Not the best of weather, but a great weekend nonetheless!
Despite cooler than normal springtime weather, members of La Compagnie and Western Lakes Station gathered at the Snake River Fur Post for a joint work weekend, preparing both club and personal gear for another reenacting season.
Because plans for both groups to get boats on the water had to be cancelled, La Compagnie’s 1976-era ZeeBigCanot (or “she who remains nameless”) got the most attention paid to it despite wind and downpours of rain, sleet, and icy snow. Our biggest vessel in the collection, its birchbark appearance is created by illusion: scans of real bark were imprinted by a billboard company onto the fiberglass fabric underneath its epoxy.
Not exactly the right conditions for singing in the rain . . .
Ongoing work on its larboard, port, or left side has followed an emergency repair last year at Fall Gathering. An unfortunate trailering mishap damaged the vessel’s gunwales and out wales as they connected with a tree along the trail. This year, a similar level of attention was given to the starboard or right side gunwales by a team consisting of Steve Bryan, John Lofdahl, David Christofferson, David Boisvert, Rebecca Bryan, John Keigher of Thunder Bay, and Lisa Krahn, with occasional muscle from many others (who mostly cheered from the warm and dry visitor center). First the old wood, screws and epoxy were chiseled, sawed and sanded away and the four middle thwarts and seats temporarily removed. Then a clear 18' cedar decking board chosen from the local lumberyard was ripped, planed and clamped into place as new gunwale and outwale. All was reinstalled using reversible hi-tech deck screws.
Repairing the ZeeBigCanot
Much debate occurred about how to repair some “bubbles” of failing epoxy in the interior of the hull and what’s been causing them. Too much flex in the water, not enough side-to-side rib structure, bad support on the trailer, age, were all suggested as possible causes. Steve, Rebecca and John took turns using power sanders, blades and chisels to remove several failed portions and expose the cedar underneath. Judging the relentless cold weather unfavorable to mixing epoxy repair patches, that part of the project was shelved for a future warm day. We even debated drawing the illusion of cedar ribs on fiberglass fabric that could be an additional layer of strength across the center of the vessel as long as we were re-glassing it. All four middle thwarts and the mast-step have to come out anyway to fully complete the repairs, so another great rehab/upgrade project was planned for this summer.
Phew! Flipped, hoisted, resting safely, ready for its tarp.
Sunday, just as the skies opened with a unpleasant mix of sleet, rain and snow, the canoe was put back on its trailer (where it rides right-side-up) and towed to the storage lot. Once there, everyone helped flip it over and hoist it up onto two giant, newly-fabricated sawhorses that sit over its trailer. The canoe now rests upside down to let the exposed interior cedar hull layers to thoroughly dry in preparation for a future epoxying. David plans to extend the outwale into what he calls “a proper curve” up the outsides of the canoe tips; perhaps our reserve of spruce root lashing can even add greater detail here.
It was very handy to have the giant Bryan family party tent to keep us relatively dry outside the visitor center; ZeeBigCanot–at 30’ long–just fit inside the drip line with room for picnic tables as workbenches. And it was really handy to have full access to the fur post’s garage of large power tools, array of clamps and miter box. Lisa and Rebecca also made sure the club’s canoe trailer tires are pumped up and ready for action.
And it wouldn’t be a proper event without acknowledging the amazing and tasty food provided by La Compagnie and Western Lakes Station members. We definitely ate well!
“John Adams” on the big screen . . . some sew, knit, make sails, aprons and potholders, and others doze.
Members not helping with the canoe repairs hunkered down in the visitor center to conduct repairs on various projects of their own–all the while enjoying period appropriate films such as “Master and Commander,” “John Adams,” and “Death Comes to Pemberley.” Sunday provided additional educational opportunities with Patrick Schifferdecker sharing how to make a straw hat and Jim Keigher sharing about sail making.
Final waltz, a fitting conclusion to a wonderful weekend.
The weekend concluded after teatime with a delightful spot of English country dancing. Live music was provided by Sherry and Don Ladig, with Lisa Krahn as dancemistress.
All in all, a weekend to remember–even if the weather was dreadful!
UPDATE: Despite another day of dreadful weather—near constant rain and severe storm warnings—LisaK reports that an intrepid crew got ‘er done! ZeeBigCanoe is back on her trailer complete with lovely smooth and strong fiberglass cloth and resin repairs to her hull, inside and out. The crew, L to R: Duncan, Steve, Al in front, John, Wayne, and Chris. Lisa & Patrick not in picture. A bientot!