chris pearson
Michigan Canoe Nut
Gerrish. Gotta get it to me somehow….
Just found this…
- Thread starter chris pearson
- Start date
Andre Cloutier
Firestarter. Wicked Firestarter.
WELL, you suck.
remarkable! love those early Chestnuts
remarkable! love those early Chestnuts
Dave Wermuth
Who hid my paddle?
The rib repair on the last photo mirrored what I had on my Kingsbury, which came from out east. Andre is correct.
Murat V
LOVES Wooden Canoes
Thanks for posting Chris. The two different deck designs are interesting. Reminded me of photos taken in 1903 by William Francis Ganong in New Brunswick. His canoe had a similar large flat bow deck with a smaller, typical deck in the stern.
View of the bow...
View of the stern from the same photo set...
View of the bow...
View of the stern from the same photo set...
OP
OP
chris pearson
Michigan Canoe Nut
Interesting. I think it’s been replaced?…..
1905Gerrish
Loves Old Maine canoes
Murat,
I have a suspicion that the large deck in the front of this canoe is canvas. It seems to be wrapped around the front carrying thwart towards the rear. I have been studding a few old photos recently of these river canoes and I've found a few photos of these " spray decks". The rear seat photo that you have attached shows a canvas seat neatly installed under the rail caps. I believe that these seats were the first style for many manufactures in the Maine area. I am restoring a White with the same fashion seat currently. These are very old canoes with very few survivors so it's going to be hard to prove my theory.
Zack
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MGC
Scrapmaker
Large decks....canvas could work and considering that outdoorsman tend to come up with creative solutions to things, it makes perfect sense that someone somewhere came up with that as a way to keep water out. Noone wants to drown their "sport".
Builders also made some honking decks. The construction of this canoe shares some similarities including how the ribs attach to the rails.
I have never thought that these big decks were decorative.
Builders also made some honking decks. The construction of this canoe shares some similarities including how the ribs attach to the rails.
I have never thought that these big decks were decorative.
Worth Gretter
LOVES Wooden Canoes
Zack, I noticed in the pictures you posted that the 5 thwarts are evenly spaced. The canoe I finished last summer originally had 5 thwarts and they were exactly 3 feet apart, in an 18 foot canoe. I only replaced the 3 that were with the canoe when I got it. (And mine was a non-faithful restoration, but that's another story.)
So my question is, do you have any further info on this topic, i.e. 5 evenly spaced thwarts? Since the builder of my boat is unidentified, I am always looking for clues.
Thanks!
So my question is, do you have any further info on this topic, i.e. 5 evenly spaced thwarts? Since the builder of my boat is unidentified, I am always looking for clues.
Thanks!
1905Gerrish
Loves Old Maine canoes
Hello,
I am not sure which photos you are referring to that I posted of my canoe? I guess I am not sure which canoe of yours you are referring to as well. I can say that I have never given much thought to thwart layout in any manufacturer though.
Zack
Worth Gretter
LOVES Wooden Canoes
Sorry Zack, I mixed it up. The photos above, with the canoe with 5 thwarts, were posted by Murat.
I think I associated the pix with you because the canoe also has mortised thwarts and I remember you have mentioned that before.
So Murat, my question is to you - any thoughts on canoes with 5 thwarts, uniformly spaced?
I think I associated the pix with you because the canoe also has mortised thwarts and I remember you have mentioned that before.
So Murat, my question is to you - any thoughts on canoes with 5 thwarts, uniformly spaced?
Michael Grace
Lifetime Member
The short answer is that different builders did different things, and a given builder did different things over time and because of the design and purpose of a given canoe model. Thwarts are simply made to hold the canoe's shape, and probably seats were derived as a more comfortable alternative for people who leaned against or sat upon thwarts. Canoes without seats were more common earlier but as the 1800s progressed and moved into the 1900s, seats (and therefore fewer thwarts) became more common.
