Re: MtMan-List: Re: Painting Canoes

[Roger Lahti <lahtirog@gte.net>]

Dear Paul'

Thought I'd wade in with some thoughts. Hope your canoe is paintable, since some
plastics are real hard to put paint on but if it's possible you might concider
that real birchbark canoes are made with the white outer bark turned to the
inside and this white bark is further covered with overlapping cedar strips that
serve to reinforce the bark and give the canoe some of its shape. The outer
surface of the canoe is a light brown color a bit like fresh western red cedar
(not red but that color of brown). The thwarts and bracing inside the canoe are
of cedar or other light strong wood and have a golden brown color. There are
many rows of spruce root lashings along the gun'ls and stem and stern edges that
have a darker brown look. The seams that have been covered with pitch pine and
charcoal are black and of somewhat uneven width.

If you can get close to a real birch bark canoe you will see that it is rich
with detail that would be worth recreating on your modern canoe to give it the
ambiance of the real thing. Might not be easy but shore would be worth the
effort. My companion, Col. Mike Dorssett has a birch bark canoe that we use as
much as time will allow in the lakes of the Pacific NW. I understand your disire
to make your modern canoe look more authentic. I have used my green Old Town for
quit a few years but recently took the time to build a 19' batteau for our
several water treks and enjoy greatly the fealing of going into camp in a period
correct  craft.

Hope this has been of some help. Let us know how it comes out!

YMOS
Capt. Lahti'

pwjones@onr.com wrote:

> Dear List:  I have just been given a 15' polyurethane (?) canoe with
> internal aluminum bracing.  The body of the canoe is somewhat flexible.
>
> Query.  I want to paint it to look somewhat like a birchbark canoe.  What
> type paints should be used on the body and/or the bracing?  What colors are
> used to simulate birchbark?  What color for the "wood"/aluminum? I have seen
> canoes painted in this fashion before, and some looked quite good.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thank you.  Paul W. Jones
> Paul W. Jones
> pwjones@onr.com