I had my 2012 Wenonah Champlain at the cabin and a tree fell on it. It popped back into shape when I took the tree off but has some major damage. Spring Creek no longer repairs canoes, and Dennis at NW Canoe thinks it might be more cost effective to buy a used canoe than pay for his labor to repair it. He did say I could do it myself and material would be $3-$400.

This is an outfitter model with the beefier hardware and built in skid plates. Anyone want to take this job on? Any pointers? My kids are pretty bummed. I may consider selling it inexpensively to someone out there who wants a project. I'll add better photos later. Hoping there's some skilled help out there!

Sorry Grouseguy1,
That is a tough break. I hope someone better than I can help you and your kiddos out.
Good luck!

Ouch! It's always fun to get a new/different canoe.

Insurance?

Sorry to hear about your canoe. Does not look good.

I bought my MNII when it was in much worse shape, the final two feet of the bow nearly severed from the rest to the boat. It took some hours of work and a pair of new gunwales but it was not all that tough. It's not as pretty as it started out but it is every bit as fast and functional as it was before (albeit a bit heavier). Drop me a line if you want help on this. It is much easier than you think.

quote yogi59weedr: "Insurance? "

I'll second checking to see what's covered under your homeowners.

I may be overly optimistic, but I feel like that looks pretty fixable. It'll never be a beauty again, but it doesn't look like it has been for awhile. I think it's worth a repair attempt.

Your post mentions kids -- if they're old enough, maybe repairing would be a memorable family project. Damage aside, that canoe would have a lot of years left in it.

What would cost $300-400? Looks like the gunnels were spared.

No experience with Kevlar canoes here- just fiberglass.

Maybe its as simple a repairing the surface kevlar with some 1-2ft wide pieces, but to me it looks like the foam core is damaged as well and I would think that would need to be rejoined first.

I wonder if you could sandwich some sort of aluminum rods or flat thin 1" -2" wide aluminum bars into the foam between the kevlar layers to realign and rejoin the foam hull first- then i't's simply the repair the kevlar itself over the top.

I'd be curious to hear what the right remedy is from those with kevlar experience.

repair

Red Rock repairs some canoes and I am sure just about any outfitter could refer you to somebody.

The foam core does not have to be joined. The foam is not "structural" in that sense- its purpose is to provide separation between layers of kevlar and resin thus increasing strength and rigidity; this still functions with fractures in the foam. I would repair with resin and fiberglass rather than Kevlar. It will take some serious sanding to keep the shape of the canoe, kevlar frays when sanded as the cloth does not saturate with resin (this is the main reason kevlar boats are lighter than glass; less resin). If you were intent on saving weight you could use kevlar cloth inside the hull (and not sand it) and fiberglass on the outside.

Both kevlar canoes that I own were bought as salvage boats- one was left submerged in waves for 8 hours after a capsize, the other blew off a canoe trailer when brand new (at Hoigaard's).
It took just a few hours to repair. Not knowing any better I fixed the Advantage with glass and resin from a hardware store (Bondo) rather than West system epoxy. It has held just fine- I did the repair in 1986 and that canoe probably has more miles in the Quetico than just about any solo in existence.

Thanks for the responses everyone. Please keep them coming.

As for insurance, our deductible at cabin is $1500, so it's not worth the claim.

My buddy and I had no less than 3 canoes fly off of his car during a downburst when we drove thru a thunderstorm. I felt bad because I was driving and maybe I was driving to fast for conditions. All 3 canoes ended up in the median of a 4 land highway. One was pretty much bent in half. We were crying on the inside. We managed to get them back on his truck but the moral of the story is we were able to repair all 3 even the heavily damaged one.

quote salukiguy: "My buddy and I had no less than 3 canoes fly off of his car during a downburst when we drove thru a thunderstorm. I felt bad because I was driving and maybe I was driving to fast for conditions. All 3 canoes ended up in the median of a 4 land highway. One was pretty much bent in half. We were crying on the inside. We managed to get them back on his truck but the moral of the story is we were able to repair all 3 even the heavily damaged one. "

That would get the heart pounding

dr bob

I'm sorry for your loss!

Banksiana knows his stuff. Definitely let him advise you in this. You can do it.

It is fixable if you want to sell it I would be interested in it.

