Howie
Wooden Canoe Maniac
I'll be installing new inwales soon. I'll install them below the existing ones & cut the old ones off - along with rib tips - when done. Although I've prebent the new inwales they certainly do not have the exact profile I'll want for the final canoe - they are more straight then they will need to be when installed, so I'll need to force them into position a bit (I'm talking about the horizontal direction here - not the rise at the stem/stern).
My question is this: when installing new inwales what sort of 'spring-back' do you get after they're nailed in place.
If there is little to no spring-back then all I need do is make sure the canoe's profile is what I'd like it to be (by using pull-in straps and/or push-out spacers) before I nail the new inwales in place.
But if there is spring-back (caused, say, by the new inwales being 'straighter' than the desired shape) then the canoe will have a shape different than what I wanted once the restraints are removed. If this is the case then I'd want to exaggerate the canoe's profile before I nail the new inwales in place to help counter this 'springback'.
Here's my situation: The existing inwales have a little rot in some places so I want to replace them. Plus the canoe has a problem with its profile - it has a 'pinched-in' profile at the center of the canoe where its center thwart is located (it's a 14 1/2 footer). Perhaps the center thwart was too short; perhaps the canoe was stored for some time leaning against its sides... who knows. But because of this I know I'll need to correct the canoe's profile prior to nailing in the inwales in place. This causes me to wonder whether I should over correct the canoe's profile before I start nailing to counter anticipated 'springback'. And if I need to over correct should I make the center space wider to counter the springback?... or narrower?
I'm hoping that springback is very little & all I need do is push/pull the canoe's shape to where I want it to be before I nail the new inwales in place.
Anybody have experience with this?
My question is this: when installing new inwales what sort of 'spring-back' do you get after they're nailed in place.
If there is little to no spring-back then all I need do is make sure the canoe's profile is what I'd like it to be (by using pull-in straps and/or push-out spacers) before I nail the new inwales in place.
But if there is spring-back (caused, say, by the new inwales being 'straighter' than the desired shape) then the canoe will have a shape different than what I wanted once the restraints are removed. If this is the case then I'd want to exaggerate the canoe's profile before I nail the new inwales in place to help counter this 'springback'.
Here's my situation: The existing inwales have a little rot in some places so I want to replace them. Plus the canoe has a problem with its profile - it has a 'pinched-in' profile at the center of the canoe where its center thwart is located (it's a 14 1/2 footer). Perhaps the center thwart was too short; perhaps the canoe was stored for some time leaning against its sides... who knows. But because of this I know I'll need to correct the canoe's profile prior to nailing in the inwales in place. This causes me to wonder whether I should over correct the canoe's profile before I start nailing to counter anticipated 'springback'. And if I need to over correct should I make the center space wider to counter the springback?... or narrower?
I'm hoping that springback is very little & all I need do is push/pull the canoe's shape to where I want it to be before I nail the new inwales in place.
Anybody have experience with this?
