I'm going to be building my first cedar strip canoe this summer. I live in Iowa. This means I will need Bow numbers and a registration sticker. When I want to revarnish, the stickers are going to need to come off. How have any of you solved this issue? Paint the numbers on all fancy? Burn them in the wood?

Any reason you can't leave the numbers in place and just varnish over them?

Vinyl letters would be much easier to remove than the sticky ones sold in stores. Just warm them with a heat gun and they should peal right off.

I live in IA as well and, while I'm not necessarily recommending it, depending on where you paddle you might not need bow numbers. I'm rarely on any waterways that are checked/patrolled by the DNR and while my boats are registered and stickered I haven't put bow numbers on a few of them.

Alan

Varnish over them? Would you put them under the first coat of varnish to begin with? If I varnish over the sticker, will varnish stick to the sticker?

I've never been stopped by the Iowa DNR. I feel that as soon as I set my numberless canoe in the Wapsi would be the moment.

Vinyl letters should be more removable. Thanks for your opinion.

quote canoe212: "Varnish over them? Would you put them under the first coat of varnish to begin with? If I varnish over the sticker, will varnish stick to the sticker?
"

I'd put them on the canoe after I was done varnishing and then varnish over them whenever I wanted to add another coat of varnish later on. Or mask around them if you're patient (the state sticker would be easy to mask off). I guess I'm not too worried about whether or not it sticks to the stickers since if I peels off the stickers it doesn't matter. I've varnished over stickers and labels on multiple boats and never had it be an issue. They're not in an area that will be seeing any wear.

Alan

quote canoe212
I've never been stopped by the Iowa DNR. I feel that as soon as I set my numberless canoe in the Wapsi would be the moment.

There is always that risk. Being in a rural area on small lakes and rivers the DNR simply isn't looking and I tend get complacent. I had a couple strippers that I hadn't licensed yet and didn't think twice when I took them to Mankato for a paddle down the Minnesota River. It's a big enough river the DNR can patrol it in motor boats. $100 later.....

Alan

There is no way bow numbers on a cedar strip would look good regardless of how you do it. I would side step the issue and register the canoe in MN.

Iowa DNR www says numbers can be "painted, applied as a sticker, or otherwise attached" but says NOTHING about how large they need to be.......
paint very "small" numbers then varnish over the numbers.

As far as the Registration sticker just tape it off OR just re-varnish in the same year you get a new sticker, ever 2 years in MN. Honestly, I have only re-varnished 1 of my strippers over the years, Scratches happen and as long as they are not down into the glass, I don't feel the need to re-varnish. Call them memory marks. I have made repairs with out re-varnishing the entire boat.


Stickers are bad enough but nothing worse on a stripper than some huge gold fleck, cheesy numbers stuck on.

CB

I'm not sure what Iowa rules are for lettering. I like HPD idea of registering the canoe in MN which is just a simple 3"x3" sticker you slap on the boat. I varnish over mine every so often. The sticker is good for three years and you slap the new one over the old one.

Tom

quote Cedarboy: "Iowa DNR www says numbers can be "painted, applied as a sticker, or otherwise attached" but says NOTHING about how large they need to be.......
paint very "small" numbers then varnish over the numbers.
"

Are you sure about that? Is that specific to non-motorized water craft? I was almost sure the Iowa regs. said stickers had to be at least 3" tall and of a contrasting color.

Alan

Just re-read it, no mention of size requirement at all. Did find out its every 3 years for re-registration.
CB

IOWA DNR, search "boat registration"

Wow! I'm suprised they make no mention of letter size. I will check that with the DMV when I register the boat, but small letters, painted to look nice is the winner so far.

Thanks a lot for all the opinions and suggestions. I've read through NW Canoes tips and tricks. Now I'm just waiting for my copy of Canoecraft and some warm weather (my shop isn't heated). I'm stoked!

Mn is a 3 hour drive for me. Can I register the boat by mail, or on the internets?

Hmmmm...wondering if anyone, group, has petitioned the DNR to allow a "classic" boat decal not unlike the classic car licenser. I will bring it to the Commissioner's attention this week as we are both scheduled to participate in an event together.

My assumption is that most every cedar stripper owner or other classic canoe would sign onto this petition..Thoughts?

Mac

quote Cedarboy: "Just re-read it, no mention of size requirement at all. Did find out its every 3 years for re-registration.
CB


IOWA DNR, search "boat registration""

It would appear you're correct. Good to know and good catch.

Alan

quote MacCamper: "Hmmmm...wondering if anyone, group, has petitioned the DNR to allow a "classic" boat decal not unlike the classic car licenser. I will bring it to the Commissioner's attention this week as we are both scheduled to participate in an event together.


My assumption is that most every cedar stripper owner or other classic canoe would sign onto this petition..Thoughts?


Mac "

Sign me up! I'll buy 3!

quote MacCamper: "My assumption is that most every cedar stripper owner or other classic canoe would sign onto this petition."

Show me where to sign.

quote MacCamper: "Hmmmm...wondering if anyone, group, has petitioned the DNR to allow a "classic" boat decal not unlike the classic car licenser.

Mac "

what constitutes classic? Do you mean antique canoes? Or do you mean any hand-made canoe whether it be wood, kevlar, newspaper/epoxy?