Fixing it cost is all dependent on how you want it to look.

quote Pinetree: " Red Rock repairs some canoes and I am sure just about any outfitter could refer you to somebody."

Unless ya gotz a souris river, Joe will probably berate you endlessly, particularly if it's a wenonah or a bell.

quote salukiguy: "My buddy and I had no less than 3 canoes fly off of his car during a downburst when we drove thru a thunderstorm. I felt bad because I was driving and maybe I was driving to fast for conditions. All 3 canoes ended up in the median of a 4 land highway. One was pretty much bent in half. We were crying on the inside. We managed to get them back on his truck but the moral of the story is we were able to repair all 3 even the heavily damaged one. "

I would be questioning who tied them down.

Two straps front and rear two over the top keeps them on.

The people who just strap over the top are courting losing their canoe

Thanks again for all of the responses. As soon as I can get caught up on life I will be reaching out to some of the posters on this thread.

quote Grouseguy1: "Thanks again for all of the responses. As soon as I can get caught up on life I will be reaching out to some of the posters on this thread. "

Is there a pave locally that I can pick up the items needed for repair? Than everyone. I finally have time to address this over the holiday season.

Hey Grouseguy1, if you're located around the TC then Dennis will have the supplies you need. If not, then you may have to mail order.

I used Sweet Composites for the materials I'm using to fix the Northstar, they were easy to work with and shipped very quickly.

Well, about time to start the repair. I bought a couple yards of kevlar.....is the best epoxy to use the west systems brand? see all sorts of options at home depot, etc.

Any recommendations? What grit sandpaper to use? A dremel the best cutting tool for removing the bent and frayed kevlar before the patching? This will be interesting

I'm using West 105/206 on my NorthStar. I know Dennis @ NW Canoe uses MAS for all his work, and others like System Three. I think more important than brand is being familiar with how to properly use it.

Where'd you get the fabric?

I bought the Kevlar from an ebay retailer. 500d

riverrunner: "

quote salukiguy: "My buddy and I had no less than 3 canoes fly off of his car during a downburst when we drove thru a thunderstorm. I felt bad because I was driving and maybe I was driving to fast for conditions. All 3 canoes ended up in the median of a 4 land highway. One was pretty much bent in half. We were crying on the inside. We managed to get them back on his truck but the moral of the story is we were able to repair all 3 even the heavily damaged one. "

I would be questioning who tied them down.


Two straps front and rear two over the top keeps them on.


The people who just strap over the top are courting losing their canoe "

They were tied down front, back, and over the middle with heavy nylon rope. My story is a testament to how important it is to take all precautions even if you think the canoe is secured. We were in a heavy thunderstorm and we hit a strong down burst of wind and the ropes just snapped. The forces of wind must of been tremendous and probably perpendicular to the surface area of the canoes.

salukiguy: "

riverrunner: "

quote salukiguy: "My buddy and I had no less than 3 canoes fly off of his car during a downburst when we drove thru a thunderstorm. I felt bad because I was driving and maybe I was driving to fast for conditions. All 3 canoes ended up in the median of a 4 land highway. One was pretty much bent in half. We were crying on the inside. We managed to get them back on his truck but the moral of the story is we were able to repair all 3 even the heavily damaged one. "

I would be questioning who tied them down.



Two straps front and rear two over the top keeps them on.



The people who just strap over the top are courting losing their canoe "

They were tied down front, back, and over the middle with heavy nylon rope. My story is a testament to how important it is to take all precautions even if you think the canoe is secured. We were in a heavy thunderstorm and we hit a strong down burst of wind and the ropes just snapped. The forces of wind must of been tremendous and probably perpendicular tyo the surface area of the canoes.
"

I had twenty seven boats on through yesterday. Two straps each, sometimes a third doubled with the front strap. Yesterday 60 mile per hour wind and hardly any movement at all. What your putting a boat on is a big deal. Usually people are putting canoes on a car where your crossbars are not far apartor short box tricks with the same deal. That's usually why you need the front and rear straps. Another thing about the two across the middle is tightness... Usually the one side of the strap isn't as tight as the side your working with. Eventually they even out and it'll be loose. Lots of tricks to make it all work...

I purchased a kevlar that needed some patching and I just used fiberglass cloth.