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I grew up on the banks of the Missouri River about an hour north of Omaha on the Iowa side. The Missouri isn't a great place for canoeing. The current is too fast. But I've done my fair share of canoeing through little hollers and on lakes in that part of the world.
One time, I was fishing in a canoe with my father, and he readjusted the way he was sitting and ended up spilling us and all our gear into the water. We worked quickly and silently to gather our things. (I think we found everything but a pair of pliers. ) That was the easy part. The hard part was getting the canoe out of the water so we could drain it.
We were fishing in a valley, so the banks had about a 70 degree grade on them. I had to carry the water-laden canoe up that bramble-covered incline. Eventually we pulled the canoe completely clear of the water so we could flip it and drain it. We reloaded our stuff and went back to fishing in silence.
On the drive home, my dad turns to me and says, "I'm sorry I flipped the canoe."
Here are a few tips on proper canoe maintenance. Remember, taking care of your gear is green. It keeps stuff out of landfills, and it is better for the planet to make use of the items we have rather than produce new things.
- Don't leave your canoe in the water.
- Drain canoe.
- Store the canoe upside down in a shed or specially built structure if possible.
- Keep sun off of your canoe.
- Don't store anything on top of the canoe.
- Always lift the canoe never drag it across the ground.
- Tie your canoe down. Wind can blow it away.
- If you store your canoe outside, replace the finish every month. If you store the canoe inside, replace the finish every six months. Use eco-friendly finish.
- For Painting and Varnishing
Sand with 180 or finer grit sandpaper. Use wet sandpaper for paint and dry sandpaper for varnish. Scratch the whole surface well so that the new finish will bond. This is very important. if you do not scratch the surface well enough, the new finish may peel. Reapply 1 or 2 thin coats of paint or varnish. Follow the directions on the paint or varnish container.
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