New to me Chestnut Chum

[Art D]

Just picked up a Chestnut Chum that is all original and in really great shape. It has minor damage to two planks and otherwise all wood is in perfect condition and no rot. In fact, only two ribs tips are split. What appears to be the original varnish covers the inside and the ash gunwales. It definitely needs new canvas and a new stem band at one end. Very excited.









The canvas is intact but the paint is cracked. I think it sat unused since 1978 so maybe understandable. Is there a temporary fix for this that will let me paddle it until for now. I have it booked for a canvas this fall and would love to get it on the water now. Also, the shoe keel has lifted on the edges, although there is no apparent bedding in these areas. Am I going to screw up future work if I caulk that joint?

By the way, it's 30 inches or so wide. Does that date it?

 

[Patrick Corry]

Caulk it if it's leaking. Latex in my opinion. I wouldn't use silicone based caulk anywhere near wood which may be repainted in the future- it impedes the ability of paint to "stick". Caulk will easily come off with the canvas when the time comes.

The brass stem band doesn't look original to me. The canvas looks a big rough beneath that broken stem band. That spot will deserve close scrutiny once the canvas is off, but don't let that concern you... it's all repairable.

 

[Boreal Birch]

Pretty sure that # 3 pack sack is going to look just great sitting amidship in that canoe. Thanks for showing us & looking forward to more insight into your adventures.

 

[Art D]

Caulk it if it's leaking. Latex in my opinion. I wouldn't use silicone based caulk anywhere near wood which may be repainted in the future- it impedes the ability of paint to "stick". Caulk will easily come off with the canvas when the time comes.

The brass stem band doesn't look original to me. The canvas looks a big rough beneath that broken stem band. That spot will deserve close scrutiny once the canvas is off, but don't let that concern you... it's all repairable.

The stem band is definitely not original. When I pinch the stem if feels firm, so I'm optimistic but I suppose one never knows until the canvas is off.

 

[Robin]

That is a fine-looking Chum, really in good shape. If it were me and I wanted to paddle it before recanvas I would remove the stem band, and cover the area with duct tape and spray it red. That calking under the stems and keel are long past their ability to repel water. I wouldn't try to repair that stem band, let that wait till the new canvas when you can see what you have. Same with the keel, although some Sikaflex 291 around the edges of the keel won't hurt. I would remove the canvas asap after you are done paddling the canoe for the season, water trapped under the canvas could damage that nice original plank.
I never replace the keel on a Chum fwiw.
Nice canoe.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Congrats on your find, Art. No reason to waste a season of paddling it, in my opinion, if it can be temporarily patched and sealed per the advice you've been getting.

 

[Art D]

I wanted to offer an update on this canoe. Warning: it will containing some whining.

So having a little bit of extra cash, I took the Chum to a nearby shop that restores wood canvas canoes. Once the canvas was on and filled, I stopped in to see how the work was going. At first sight, the canoe looked great. However, on closer inspection there was a bubble of slack canvas near one stem, and the stems themselves were very rough. When I asked about the bubble, I was told it happens sometimes. I didn’t say anything about the stems, assuming that bedding compound and the stem bands would smooth out the appearance.

So a couple of months go by and then it’s time to pick a color. We looked at options and I decided on a light gray by Kirby.

About two weeks later I get a message. Could I stop by? So I drive over to learn that he has been having a hard time to get the paint to flow and indeed the brush marks are there. We agree that he’ll call Kirby and seek their guidance. In the meantime, he sands off the old paint.

When he goes to repaint the canoe using a new can of Kirby’s and what ever elixir they recommend, he still gets brush marks and proposes that he sand off the paint again and that he repaint the canoe with Epifanes. So the day comes for me to pick up the boat. I head over with the excitement that we all feel when picking up a boat and he immediately says he’s still disapppointed with the paint, which is full of dust. After saying he isn’t sure what happened, he acknowledges the he used an old roller to apply the paint and the roller must have been full of dust. It’s an explanation but not an apology, and there is not an offer to get it right.

