Hello Everyone!

I am brand spanking new to the Cedar Strip Canoe World and have no idea where to start. I just purchased a Cedar Strip Canoe and noticed on the inside that I have some bubbling of the fiberglass where the Cedar Strips bunched up a little. I know you will want pics but it is exactly what I am saying just a bubble in the fiberglass/epoxy layer. I know this probably involves cutting out the bubble and a layer of fiberglass with epoxy to fill the void.

My questions are how do I do this without leaving a scar? Can you apply stain over the epoxy fiberglass layer? The boat was built with Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane Clear Gloss and Minwax 63000 Fast Drying Polyurethane Clear Gloss as well as a General Purpose Polyester Resin #4 fiberglass sheets. What supplies should I purchase?

This statement should let you know where I am at with my knowledge! What will I need to do this project, step by step would be perfect. Yes, I did search this topic but am not knowledgeable enough to understand where to start and what to do. I don't want to take it back but instead learn how to fix it now because it will be used in the BWCA and I am rough as hell on my equipment, why not learn now!

Despite your description I still want to see pictures. For one I don't know what you mean by "where the cedar strips bunched up a little." I'd also like to know how big these bubbles are. Maybe they don't need to be repaired at all.

The fix would be sand out the bad spots and patch with a layer of 6oz. fiberglass cloth and resin. You can use whatever resin you want but I'd recommend epoxy over polyester or vinylester. I think it's nicer to work with and doesn't smell near as bad. The ester resins won't fully cure when exposed to the air unless you add a wax to them. Some of them will come with the wax already mixed in. Using release treated peel ply when putting down the fiberglass will make feathering the edges a lot easier. Then revarnish over the top.

Don't worry about trying to get it to blend in perfectly. You said yourself the boat is going to be a user. It likely won't be very apparent that a repair like this has been made anyway.

Alan

Hope this gives you an idea of what is going on, this is a close up. The bubbles range from 8x2 to 2x1/2 to 4x1 and any where in between. My biggest worry is that the wood will get wet and I will have issues down the road. It's a beautiful canoe and I want to preserve that but I know how hard I am on my equipment. It will look beautiful with some battle scars as well.

A method of patching those bubbles, others have used, and it just might work in this case.
Drill small hole in the middle of the bubble, and with a syringe, inject enough resin to fill the void.
I would drill two holes on opposite sides of the bubble, just inject mixed resin in one hole, until it oozes out the other hole., tape the holes until resin has set. Scrape excess, and varnish.
You will have to be the judge as to which bubbles or voids need attention.


Jim