Hoping someone can provide some quick advice. I was offered a Bell Northwind in kevlar. It's five years old and hasn't had much use. Unfortunately, the owner left it under an eve and the ash gunnel exposed to the weather rotted out (I suspect they both need replacement). They want $1,200 for the boat. I think this is really high, any suggestions on what it might be worth?
Also, how difficult are these to replace? Bell tells me shipping alone is $75, so think I would try to find locally. I have a little bit of wood working experience. Are the gunnels glued to the decks or just screwed?
Replacing gunwales I purchase mine from Ed’s Canoe www.edscanoe.com/ There break down one’s are fine as long as you use enough epoxy glue. I have done 2 canoes with them and they came out really well. The cost is much less than buying from a dealer. On the price of the canoe I think it is high. $800 to $1000 is more like it. It would cost $400 to $600 for gunwale replacement if you had to pay to have it done.
Not worth more than $500 $600 will be the starting price to have your boat regunwaled. True Bell gunwales cost around $300 for the wood alone and I wouldn’t even consider shipping them. Have a local Bell dealer order them with their next load of boats. $300 in labor would be awfully cheap.
A used Kevlar tripper isn’t worth much more than $1200 in my opinion and asking that much when you’ll have to spend another $600-$800 is outrageous. If you want the boat, there are others like it in good shape for the same price. You just have to keep your eyes open.
bell gunnel replacement The boat and are are in the Albany NY area. I agree the price is too high. I thought it might be worth 500-600 if the gunnels were the only problem. Any thoughts on whether the kevlar would have degraded if the boat was outside and partly covered for for five years? Sounds like teh boat is a blue green color so it is obviously gel coated
bell gunnel replacement Thanks Bob and others. All seems like good advice. Still a bit tempted to do the gunnels myself, don’t think anyone has addressed that issue, is it a really tricky job?
gunwales? I bought a 10 foot board of Ash. Scarfed it, epoxyied it
and milled it. Since I did not have the tools or the shop a friend helped me. Board , and a bottle of Anisette was way under 50 bucks. If Tony wasn’t there to help me I could not have done it.
I think the price is too high for a boat that was stored out side and allowed to rot. You do not know how badly degraded the hull is from UV.
Professional replacement for $200 As of 4 years ago, professional wooden canoe restorer Schuyler Thomson of Norfolk, CT, was charging $200 for a full gunwale replacement job. This included 6 coats of marine spar varnish.
Maybe his price would be higher now.
John Kaz of Millbrook sells full ash rails for much less than Ed’s – or used to.
Re-rail I am 2 hours away on Rt 88 (13460) I have the ash and can mill it to Bell’s specs. I will sell you a set for $200. We can install them together in my shop for $100 more, it will take most of a Saturday. You might need more than the rails, how is the other wood?
Ash and Table Saw Jeez, find a hardwood dealer. Buy some ash. I think you would be better off with spruce, but I digress. Scarf a board if you need to.
Duplicate gunwales on table saw. Install both gunwales in two hours if you are slow. Have a beer knowing you saved yourself hundreds.
Blue Green?? Doesn’t sound like a bell color. In any event I thought the dropped the gel coat for colorless skin coat more than 5 years ago. Could be entirely wrong on that though.
....or did as of a couple years ago by request. The blue/green gelcoat was one of the available colors (not sure what color it was called) and IS a very attractive color at that. Have seen Bells with that color, Heron Blue (a purpleish-blue), red, and almond. I agree that the price is too high for a boat sitting outside with rotten gunnels. WW
bell gunnels ccanoe, I think we are on the same wave length (especially the beer). Two problems though, I agree with the other postings that the price is high, and I’d probably have several beers and do a crappy job!