Upside down canvasing

[Keith P]

Well it was a vacation full of learning. One thing I learned is that I won't try and canvas a canoe upside down again anytime soon. I swear I pulled and restretched each rib at least twice. The tensions and angles were all screwed up. Anyway in the end it came out alright. That was until we applied the filler. You will have to read another post about that. Have a good laugh it was fun.

Keith

 

[Andy Hutyera]

Keith,

From the third photo it appears that you did not make a couple of narrow extensions to put on the horses. The extensions need to be the same width as the canoe. These elevate the canoe off the horses and allow the extra canvas to hang down smoothly unimpeded by the horses. They eliminate the wrinkling problem shown in your photos. They also serve to raise the canoe up higher so you get a better angle of stretch. Better luck next time!

 

[Dan Lindberg]

I've only done a few but...

In addition to the comments about spacers on your horses,
it seems like the end with the come-a-long isn't at enough angle, the other side doesn't look to bad.

Why? You control these.
"The tensions and angles were all screwed up."

Dan

 

[Ric Altfather]

That thumb screw in the ground couldn't take much pulling...a tree or a car bumper would have been better. This pic was from Assembly 2006.

Ric

 

[MikeCav]

Doesn't my beer gut look particularlly fetching!

 

[Ric Altfather]

Mike,

We're talking canvas here...besides it was probably very good beer, maybe Sam Adams!

Ric

 

[Fitz]

Horses

FWIW:

It looks to me like your horses are stationary. I find it helps to be able to move the horses some as the tension increases. I also cut a couple of slits in the canvas to allow it to drape over the horses. I use a couple of extra tall horses to help with the angle too.

 

[Keith P]

I ended up putting the blocking in and cutting the slits over the horses. Unfortunatly with the setup I had I was kind of limited on the adjustments. The 3 foot dock anchors that I used were kind of crude as far as adjusting the angles. Its amazing how many rocks and roots are in the adirondack woods. The horses are normally used to store my dads teen Otca. It worked out in the end.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Keith,

That's the bottom line, is the canvas on and are you happy.

Dan

"It worked out in the end."

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Keith,

That's the bottom line, ie, that the canvas is on and you are happy.

Dan

"It worked out in the end."

 

[Blue Viking]

When I went to see Bill Clement and get some supplies, I was shown HIS way of doing the upside down canvasing.. It consisted of a narrow "bench" on small wheels. the top rails were padded and the canoe fit over it upside down. the shackles were mounted on the floor at the right angle to stretch the material.. After finishing the canvasing, he had a portable stand that could move around and was convenient for the filling and storing.
I improvised on his system and made a stand and took the angle to the base of a tree at one end and stretched my canvas using the comealong on the trailer hitch on the end of my vehicle...It worked perfect and was very stationary and stable...He also had a small stool on wheels that he could move along and it contained a pocket that he kept his supplies in...I also improvised on that and it was a very comfortable way to progress along with the canvasing..I have completed a huge wood and canvas boat, and just finished a 16 OTCA...When you dont have a ceiling to brace your canoe in a pocket...This is an easy solution.
PS: when the fill is cured, it also serves as a perfect way to set the canoe on to paint it and the height is just right to see all areas as you go along.

Just passing on another way to do it the "upside down " way....LUV IT!/B]

"Its not hw many strokes of the paddle it takes to get you where your going, its the JOY that is in the journey"......Blue Viking