Touch up painting a wood/Dacron Loon Works

[Brightraven]

Hi there, I am a complete newbie to wooden canoes but couldn’t resist picking up a gorgeous Loon Works wood and Dacron “Nakoma” last week that crossed my path.

It is in great shape but there are a couple small areas on the hull where the paint has thinned all the way to the Dacron. I would like to remedy this but have zero experience painting any kind of canoe. I don’t want to mess anything up! I have read that sometimes sanding is involved, while others say you can use epoxy in small spots before deciding to repaint the entire hull, and then others say never use epoxy... This is an interesting lilac paint color that I’m not sure I can match, but I’m ok with finding something similar to make touch ups before the entire hull needs to be redone...

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Many thanks!
Gregor

 

[Marc Ornstein]

First off, there is no epoxy involved in Loonworks Canoes. Tom generally painted his canoes with oil based, marine paint. The brand sometimes varied based upon color choices/availability. As for sanding: The Dacron fabric is quite thin. Sand only enough to dull the old paint and feather any paint edges where peeling may have occurred. You don't want to sand into the Dacron itself. The Dacron, used by Tom was a product called Ceconite (not sure if I spelled that correctly). I understand that he bought it from an aircraft supply outfit.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Tom did use Cecconite. You can sand to the dacron. While it is thin it does not sand off. I sanded mine to a pink shade before repainting. Never use epoxy.. Simply painting over the bareish spot will work. Your boat is likely from a friend of mine . It's a custom color and good luck matching. Your best bet is to paint a contrasting design if you don't want to sand the entire boat down.. Which has to be done outside with a respirator.

To repeat..no epoxy! You will never be able to peel the dacron off if for whatever reason you need to. It will permeate the dacron , adhere to the planking and you will have a porcupine that is no longer valuable if you try to get it off. Boat restorers with experience have used epoxy thickened with talc for canvas filler -the mix is thick and doesn't penetrate through. But neither you nor I are of that level.

Tom was the one who suggested to me that I just add a dot or a flower or a butterfly if my boat was scuffed. Let your creativity fly!

 

[gumpus]

I thought Tom use Interlux Brightside enamel on his Loon Works boats but I'm not sure.

I recommend that you contact Stewart River boat works because they offer canoes made the same way as the Loon Works boats including a Dacron skin.

Alex Comb

Congrats on getting a very fine canoe. With a little paint it should be good to go and enjoy again.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I thought Tom use Interlux Brightside enamel on his Loon Works boats but I'm not sure.

I recommend that you contact Stewart River boat works because they offer canoes made the same way as the Loon Works boats including a Dacron skin.

Alex Comb

Congrats on getting a very fine canoe. With a little paint it should be good to go and enjoy again.

He did not use one brand. Mine is Pettit on one boat and Epiphanes on another. I was allowed to help paint! Tom often joked that if you helped build the boat it cost more. I am very pleased that he allowed me to help with no surcharge!

I didn't know that Alex builds the same way. Pam Wedd( Bearwood Canoes) does and they often were around prowling at midnight on the WCHA Assembly on the green examining boats, exchanging ideas without intruding on the other boats restorers.( yep it was snooping)

 

[Brightraven]

Thanks so much for these replies (which I trust more than others who have said to sand it up and throw epoxy on it)...I have done nothing yet, but I love the idea of being creative with imagery and designs on these various spots with an alternate color...
I feel so honored to paddle this canoe, and grateful to have advice from those who knew the builder.

 

[gumpus]

Yes I vaguely remember that Tom used more than one brand of paint but I thought Interlux Brightside was one of them and I see that they offer a Burgundy. I bet the boat isn't fussy about the brand of touch-up paint used but personally I'd be happy to make a phone call to Stewart River to verify. If the touch-up needed is on the bottom then an off white bottom paint is another option.

Hey Brightraven here's a pic of my 14' Aria.

 

[Waterdog]

I have a Stewart River with the Dacron and have touched it up in spots numerous times. I don’t treat this boat any better than the composite boats. For my canoe, Epifanes #23 (deep red) was used I bought a quart of it for touch up paint after its first BWCA trip. Lightly wet sand the blemished areas with 400 grit, remove the dust with a damp cloth, and touch up with paint. Here is a picture of the paint can.

