Repairs and Restorations Lost in the Woods Boatworks is equipped to repair and restore all types of wooden boats and canoes. Too many beautiful wooden craft have been destroyed over the years by discouraged owners who have despaired of ever launching a damaged or neglected boat again. Don't despair! Most older craft are essentially very well built, and even seemingly major repair work can be fairly routine for a professional shop. If you have a skeleton in your boathouse or backyard, let us help you to evaluate it. Even if you are not ready for a major restoration project, we can help you to mitigate any further deterioration. Help preserve our rich boating heritage! Before and after pics of a 1926 "Dippy" by the Disappearing Propeller Company. The top photo shows it on arrival, with a horrific split stem, rotten garboards and deck, broken planks and ribs, and a glimpse of the trademark "device" just visible in the bottom. Our repair projects generally fall into three categories: Repair - We'll get your wooden boat serviceable and on the water again. This may include replacing gunwales, garboards, ribs, planks, even stems. We've fixed everything from rotted decks to rock damage and even lightning strikes. We recanvas canoes too. Often repair is done one year as the first stage of a longer term restoration, and clients will bring their boats back the next winter to continue the project. Get your older wooden boat back on the water and use it! Refinishing - We'll strip the old finish off your boat and rebuild a proper varnish finish. To reduce costs, we can provide you with materials and advice to do this labour-intensive job yourself - some people love doing it, and there's nothing like pride of ownership to reward your efforts! Many people don't have the time or inclination, so we can also do it for you. Restoration - We can restore your classic craft to original condition. Many restorations we see are overdone and are hard to tell from replica boats. We think older boats, like kitchen counters, can tell a story of their life and times, and this is part of their charm and historical value. Of course, the degree of restoration you desire can also return a classic to its appearance on the day it was first launched. The beautiful "African Queen", a local launch before and after restoration. A major repair to a small sailboat. For more shop photos see the Boatshop Tour. Why wood? Wood has been the boatbuilding material of choice for thousands of years. In today's world of fibreglass, high technology, and mass production, hand-crafted wooden boats, with their beautiful lines and colours and rich, natural patterns, reflect the values and craftsmanship associated with fine, classic works of art. Wood is nice to work with, smells good, is light in weight and is structurally strong. Even the sound it makes on the water is more pleasant. Quality marine varnish is harder and more durable than any fibreglass gelcoat, and is probably less work to maintain than you think. With today's increasing concerns about the environmental and health costs of synthetic chemical boats, wood remains a natural and renewable material -- something especially significant in this day and age. Why experience our natural environment from the confines of a polymer and polyester chemical boat, especially when you can have wood?! The charm, character, beauty, and practicality of a wooden boat will continue to reward you for many years. A recently restored circa 1950's Peterborough runabout. The Maintenance Myth The idea that wooden boats are very high maintenance is a myth. If wood is left unprotected on damp ground for long periods of time, or doesn't get adequate air circulation, it will do as any self-respecting natural material does in similar circumstances and will start to rot. But if you give your properly-built and finished wooden boat a modicum of attention, adequate air circulation, and a touch of marine varnish in the spring if needed (NOT polyurethane!), your pride and joy will last a lifetime and probably longer.