The Seliga has its trim and keel on. The filler is now dried enough that two coats of primer are on. Today I will sand it (again) and get the first of the colour coats on.

 

The Seliga is nearing completion.  While sanding the exterior of the hull I had to stop suddenly as I noticed this signature.  It was difficult to see against the weathered looking cedar, but once I saw it there was no way that I was going to sand it off.  This is one of the few canoes that I've worked on that have been signed by those you have worked on it before.

 

 

 

The Seliga has been thoroughly sanded on the interior.  This is always a fun task as the old varnish is well dried and is very hard, I have to be extrememly thorough preparing for the refresher coats of varnish.

I also reparied a gunnel break in the spruce gunnels near the stern seat and removed the decks.  The Ash decks were starting to get a little soft in the points and it was better to remove them now and epoxy saturate them to stabilize them, than to just leave them and let the rot advance.

 

 

Once in awhile a canoe comes into the shop that is out of the ordinary.  This time it is a 17' canoe built by Joe Seliga of ely Minnesota.  Joe is legendary, sadly, I never had the opportunity to meet him.  From what I have heard and read he was a lovely man.

Joe built a nice canoe.  The shape is very fine for tripping, the materials are all of excellent quality and well shaped and fitted.  It is a very honest and refined build without getting "precious".

This one is in pretty good shape, needing only a few repairs, mostly sand and refinish the varnish, new canvas, fill, and paint.  There is evidence of prior repairs, a few replaced ribs, some rib repairs, etc.  All well done by, I am lead to believe, Roger Redwin who lives and works in my neighbouring town of Landmark Mb.