to feed it! So sad that that canoe company is closing its doors, hard these days for small companies like that that focus there work on stuff that is not trendy or that is not "economical" in the eyes of the consumer!

 

[Jim Dodd]

Oh ! Letting OTHER things creep into your Canoe shop, is not good ! I can vouch for that !!! And TOO many canoes doesn't help matters either !

Too bad about the local canoe shop ! Seems like a tough business anymore ! What will become of the inventory, tools, and supplies ?

Jim

 

[Odyssey]

I am sorry to hear of the local canoe shop slowing down. But no harm in dropping by from time to time to ease them into the semi-retirement thing nice and slow like. Who knows how long you could string that out for? Put the coffee on, see how the days play out...Sincere best wishes to Schuyler in any case. No doubt they were a real boon to the canoe world near and far. There's a lot of history and skill within those four walls, those pairs of hands. I wonder if there's an opportunity there to trickle that out further to the canoe community somehow, not taking away from a much deserved retirement. Workshops? W/C canoe clubs? Socials?
Your workshop sure looks an ideal place to ply your time Robin, whether it's canoe related or for the horses. Whatever, it's all real good. Hay gets awful musty mildewy left out in the wet, and sure smells good dry and indoors. Maybe I'm just sunnyday sighted but it looks like the the best of both worlds. Farmstead - Canoe Shed.
Nice balance. Keep us posted.
How's that custom Cruiser coming along? Good vibes with that. No rush with projects that are worth just going with the flow. Thanks for the update.

Please don't tell us the small bales fit nicely in the Chestnuts. Ha.

 

[dougd]

It's always hard to hear about another canoe shop closing their doors. One of my local shops/livery had to shut down a few years ago citing his profit for that year was a whopping 500$ after all expenses were paid. He did reopen a few years later but after a couple of years stopped the rental part of the business and is retail only now. It looks like you could be the new canoe expert in town now!

It is funny how a shop slowly over time because a catch all for those items that seem to end up in there! I do like your shop though and that is a nice collection of boats! Looks like you'll be busy for a while!

 

[Gerald]

Nice to catch up on some news about you my friend. Let me know if you want to wet your paddle next August. Take care.

Gerald

 

[Rippy]

Robin, I'm glad it wasn't bad news in the form of health problems.

 

[Robin]

Thanks Rippy, my health is getting better every day, still can't hoist a wood canvas canoe over my shoulders but everything else is going well.

 

[sweeper]

You might have to join the Carbon Innegra Texterme coalition.

 

[Robin]

You might have to join the Carbon Innegra Texterme coalition.

I googled it, I guess you mean instead of canvas/filler? Might be the way to go, Thanks. I have been fighting it, but a kevlar canoe might be in the future. A used one, one I can trim out with wood and paint green, green canoes with wood trim look almost like a wood canvas canoe...ha

 

[Iskweo]

I know a guy that would trade you a nice Jacks Special for a 9.9 outboard. Then you could still paddle a Chestnut of sorts.

I am headed out to the shop today also...two ribs to repair and a thwart / seats to get going on. My schedule is to have this one back on the rack by the end of FEB and then the Penobscott is coming in ...woohoo.

Too bad about Schuyler. I am watching all of the older shops slowly shutting down. Bearwood in Parry Sound too. Doug Ingram is still going but he has no competitors here and does a lot of non WC work too. I think once the old artisans fade away the new crowd may be able to jack the prices to where they can make a living. It is a tough slog though. Part time may be the answer.

Big hugs from both of us.

 

[BWCA66]

I googled it, I guess you mean instead of canvas/filler? Might be the way to go, Thanks. I have been fighting it, but a kevlar canoe might be in the future. A used one, one I can trim out with wood and paint green, green canoes with wood trim look almost like a wood canvas canoe...ha

Sounds like you may need one of these - 40-57 pounds depending on model.

 

[Robin]

Sounds like you may need one of these - 40-57 pounds depending on model.

That's nice, do you have a link to check em out?

 

[BWCA66]

www.merrimackcanoes.com

We're a small shop trying to keep the tradition alive.

 

[Erica]

Robin, I'm so glad you're in the shop again, and feeling healthier. It is hard to give up the old beautiful, hand made, real wood tools of our trade. I never got attached to a canoe, but I had my handmade paddle for 30 years. Turned it in for one of the zre light-weight 12 degree things that look like they belong on a grade B science fiction movie. But it sure made a difference in how much paddling I could do in a day.

I hope you'll be out on the water again soon. Let me know if you want that SPOT back. We can share.

 

[Erica]

www.merrimackcanoes.com

We're a small shop trying to keep the tradition alive.

I wish you luck. You are about as far away from me as possible in the continental US, but if I'm ever in your area, I will stop by.

 

[Robin]

www.merrimackcanoes.com

We're a small shop trying to keep the tradition alive.

That Baboosic is a real nice canoe, it would be perfect for what my future paddling plans are. Looks really nice and lightweight, just the ticket.

Thanks for the link.

 

[yellowcanoe]

The Baboosic is indeed a wonderful boat
It does have looser stems and Tim Burriss won Freestyle competitions with it
Not that it is the sole use. Its a fine tripper and at home on twisty streams

Its hard to give up w/c canoes : not their fault we get old
I might have to find a home for my 15 foot Loon Works Duet
Its a small tandem with symmetrical rocker
But breaking up is hard to do. Its decks and thwarts are beech

 

[BWCA66]

That Baboosic is a real nice canoe, it would be perfect for what my future paddling plans are. Looks really nice and lightweight, just the ticket.

Thanks for the link.

Robin,

Here's a pic from an early spring trip to the BWCA in a baboosic. Worked great for a trip.

 

[Robin]

That's a good looking canoe, wish I could but a new canoe is not in the cards at this stage of the game. I'll look around for a beat up kevlar ad see what comes up. I once found a Bell kevlar canoe in rough shape and was able to bring it back to life. I have done a couple of others in meed of repairs, not wood canvas but fun to work on once in a while.

Tripping in a canoe I worked on is a big part of getting out there for me.