W/C keel removal

[Cookannapurna]

I'm looking for the direction of all our w/c experts here. I have a 1922 OT Charles River that was restored about 10 years ago (before I owned it). They did a great job, but installed a "lake keel" as spesified on the original build sheet. Two questions:

1. Is it a no no to remove it if it came from the factory on a classic boat
2. How would one go about removing it?

I love the boat, but the keel is killing me!

Thanks

 

[yellowcanoe]

Its up to you to remove or not remove. You will have screw holes to deal with in the ribs( the most noticeable) if you take it off and leave it off.
We sawed ours off with a reciprocating saw as the screws were all bound up.. We had to take it off as the boat needs recanvassing. Still up in the air is to redo the keel or not. Our boat has external stems and they kind of merge nicely with a keel though you can shape them so it really does not matter.

The keel really does not affect turning much.. And its a courting canoe! You need milady and a parasol and a period Victrola

 

[Mihun09]

We have not yet put a keel back onto a boat that came with one after new canvas... yet. The Y-stern will get it's back but that is different. Personally, they add weight and for the most part aren't necessary unless you plan to pull it up onto a dock or ram beaches. If you wet foot it like most people do these days with w/c canoes, it doesn't matter not having it. The screw holes on the inside could be aesthetically unappealing but you get used to it. We have also filled them with coloured epoxy or there is always the labour intensive cutting off the shafts of screws and epoxying those into the holes so it looks like it has a keel.

Once it is off you will have to re-canvass though since there will be 20 odd holes in the present canvas.

Karin

 

[Iskweo]

Like YC said...a keel has no real effect on handling. They are meant to protect the canvas when dragging it up on shore. Cést tout. We wait until the boat needs new canvas and then usually ( so far) have left them off at that point. Dont sweat the keel. If it has outside stems or is a particularly rare or vintage canoe then by all means keep it original.

Christy

 

[yellowcanoe]

Have you ever tried little circles of wood fitted into the screw holes? Tom Mackenzie did that when I wanted the seat of my w/c solo moved. Kind of like a Marilyn Monroe mole? We might try that before epoxying the screw heads into the empty holes if the Robertson remains keelless.. Its a livery boat woodburned with a livery number.. not too well put together as in lets make lots of boats for rental. From circa 1910

 

[Iskweo]

Wood plugs will work if you can get them sized correctly. Problem is, the holes are tapered so you have to cut the holes out in the ribs also to get the plugs to fit nice. Doable. We just mix up some epoxy with a bit of cedar dust and fill them.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Got it , thanks

 

[Robin]

I never replace a keel nor does Schuyler or Frank at Norfolk Boat Works unless he can't talk the customer out of it. Then I have friends who say "if it came in the shop with a keel, it goes out with a keel" and they know a lot more about canoes than I ever will.

You have a nice canoe and it's a real classic but it's your canoe. Removing the keel isn't a permanent change but maybe putting plugs in the vacant screw holes might be. I would try to unscrew the screws and save them. If they are frozen maybe you can carefully drill the heads. Save the keel. I would fill the screw holes in the canvas with G-flex. I have had good luck patching small tears in old canvas with G-flex. After ten years maybe a fresh coat of paint on the canvas is worth it and it will cover the patched holes nicely. I would just leave the screw head holes inside as is, you or a new owner can always easily replace the keel if wanted.

 

[Cookannapurna]

Thanks all for the advice. It will stay, at least till it needs recanvased.