Matt,

it is probably fine to complete.  becuase it is bare wood, it likely makes the job easier than had some fibreglass already been applied.

i would recommend that you consider picking up the book,

http://www.clcboats.com/shop/products/boat-building-books-kayaking-dvds/strip-built-sea-kayak-nick-schade.html

it takes you through the construction of strip built sea kayaks from start to finish....but a canoe is essentially the same process.

after reading the book, you will have a sense of where you are in the process and how to proceed.

i don't think, based on what you have written, that you should have any problem finishing this project.

good luck,

howard

Nick Schade has a lot of videos on YouTube on making kayaks. One of them shows a technique for closing gaps in which he glues a few small strips of wood on either side of the gap, puts glue in the gap, puts clamps on the glued strips to close the gap. Then he uses a small plane to remove the glued strips.

He has many other very helpful videos showing how to lay down fiberglass and resin. CLC can sell you fiberglass in small quantities to fit your kayak as well as resin and hardener, and of course, marine hardware stores also stock those supplies, but not always in the exact quantities you need. 

I also recommend Nick's book, Building Strip Planked Boats, which includes a section on making canoes.

That's available via CLC at: http://www.clcboats.com/shop/products/boat-building-books-kayaking-dvds/building-strip-planked-boats-nick-schade.html

By the way, another way to close small gaps is to use a mixture of sanding dust from your kayak, fiberglass resin and Cell-O-Fill or other colloidal silica. Nick describes this technique on page 135 of the book I've mentioned. This book came with my kayak kit and I highly recommend it, especially as it has extensive advice on fiberglassing and finishing.

The wood should be fine, great even since it's had so much time to stabilize and properly dry out. 

Good luck!

A couple of other thoughts... You may have small gaps in your wood because over the years, the wood has dried out and narrowed slightly. I forgot to mention one other way to fill in your gaps, and that is to cut thin strips of wood, insert and glue them in place. This is often the best way to go. I'm also assuming the place where you've been storing the canoe is relatively dry.

Don't be intimidated if you've never done fiberglass before. Many of us are experienced woodworkers who have never done fiberglass, but after watching Nick's videos and reading his books, we've done it. The temperature of your shop will affect your curing time for fiberglass and, if you're going to be working in a cold shop in the dead of winter, you can reduce your curing times by chosing faster hardeners. The moisture level of your shop will affect the drying and curing of varnish.

I gathered some fiberglass FAQ url's in one place at:

http://www.clcboats.com/forum/clcforum/thread/24197.html

Cheers

It would be a great tribute to your father to complete the project.

I'm not sure if the frame is permanent, or temporary molds over which it was built. If temporary, leave it on the molds while you are working on it. They will support it while you get the outside fiished.

As others mentioned, there are ways to fill any gaps. Get them done first and then see if any sanding is needed to obtain a smooth finish. When you have no high or low spots, just drape fibreglass cloth over it and saturate it with epoxy. Use a spreader so you can apply just the right amount without any big drips or runs. When it is nearly cured, you can "fill the weave" with a second coat of epoxy. A third might be needed, but more epoxy adds weight and cost.

You could finish it with varnish or paint to keep UV rays from the epoxy. A mix of graphite and epoxy can be used on the bottom. It will make for a tough but slippery finish... as long as you don't mind black.

Then flip it over and seal the inside with a couple of thin coats of epoxy and. Paint will keep the UV rays out, but varnish might look nicer.

Keith