In January 2011, Peabody colleague Jan Webber asked if I might be interested in restoring her Old Town (16’) canoe. Before deciding I asked her to bring it to the shop.
The restoration entailed removing and replacing the decks, the rotted wood, the yoke and thwarts and re-caning the seats and refinishing. When asked for my thoughts, I said that even though I had never restor-ed a canoe, I’d be willing to give it my best if she would agree to assist me in the shop and to polish the brass parts and the many gunwale screw-heads. Jan said that she would enjoy participating in the endeavor.
To prepare the workshop, I rearranged the power tools to make room for the canoe. We kept it mounted on its trailer which acted as a steady support at a comfortable working height.
After purchasing the lumber and having my brother-in-law, Tony Seabolt, help me band saw the gunwales,
Tony & Fred Carrying Mahogany Board 
Bandsawing Gunwales
Jan and I began the process of removing the bangs, the rotted gunwales, the seats, the yoke and the thwarts.
Jan, in her always gracious self, decided to bring lunch to the shop each day and, weeks later, capped off the project with a bottle of champagne. A friend, Christopher Wright (The English Gardener) also assisted when time permitted.
These photos show the process from beginning through completion.