 

[Waterdog]

I have some pictures I will try to add later of the touch up process. I’m on my phone right now

Barry

 

[yellowcanoe]

The boat isn't fussy about the brand. Tom actually painted one for a canoe instructor with Rustoleum matte black. The instructor wanted to write on it with chalk for demo purposes. He also painted some boats with an airbrush making shading from dark to light of the same color. No idea of what paint he used.

Now that we are into showoff phase! My Aria.. And Tom teaching kids. On Oct 15 he will have been gone 6 years.. I miss him

 

[kona]

If anyone reading this has more photos of these gorgeous boats it would be great to see them. Fingers crossed!

someday for me maybe.

 

[Brightraven]

Yes I vaguely remember that Tom used more than one brand of paint but I thought Interlux Brightside was one of them and I see that they offer a Burgundy. I bet the boat isn't fussy about the brand of touch-up paint used but personally I'd be happy to make a phone call to Stewart River to verify. If the touch-up needed is on the bottom then an off white bottom paint is another option.

Hey Brightraven here's a pic of my 14' Aria.
View attachment 127356

Thanks so much for the tips, and gorgeous boat!

 

[Brightraven]

I appreciate all these helpful tips and beautiful photos. I’ve included my recent Nakoma here as well...
I’m curious what to do when/if it comes time to repaint the entire hull? Is there a recommended sanding process, respirator choice, and place to do the work...and how deep to sand? Maybe that’s a loaded set of questions but I’m not sure where else to find these answers...
Many thanks!

 

[Brightraven]

I will reach out to Stewart River and Bearwood Canoes as well. Thanks for those names...

 

[lowangle al]

Here is one of mine that is in need of restoration. It was a little leaky but I put some flex seal on it and got it back on the water.

 

[Mike McCrea]

Not to drift the thread, but I’m curious about the paints mentioned - Interlux Brightside, Pettit, Epiphanes – in terms of using the “leftovers” to paint a composite or UV faded Royalex canoe.

I know some of those paints store fairly well in opened, partially used cans. But nothing lasts forever, and even Pettit EZ-Poxy, at $60 a quart, isn’t cheap.

I am cheap. Or at least frugal use-it up. So I like to be able to use pricey leftover paint on other boat projects; scum line bottom, accent stripes, topcoat for pigmented skid plates or etc, with some hope of at least limited opened-can shelf life.

I still have some pricey-even-at-the time two-part Interlux A and B (and tint) coatings, leftovers from 20+ years ago helping with a friend’s sailboat. I thought about buying the constituent Interlux quantities need to use it up, but even that was dang ca-ching. It is all no doubt a solid haz-mat disposal issue by now, which would make some needed shelf space.

I am cheap, but not Rustoleum cheap. What do those other suggested paints run per quart?

 

[yellowcanoe]

Sand till you see the filler. It should be battleship grey.. Don't sand too deep. That red canoe was sanded till it was faded pink.. Outside with a fan behind me. Actually done at Toms house( Loon Works). I doubt I would have done it well on my own.

That is Jackies former boat She built one with Tom ( not that one) . You can ask her too.

 

[Abenakiregion]

I am cheap, but not Rustoleum cheap. What do those other suggested paints run per quart?

Nothing wrong with Rustoleum. In fact, it's about the only oil base paint left short of paying big bucks for "marine" paint.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Nothing wrong with Rustoleum. In fact, it's about the only oil base paint left short of paying big bucks for "marine" paint.

yep, Yellowcanoe is painted where needed with John Deere Yellow.

 

[Mike McCrea]

If the pricey marine paints are Grade A stuff I would give Rustoleum enamel in a can a C, and Rustoleum spray a D. Rustoleum Topside paint is probably a B or B+, but the paint test panels have only been exposed outside for 14 months.

https://www.canoetripping.net/threa...rustoleum-topside-take-ii.114417/#post-125460

Real results in a few years. The Pettit EZ-Poxy runs $60 a quart. Regular Rustoleum enamel is $11 or $12 a quart, Rustoleum Topside more like $18.

https://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-2...rustoleum+topside+paint&qid=1633518383&sr=8-5

For the extra $6 I’d spring for the better marine Rustoleum product.

Of course that application is predicated in part on storage; for a boat stored indoors the exposure to weather and UV would be greatly reduced.

If it is only some minor touch up needed a half-pint can of Rustoleum enamel might be the cost/benefit winner, and perhaps easier to color match.