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16' Allagash canoe

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Jun 12, 2012
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Location
Appleton, Maine
I went to the town dump today and stopped up at the area where you buy other peoples junk. As I pulled in I saw a canoe out along side of the shop, my first thought was I wonder if it leaks. Well, it had 6"s of water in it from some recent storms, so that answered my question, it doesn't leak. I asked the price, $50, I practically threw the money at the guy and emptied the water out with a garbage can lid. So much gunnel material had rotted off that I had a hard time finding a solid spot to tie it tight to the truck without cracking the fiberglass.
I got it home just as the stern deck was beginning to fall off,



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Rotted wood, but the sliding seat and stern seat are in good shape.
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The white spots are pine sap,

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I pulled out the power washer and got most of the crud off, the hull shows very little use and aside from the faded spots, a few scratches and the sap, it's quite solid.

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I couldn't find my rubbing compound, so I just applied some wax and buffed out a spot, it looks like it will clean up nicely.

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The canoe is 15'10", 1987 vintage I think, 33" wide, 12 & 3/4" deep to the top of the fiberglass. It has a funky parquet floor, but it has some real nice lines and will make somebody a fine canoe. I have some 16' ash so the rails will be ash as will be the rest of the trim.
Another winter project, gonna be busy!

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Wow, nice find! That doesn't happen around here. Well, maybe I should take that back. I did find an old Jensen WWC1 in the rafters of an old guys barn, the only boat I haven't had to travel at least 3 hours to buy. Someone had used it as a duck boat and it was painted camo. They'd punched a hole through the side and did a really ugly patch job at some point. No idea why they thought it would be a good hunting boat. If I can get some extra time this winter I thought about sanding it all down and repainting it. Neat boat but I've got so many other solos that I rarely paddle it and no one seems interested in buying it since it's so ugly, even at nearly give away prices.

Alan
 
I was at the dump last week and had a look around, but alas, no canoes. You certainly are getting your fair share lately. Good find!
 
I'm worried about Robin.. first ABS and now fiberglass..but this find will probably fund another little Chestnut resto
 
Score!! I have only ever found half of a canoe at the dump. But I keep looking. You should run up to Maine and grab that other Morris for me...lol
 
Score!! I have only ever found half of a canoe at the dump. But I keep looking. You should run up to Maine and grab that other Morris for me...lol



Not that hard. I have daughters that live close to Robin and I go to CT fairly often. And the Morris is about 45 minutes away from my home. The getting it to Winnpeg might be another matter.
 
Good save, Robin!

Don't worry about Robin, Kim. Restoring neglected canoes is good for the soul. ;)
 
Not that hard. I have daughters that live close to Robin and I go to CT fairly often. And the Morris is about 45 minutes away from my home. The getting it to Winnpeg might be another matter.

Christine will send you the money. Then we get the boat to Alan Gage and he can bring it with him when he does the Bloodvein next year and we will pick it up in Red Lake.
 
I just received my copy of Hap Wilson's Rivers of Manitoba just to read about the Bloodvein, ya never know.

I was talking to my friend Bob today (we restored his Old Town Otca), he's recovering from his 3rd back operation but in good spirits, he has the table saw (3hp) to rip the gunnel material for the Allagash, he wants it out of the way so we can start on our wood canvas canoes right after Christmas.

Gee Whiz, the guy restores one wood canvas canoe and already he's an elitist.:rolleyes:
 
This canoe has been sitting on the rack for 6 months. Today I pulled it down and fitted the new ash rails. Lots of fun working on these canoes in retirement.

 
AMEN on Retirement !
Seems like I'm willing to take my time, and enjoy the journey !

Jim
 
HaHa, I'll have so much spare cash I'll have a plane fly us across the ports on the Marshall Lake trip in August!
 
The ash gunnels I had was a few inches too short so I asked my friend Bob to make up a set. He has a very nice table saw with the proper jig and he's pretty good with a router also.
After getting done with the MR Explorer last night I clamped the finished inwales and gunnels on this fiberglass Allagash canoe. Depending on what the "honey do" list looks like this weekend I will start working on this canoe.

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Yet another boat through your shop, lucky guy.

Funny how things go sometimes. Yesterday in the corner store, the guy we bought the Fox from walked in and right away asked if we would be interested in a 19 foot w/c freighter canoe that is still in use up north. I told him we would need plenty of pictures before we would commit so Christy will work that out with him on Facebook. $600 for something that could go for 6 times that on a reserve much further north. Time will tell.
 
In the West, the canoes that have been lying around and somewhat abused, tend to have a lot of UV damage if they are as old as 1987. It is a wonderful thing to be able to salvage a boat and keep it out of the landfill. I am leery about old fiberglass and Kevlar, because I had a boat that came apart while I was paddling it. It literally started to fold in half, and the floor had waves in it. Not what you want 40 miles from the nearest road, not even acceptable on a day paddle.
 
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