My tandem cedar strip has seen ten hard years on the water. I've had a few damaging scraps on the bottom which seem to have allowed water to seep in between the fiberglass and cedar.
The areas I'm concerned about are starting to show signs of dry root (cedar is becoming discolored). Does any one have an opinion on repairing this type of damage?

Should I attempt to remove the section of glass by sanding or cutting it out and what's the correct method to reapply the new glass?

Also, should I prep the wood with any type of chemical to help preserve it?

Ted Moores' CanoeCraft will show how to make repairs and apply fiberglass, although it's fairly straightforward.... if the fiberglass sheath has detached from the cedar or is damaged, any loose glass should be cut and sanded away, then a fiberglass patch applied over top, overlapping with the old glass by a half inch or more. You might have to cut out some wood as well, the way to go about this is shown in the book. Apply marine varnish over bare fiberglass to protect from UV damage.



No way, it might affect the bonding and curing when the glass and epoxy is laid on... maintaining the canoe so that it's watertight is the best way to ensure that the wood stays in good shape.

Cedarstrip maintenance isn't difficult, temporary repairs can be made when the damage occurs and a more permanent fix done during winter. Keeping some fiberglass and epoxy on hand to make the repairs when necessary will help... good luck!

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I believe you answered my question!

Would it be smart to apply some polyester resin to the bare wood first and let dry or should I just wet out the fiber when appling it directly to the wood?

Use epoxy if possible - a quality product like West sold in marine and fiberglass supply shops. Epoxy resin will bond more strongly to the wood and fiberglass than polyester. With a canoe built using epoxy resin, polyester will not bond well to the epoxy underneath... polyester on polyester, and epoxy on polyester should be OK.

I apply small patches by brushing epoxy onto the wood and sanded glass, then applying the patch and more resin over top to wet out. A large area of fiberglass may be easier to wet out by laying down the cloth dry, then brushing epoxy over top. Be sure to sand each coat after it cures, if additional cloth or epoxy needs to be applied afterwards, or before varnishing.

A shop might also have a booklet or info sheet to help you out with any additional details that a particular brand of resin might have.

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A couple of notes.

First, the wood has to dry, dry, dry before you laminate with polyester over it (if you are using polyester). You can accelerate the drying by wiping with acetone which mixes well with moisture and acceleates the evaporation. Even after using acetone be sure to let the wood dry for several days. The acetone will have no adverse effect on the polyester bond. DO NOT use a heat gun or heat lamp unless you have a delicate touch with one. The heat can cause the moisture in the wood to boil and cause further separation. It can also burn the resin.

If you use epoxy (highy recommended) as frozen tripper recommended be sure it is one that cures in the presence of moisture. There are many brands used in marine repair that do this. I suspect West system will work but I have not tried it so cannot say for certain.

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Cheers,

John Winters