More Detail

So here she is – the partial canoe rescued from certain death by fire.  As she presently hangs from the ceiling above me, I have to point out through the details that things weren't always this pretty.

The exterior color is original and every rock she skipped over has left evidence of itself in scratches.  To the exterior we did nothing but clean, wax and buff.

I gave her a name.  Doing a bit of research I pulled up the names of every shipwreck in the Great Lakes.  The smallest vessel to remain underwater is an 8' boat named the "Penelope."  Assuming this canoe wasn't much longer than the original Penelope, I adopted her namesake and painted it on the side of our treasure.

While the wood of the seat and handle are original, their luster is not.  After a brief sanding we gave them two coats of clear varnish to bring out their age and natural beauty.  The brass hardware is new, the black edging is the same webbing I make my guitar straps out of (plus a tube of E6000 adhesive), and the interior of the boat has been spray-painted gold.

Needless to say, I am totally in love with canoe restoration.  Maybe this will inspire you to look deeper into the banks of your nearest river and dig out a piece of condemned history yourself.

PS - If this was your boat: Finders Keepers!  (Or pay the escalated price of one-million-dollars.)

The new view from my front door.  Also notice the black railing and bit of blue painters tape...an updated photo of our custom staircase to come.