No, I am not crazy.

The year is ending in cottage country and I just finished building a 8 by 8
walk-in closet, this let me finally clean up my cabin, use up the lumber and
plywood I had lying around the place and generally get organized.

At this point I found myself looking at my 16 foot 6 inch Prospector
fiberglass/kevlar canoe. Because I never got around to building a rack for
it, it had been left on the ground a lot and basicly most of the wooden was
rotten to one degree or another.

After removing all the old wood I found the glass hull to be in fine
condition, just needing new wood work. At this point I decided my dream of
building a catamaran should become real. However, a quick trip to the local
hardware store told me my dreams of building a cedar design will cost me big.
Since I have been all thumbs in my previous boating attempts this could be a
big waste of money.

However I had some very clear (no knots) spruce 2*4*8 pieces and a large
number of cottage grade (cut very thin) tongue and groove pine pieces also 8
feet long. I quickly realized that I could make all the needed wooden parts
out of these materials but short of encasing in epoxy what is the best way to
extend the life of these woods if they come in say monthly contact with water?

Epoxy will work but I assume I must glass the pieces as well, and that will
add a lot of weight.

Varnish, is easy - but does it trap water inside if there is a break and rot
the wood inside out?

Linseed oil should work, would I have to oil it every time I take it out on
the water?

I have some Teak Oil from a friend, is it better than Linseed?

No treatment? Leave the wood bare but make a special rack so no wood touchs
the ground and a simple open roof so the wood dries naturally but and rain is
kept away?

Any thing I missed?

Earl Colby Pottinger
--
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