two personal preferences: 'upsweep' gunnel line at bow and stern / white cedar ribs and planking

[it's swededoc]

Personal preference only - I prefer the look of an upsweep (not sure if there's a better term) gunnel line in both bow and stern - the Charles River, the Racine, and probably many others. Without it, to me a canoe looks bare. I realize this will catch a crosswind on a large lake, and have been out there battling the elements more than once even with a fairly flat canoe - not fun; even scary when you're leading a whole troop of 30 kids who are doing the same!

Now that I'm looking to trade in my Old Town 18' for a nice, light 15' or 16' with good bones as one last canoe for fishing on those gorgeous days and perhaps a couple more extended canoe camping trips, I'm hoping to find this feature in something affordable / restorable.

Several I've looked at are candidates for some level of restoration, and I'm wondering...why not build this feature into a worthy model along with the restoration? I realize that pretty much everything in the canoe is involved - extending ribs, adding planking, steam bent inner and outer gunnels, new decks, and so on.

The other thing is, and actually the priority - I'm hoping to find a canoe with at least white cedar ribs and hopefully white cedar planking as well. As a self-employed carpenter / woodworker for decades, I've worked with plenty of WRC and it's a weak and brittle wood. I realize it's also very light, durable, and available in long, clear lengths; and that the entire design is intended for flexibility. But still, I'm hoping for white cedar. Then there's the weight - hopefully 65 lbs or less...

Any suggestions on models to look for that: a) either that already have the upsweep I'm referring to, or b) are made of white cedar ribs and maybe even planking? Actually, I'd rather alter something with white cedar into the sheer lines I like. A lot of times the canvas needs replacing anyway, why not go crazy...

Am I crazy (don't answer that), well, go ahead. Thanks!

Jon

 

[Michael Grace]

You might find that a B.N. Morris fits the bill. Search for Morris here and you'll find lots of great information, photos, etc. Briefly, Morris built exceptionally nice canoes in Veazie, Maine. The factory burned in 1919, but his canoes were popular enough that quite a few still exist, as you can see in our classified ads section:

Classifieds

www.woodencanoe.org

Use the pull-down menu to select "Morris." As this collection of ads suggests, 17' is most commonly found, but 16' Morris canoes turn up from time to time. Shorter ones can also be found but seem to be much less common. If you want to consider a modern build, check out Rollin Thurlow's reproduction Morris (15' in the link below):

15' B.N. Morris - Northwoods Canoe Co.

Specifications 15' B.N. Morris Length......... 15 ft Width......... 30 1/2" Depth.......... 12 1/2" Bow Height..... 25" Weight......... 60 lbs Model "A" Type I, $4400 ---Short mahogany decks with carrying handles, spruce inside rails, no floor rack and single color Model "A" Type III...

www.wooden-canoes.com

Kathy Klos literally wrote book on Morris. See here:

Amazon.com

This is just one suggestion based upon what you wrote above. Others may add other ideas. Morris canoes are wonderful. They are very well built, meet many of your requirements, paddle like a dream, and are very beautiful.

 

[Gil Cramer]

I am in the process of bending outwales for a canoe with the wonderful upsweep to which you refer. Ain't no fun!!!!!! most builders with the wonderful upsweep went out of business or changed to something more manageable

 

[it's swededoc]

Thanks Michael, that's some great information. Though I've loved and enjoyed using canoes for many years, I am nowhere near as informed as many of you. I can see the Morris is a beauty, and Thurlow builds a stunning canoe. Out of my range but honestly not a bad price for what he's building.

 

[it's swededoc]

Gil, so even steaming still makes this bend difficult?

 

[Dave Wermuth]

you are crazy, but then again so are the rest of us. Even soaking in the pond for a week and steaming the gunnels, it is difficult. I prefer a smoother sheer line. My solo canoe is from a Penn Yan guide and I can soak the outwales and install them without steam if the sitka is good.

 

[it's swededoc]

Isn't that an 18' canoe - I'm assuming you trailer it?

 

[Dave Wermuth]

It used to be. I took lines built a form. Then shortened it a few years later.

 

[it's swededoc]

Awesome! I love the ingenuity! As far as dealing with a difficult curve in the gunnels, if you end up with too many breaks in the process, why not strip laminate the ends? It could still be done in one full length - just make a few rips in the end maybe with a narrow kerf blade, infill with the same species and bend it around your form? Of course you're bending this in at least two different directions which the thin rips aren't going to handle well at all - on second thought, not sure what I think!
When I got my Old Town 18', the outer gunnels were shot. I had some mahogany rips left over from something, and I must have spliced them somewhere in the middle. But three of the four pieces made that curve at the end with no problem - just by soaking them overnight. I realize that's not as much of a bend as some canoes have, and the fourth did break. Surely some wood will be more cooperative with this complex bend?

 

[Dave Wermuth]

I've used laminations before. Fishing net frames, stems, etc. Not needed to do it with 'wales.