A short while ago, in response to my scorch mark photo, Chris wrote, "Have you tried a cabinet scraper on the scorched section along with a light application of a wire brush to clean the recessed grain? If the damage is not too deep this can produce dramatic results. I've found that sandpaper can press the burned particles into the grain and it doesn't look as if anything is happening."

Just want to report that this technique works. You can't tell there was a burn mark there at all. Thanks, Chris!!

I flipped the canoe over the other day, rigged up a couple of interior stations to hold it in place, and sanded the joints smooth/rounded in preparation for glassing. It's looking good.

Also flattened out four feet of seam on both ends in preparation for brass stems and ordered my brass stems from Hamilton Marine. Now I'm piddling with what to fill my wire holes with. It takes an awful lot of wood flour to color that Durham's wood putty. It really wants to stay light. I'm afraid it will end up with not enough wood putty to hold it together. May break down and order some aniline dye or just go with dookie smutz.

I think we're going to go with the darker mahogany for the accent stripe, so now we just have to get the name printed and any other design options in the works. I'm not going to be able to put off glassing TOO much longer, I'm afraid.

Patsy