Then I look over the stem bands, and they are kinked at each screw hole and there is no squeeze out of bedding compound. He tells me that he only applied compound at the screw holes. I can see air between the boat and most of the lengths of the stem bands.

At this point, I figure it can only get worse, so I load the boat and take it home. Well, I put the boat in the water for the first time today and, yes, it leaks at both stems.

I’m not going to tell you the name of this shop because I’d like to think that the boat is cursed and this wouldn’t happen to any other boat the he works on. But with all the paint issues, don’t you think he would use a new roller for the final coat? And how do you deliver a boat that leaks at both stems?

Is my expectation of someone who professes to be a craftsmen out of line? Does anyone else have a canoe shop horror story?

 

[Boatman53]

Sorry to hear your tale of woe Art. I know the shop you are talking about and I am a bit surprised that you had such trouble. If you want I’d be glad to stop by and see if I can give you a hand.
Jim
I forgot to say that I too have had a hard time laying down Kirby’s paint without brush strokes, it is a very thick bodied paint. Still it s a shame so many things went wrong.
Jim

 

[Robin]

That bubble should have been worked by removing as many tacks along the top as needed. Rough stems require lots of filler and sanding, best to get the canvas right from the get go. Here’s the canvas around the stem on a Robertson canoe they did, excellent. Go figure.


Those kinked stem bands is what happens when you drill the screw holes first, then bend. Stem bands need to be bent first and then drilled, arkward but that’s the correct way. No kinks
That shop has no paint room, they paint in the same area they sand in. Maybe he should fix that, then start using 6” foam rollers rather than used rollers and brushes.
I took an old deck from a Chestnut to them to have 2 new ones made. The old deck’s curves where off center, the new ones they made where exactly the same, off center!!! I couldn’t believe it. I paid, lesson learned.

 

[Crazy Trout Craft (CTC)]

Beautiful boat- sorry about the mishaps. I hope all gets resolved and you can enjoy such a beautiful vessel.
Cheers
DT

 

[snapper]

Hope this all works out for you in the end. That's a beautiful boat and should have been treated as such by the person doing the work.

Until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[Art D]

Sorry to hear your tale of woe Art. I know the shop you are talking about and I am a bit surprised that you had such trouble. If you want I’d be glad to stop by and see if I can give you a hand.
Jim
I forgot to say that I too have had a hard time laying down Kirby’s paint without brush strokes, it is a very thick bodied paint. Still it s a shame so many things went wrong.
Jim

Jim, do you have any time on Sunday?

 

[Boatman53]

I think so but should check with my social secretary first. I’ll call you later.
Jim

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

there was a bubble of slack canvas

the stems themselves were very rough

a couple of months go by

brush marks are there

he still gets brush marks and proposes that he sand off the paint again

the paint, which is full of dust

he used an old roller to apply the paint and the roller must have been full of dust

the stem bands, and they are kinked at each screw hole and there is no squeeze out of bedding compound

I can see air between the boat and most of the lengths of the stem bands.

it leaks at both stems

So sorry for your experience. This is a horror story. The person doesn't deserve anything close to full pay.

I’m not going to tell you the name of this shop

Your call, but I'm not so sure it's the right one. We enthusiastically support and promote small businesses devoted to canoeing here, but perhaps we also should be warning each other of things like bad canoes, faulty gear and poor repairmen.

 

[Gamma1214]

Art: Very sorry that such a great find has turned into such a fiasco. Hopefully Jim (or someone) can help and you'll get many years of enjoyment from it.

 

[Boatman53]

I think what happened was an anomaly, I’ve seen other projects from his shop and they were just fine as Robin shared with the stem of the canoe he canvassed. It is tough though when there is good work and not so good work and you are not sure what you are going to get.
Jim

 

[Robin]

I always use some brushing thinner with my paints, a world of difference for my limited skill level.