1922 OT Ideal question

[chris pearson]

I currently have an old Idea model with the lovely hard upswept gunwales. This canoe is all original and I believe I’m the first one to pull off the canvas. At some point it fell a long time ago and broke some ribs and the inwale and outwale. I’m trying to figure out if the one end took a hit or was it possibly hairline cracked from the factory and just got worse over its lifetime with expanding and contracting? Anyhow, I’m not really looking forward to splicing this hard mahogany curve back on….

 

[dtdcanoes]

Hi, Chris....I have the same boat an E.Hack Livery No. 39. You have alternatives here and I think that if you add new wood you should go back and join where the compound stress is minimal and the curve can match the other side and the other end. I would use an extended beak giving you one visible joint line on the top of the rail. Of course you could replace just the end as well and a beak would be just fine. BUT you would have to make the proper match in the curve which may be compound with this being the end of the rail. I bet the longer unit has lost some curve and is not true at all at the joint. You could reform this as well but a little tedious. The beak joint lines don"t show for me with mahogany as I stain the wood as you know. The whole issue here seems to be achieving the proper curve both sides of the joint but very satisfying when it comes out cleanly.
Have fun and have a fine Holiday.
Dave