How to Repair a Cedar Epoxy Canoe

Cedar strip epoxy (CSE) canoes look like regular cedar strip canoes, but don't have ribs. Instead, cedar strips are nailed in place over a form and edge glued. Once the glue sets, the nails are removed and the hull is covered inside and out with fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin. CSE canoes are light, beautiful and less costly than traditional cedar strip canoes. They are more rigid than many types of canoes. This makes them more vulnerable to damage.

Things You'll Need

  • Replacement cedar strip
  • Epoxy fiberglass resin
  • 4-6 oz. E-glass Fiberglass fabric: Plain Weave Thickness: 0.0093 inch
  • Drill
  • Sabre saw
  • Orbital sander
  • Rage of sandpaper grades, fine to coarse
  • Steel wool, fine to extra fine
  • 1/32-inch milled-glass putty filler
  • Plastic or nonstick rigid backing larger than hole
  • Duct tape
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Instructions

  1. Repairing a Hole

    • 1

      Inspect the damage. A small ding can be simply sanded, clear coated and repaired. If the cedar strip is damaged, you may have to remove a portion of the underlying wood and replace it. For this repair, we'll assume there is a hole in the wood large enough to warrant replacing a section of the cedar strip.

    • 2

      Mark where you will remove the damaged strip or strips. If removing two or more strips, stagger the cuts so that the ends are not side by side. This will strengthen the repair.

    • 3

      Drill a 3/8-inch hole inside the seam of the damaged strip. Do not drill on the strip. This will give you a starting place for your sabre saw. Use a fine-toothed blade and cut the strip or strips along the seams 3 or 4 inches away from the damage. Cut carefully so as not to cut into neighboring strips.

    • 4

      Remove the damaged sections, lightly sand away splinters.

    • 5

      Sand the hull inside and out around the damaged area to prepare the area for bonding. Sand away the old fiberglass, at least an inch and a half away from the edges of the hole. Try not to sand the cedar strips beneath the epoxy and fiberglass coats. Feather the edges of the sanded area to allow for overlapping the epoxy coat. Do this inside and out.

    • 6

      Cut the replacement cedar strips to the exact length of the damaged piece. This is the hardest part. You have to make the piece fit closely without gaps. Tape or temporarily screw stiff plastic or wood covered with waxed paper behind the repair area to hold the strips in place while gluing. Use an epoxy glue or something like Gorilla Glue to glue around the edges of the cedar strip. Press it into place and hold till it sets.

    • 7

      Remove the temporary backing, sand the edges to smooth the repair and, if necessary, fill any gaps or irregularities with 1/32-inch milled-glass putty filler. Do both sides of the replacement strips inside and outside the hull. When dry, sand smooth on both sides.

    • 8

      Determine how thick the original fiberglass cloth. Most cedar strip canoes use 4 to 6 ounce E-glass fabric, whichever was used on your boat. Cut a piece to fit the repair area plus overlap into the sanded area by an inch and a half or more. Line up the threads with the surrounding fiberglass laminate. Don't overlap all the way to the sanded edges. Pull a few cross threads from the edges as shown in the picture to thin the edges of the fabric where it will overlap the old epoxy coat that was feathered by the sander.

    • 9

      Pre-wet the area with the epoxy coat. Lay out the fiberglass cloth patch on plastic and saturate it with epoxy coat before laying it in place. E-cloth is harder to wet-out than the regular fiberglass. Use a low-viscosity resin or warm the resin before lay-up so the repair will be completely clear. Once the cloth patch is wet, lay it in place and spread the epoxy clear coat over the patch. Allow to set. Repeat on the inside of the hull. Make sure the epoxy fills all the spaces in the cloth and that the cloth lays flat against the hull.

    • 10

      Test the repair, when set, using a quarter. Tap the quarter over the surface of the repair to ensure there aren't any gaps in the seal between the fiberglass and cedar hull. Listen for a hollow sound when you tap the surface that indicates the fiberglass did not bond to the hull. If the repair is solid inside and out, sand and finish the patch.

    • 11

      Sand the area thoroughly. Start with a light sandpaper and get progressively lighter. Finish with a light-weight steel wool. When both sides are completed, allow the repair to cure in the sun. The repair materials will shrink slightly. If the repair needs more sanding after curing, repeat the sanding process till the hull is smooth and solid.

    • 12

      Apply a final epoxy clear coat. Use a sprayer if possible. If applying by hand, brush on several thin coats. Scrub lightly between coats with fine steel wool. Polish the repaired area to match the luster of the surrounding area. Polishing the entire hull afterward should restore the finish of your cedar strip epoxy canoe.