Tom

quote Alan Gage: "

quote Cedarboy: "Iowa DNR www says numbers can be "painted, applied as a sticker, or otherwise attached" but says NOTHING about how large they need to be.......
paint very "small" numbers then varnish over the numbers.
"

Are you sure about that? Is that specific to non-motorized water craft? I was almost sure the Iowa regs. said stickers had to be at least 3" tall and of a contrasting color.


Alan"

I think you're right about this according to the regulation book they hand out.

From page 7
b. in block characters of good proportion not less than three inches in height
Iowa Boating Regulations

Thought it seemed to good to be true. Fooey!

Good work.

Alan

quote tumblehome: "

quote MacCamper: "Hmmmm...wondering if anyone, group, has petitioned the DNR to allow a "classic" boat decal not unlike the classic car licenser.


Mac "

what constitutes classic? Do you mean antique canoes? Or do you mean any hand-made canoe whether it be wood, kevlar, newspaper/epoxy?


Tom"

I need a good definition of classic...perhaps a percentage based derivative as cedar strips are a high percent fiberglass/resin. In my mind's eye wood ribbed and cedar strip canoes.

I need a good definition of classic...perhaps a percentage based derivative as cedar strips are a high percent fiberglass/resin. In my mind's eye wood ribbed and cedar strip canoes."

I think the terminology needs to be different than "classic." I think to most people, me included, you couldn't consider anything that was even remotely new as a classic, no matter how beautiful.

Personally I think the only change that could be made to the regulations to keep us from having to put big ugly stickers on the hull is to exclude all paddle craft. Either no stickers or let us use smaller ones. Why should we have to put the same size stickers on our little 15' canoe as someone puts on their 30' cabin cruiser? Big numbers on big boats makes sense because they might be moving fast when you want to read them or you just might not be able to get very close. Not so with canoes/kayaks.

If all paddle craft were to be excluded you'd be more likely to get a lot of support. A handful of weirdos who build their own wood strip canoes probably isn't going to have a lot of pull. But nearly everyone with a kevlar or carbon canoe or, heck, even just a plastic kayak, thinks it's a pretty boat that shouldn't be spoiled by big blocky numbers. They all probably wouldn't even mind paying a couple extra bucks every three years to make it happen.

Alan

Yet the strippers I build are of modern design, nothing classic about them. There are classic and there are modern designs, people build both. Just what design you like.
I prefer John Winters designs. He designed for Swift canoe. Swift builds the same designs I have built. You can buy plans for almost all of the Winters designed Swift canoes. Swifts are in Kevlar or carbon or fiberglass with a foam core. Mine are fiberglass with a wood core. Same design, different materials.
I could see a special sticker for vintage(antique)canoes or boats, but not for modern designed boats/canoes.
I feel the MN requirement is much simpler with a single sticker without the numbers(unless you put power on it).
CB


Yes a good catch with the publication. That publication was dated 1998, is there a current printing?

My first thought this morning referencing this topic was exactly as the previous two posters stated, it would be impossible to define a "classic", however vintage would be pretty good. The end game would be as Allen suggested, smaller stickers or perhaps better yet, place them inside the hull. As was so eloquently stated, "Big numbers on big boats makes sense because they might be moving fast when you want to read them or you just might not be able to get very close. Not so with canoes/kayaks." And indeed, after reading many posts about the amorous affairs so many canoe owners have with their watercraft, it is really all about the application of a blemish as mandated by the state.

Good Points and still something to pursue only on a different tack. Thank you

Who you calling weirdo?

Asking for a law change to exempt all paddlecraft from registration won't happen. But I would think that asking for a decal such as Minnesota uses for canoes is logical. It would take some time and perseverance to get this passed but it would be a worthwhile cause.

I would use Minnesota's regulation on registering canoes as a model.

Tom

quote canoe212: "Who you calling weirdo?"

It takes one to know one. Getting ready to start my 4th hull in less than a year.....

Alan

quote Alan Gage: "

quote canoe212: "Who you calling weirdo?"

It takes one to know one. Getting ready to start my 4th hull in less than a year.....


Alan"

I'm hoping to just get one done in under a year.

I pursued this issue years ago With Nate Hoogeveen.
He stated that the State gets a kick back from the Coast Guard for every boat that displays the numbers.
I always felt there was something fishy about that, as all our surrounding states don't require them on canoes.

As for numbers on my strippers, I go the vinyl route, and get them made at a print shop for about $20 a boat, including OR.

I'm all in favor of an exemption for my strippers !!!!
Jim

Canoe212
Where abouts are you ?

I'm in Humboldt, and have traveled to help others, building their first canoes. Mostly the fiberglassing part.

Jim

I'll be over your way in July for Project AWARE ! It would be great to at least meet up with you !

Jim

How have I never heard of Project AWARE?!? I regularly paddle Indee to Quasky and would love to help clean up that stretch of river. (I can't wait to see how they are going to get rid of the dumpster just south of town). I don't know my plans in that part of the summer yet, but will definitely be looking into it.

Are you planning to be with the project all the way?

Google Project AWARE, lots of info, and photos. even past clean ups
It's only 5 days long this year, it's usually 7.
Be great to see you there !!

Jim