At LucasCraft, our boats are constructed with the highest-grade wood and fiberglass
products, resulting in an end product that reflects the hand-craftsmanship, care and knowledge with which your
canoe was produced. Due to the nature of fiberglass and resin-coated woodstrips, a finished LucasCraft canoe combines
the beauty and elegance of a wooden canoe without the intensive maintenance required of simply varnished wood.
Owning and caring for your craft should not be a liability or nuisance, and following our guidelines will allow
you to keep your boat looking beautiful for years to come.
General Care
All of the canoes in the LucasCraft line are intended for still-to-slow moving waters and lake-tripping. The hull
is reinforced below the waterline as are the lengths of the bow and stern where the boat is subjected to the most
abuse. Still, one should take precautions to avoid paddling over or bumping submerged rocks, floating debris such
as sticks and branches, as well as when running ashore to enter or exit the craft. Be aware: never step into a
canoe unless the hull is fully supported by water.
One should also be careful of the gear that is being stowed in the canoe while in use. Sharp corners or metal frames
on packs, metal or plastic coolers, sand and small stones from a paddler's treads, dogs; all of these have the
potential of creating minor to severe scratches in the varnish and fiberglass coat on the interior. The key is
simply to take care; the finish, though resistant to damage, is not invulnerable. The amount of hard use and abuse
your canoe can take, however, is really just a matter of your willingness to maintain it. These boats were built
for utility and enjoyment.
Storage
Your LucasCraft canoe should be stored dry and level between uses. For the longest life, your canoe should be stored
covered, indoors, and out of sunlight, making sure to pad the surfaces where the gunwales are resting to prevent
scratches in the finish. When covering, provide for adequate air circulation to avoid and/or eliminate the build-up
of moisture. If indoor storage is not an option, be sure to keep the boat off the ground (to prevent damage by
ground moisture), covered, and secured. Here again, adequate circulation is important to avoid the moisture build
up.
After each use and prior to storage, it is best to rinse off any debris and wipe down the woodwork and hull, taking
care not to let any water remain on the undersides of the gunwales, inside and out.
Fastening to a vehicle also requires careful considerations. Despite the reinforced hull and stem portions of your
canoe, watching your beautiful craft tumble end for end in your rear view mirror is hardly the test of strength
for which it was constructed. Assuming your roof rack is securely fastened to the vehicle, they should be wrapped
with carpeting or foam padding of some sort to protect the gunwales. The canoe should be tied down to both the
front and back of the rack. Ratchet straps are recommended and often provide the peace of mind that a bundle of
knots does not. The bow and stern of the canoe should also be tied down to the vehicle's bumpers using the rounded
hole provided in the decks. This last measure will aid to minimize the damaging effects caused by braking and that
of crosswinds. Never tie your canoe down using the decking scrollwork.
Maintenance
Prior to the kick-off of each canoeing season, you should inspect your craft for loose screws and scratches. The
machine bolts securing the seats and yoke can be tightened with a flathead screwdriver and a crescent wrench.
The scratches require a little more attention. The biggest enemy to your canoe is sunlight, specifically ultraviolet
rays, which can cause the fiberglass coating to become brittle and the woodwork to become discolored. Every new
LucasCraft canoe has been coated with three coats of McClosky ® Man O' War spar varnish: gloss. The multiple
coats of this flexible finish has a UV protective lifetime of three to five years depending on the amount of use
and exposure your canoe sees in a given season. Breathing new life into your finish does not require stripping
the previous coats, but simply removing the seats and yoke, and wet-sanding the hull and woodwork with 600 grit
wet/dry sandpaper (available at any automotive parts and finishing store). A couple coats of marine grade spar
varnish can then be applied using a foam brush and following the manufacturers' instructions as they appear on
the product.
For the greatest protection, scratches in the varnish coat, as well as minor scratches in the upper fiberglass
layers, should be coated with varnish following their occurrence. Touching up minor dents and scratches at the
end of every canoeing season, or just prior to the start of the next, will ensure the longevity of your woodstrip
canoe. It is still important, however, to coat the entire canoe and its components every few years depending on
the frequency of use.
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