Contact me at: rrcp@mts.net or by phone 204.878.2524

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Lots of stuff goes on in this shop, located in Lorette, Manitoba.

Primarily it's the building and repair of classic wood & canvas canoes, and the making of premium canoe paddles. I also do custom boat building, composite fabrication, and special projects. A growing passion of mine is the making of classical guitars, I'll post about that, too.


I want to be able to share with my clients the progress of their commissioned work. Later I started thinking that there might be other people who are interested in what goes on inside a wooden canoe shop operated by an artist and a recovering teacher.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me by email, phone, or by post. My mailing address is:

Red River Canoe & Paddle
24249 River Rd
Lorette, Manitoba
Canada
R5K 0Z6




Sunday 16 June 2013

Dorge's Field: June 4th, 2013, 9:34 p.m.

There was lovely evening light a couple of days ago. Grabbed my camera, went out to my regular spot to photograph Dorge's Field. Alas, my camera batteries were kaput and would't power enough to focus. This is as good as I got. Argh. Its still worthy of posting, just squint if you wouldn't mind.

 
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Time to get a move on with the repair of the NRC with the smashed ribs.  The summer racing season is gearing up and the racers are getting anxious.

Step one was to open up the canoe and take the old canvas off.  After 5 years of living outdoors its actually looking really good!

Step two is to make and bend on two new ribs.

Step three is to remove the broken ribs, but not all at one time or I risk distorting the canoe by spreading the planking apart.

Step four is to get the new irbs in place.  I use battens clamped in place to keep the ribs all in alignment.

Step five is to replace damaged planking.

The remaining steps are to sand and apply finish to the new woodwork. canvas, fill, paint, and get all of the trim back on. 

Nothing to it! And people wonder why I have to charge what I have to charge for this work.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The 17' Tremblay in canvas and getting filled.  I have used this brush for a lot of canoes...can you tell?

 
 
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