Kim and Her Omer Canoe

This 14’ Peterborough Mermaid originally belonged to Kim’s Great Uncle, legendary canoeist Omer Stringer.  He gave it to Kim and Tim as a wedding gift 45 years ago.  It served for years as their family canoe, with kids Trevor and Stefanie in tow, and has travelled many kilometers on Algonquin Park waters and beyond.  

Wood deterioration at the rib tips is a common issue in older canoes. Upon removing the outer gunwale, I discovered previous repairs where the rib had been cut back and a small wooden prosthetic tip was glued in place. To ensure a sturdy repair, I plan to cut back these ends approximately 2 inches at a 45-degree angle and splice in new tips for enhanced durability.

Aside from the rib tips, the wood is in very good condition and I should be able to reclaim all the pieces without having to repair any. the grey sections visible is the filler used in a previous recanvas. I will fill the gaps in the bow an stern stem bands.

The canoe required some repair to the rib tips, sanding and varnishing of the outer gunwales, and will need to be recanvassed and painted in the original French blue colour with white stripe in the classic Omer Stringer design.

Perhaps the most often repair i see is the canvas ripping away from the under the gunwales. 

I have been using an anchor system to pull the canvas taut over the shell. This keeps it tight while I tack the canvas along the inner gunwale.