1958 Peterborough Minetta replacing outer gunnels

[Mudnyereye]

Good day. I searched the forums and was not able to locate the information I am seeking.

I acquired a 1958 Minetta and I need to replace the outer gunwhales. I want to keep things as accurate as possible. I think I read that the outer gunwhales are ash. Please correct me if I am wrong.
I would also appreciate any tips on dimension of lumber I should choose for the task. A Minetta is 15' long so I am anticipating a required length of 17' on each side. Would that be correct?

Thanks for any guidance. This is the first wood/canvass canoe I have actually worked on. I did a patch on the Canvass already but since the rest is in good shape, I was planning to put off replacing the canvas for a few years.

Tom

 

[Benson Gray]

The 1958 Peterborough catalog doesn't specify the wood used for the outwales but ash will probably be fine. The pages below may help. Good luck with the project,

Benson

 

[Pook]

Hi Tom,
Welcome aboard.
I'm with Benson, the originals may have been a couple of different woods but I'd go with ash to replace now.
Noting your location I wonder if you are planning on milling your own gunwales or looking to source them ready to install?
I replaced the outwales on a 15footer ( a kevlar Evergreen boat, however) a couple of years back and picked up a pair of 16 foot milled and rounded ash gunwales from Brian Cook in Dwight.

There are a few regular canoe repairers in your area too that may chime in. Gary? Al?

Good luck with your project!
Bruce

 

[Graham]

I have a Mermaid purchased from Ted Quinn Marine in April of 1958, and it has ash gunwales that are scarfed about 1/3 of the way along at opposite ends on each side
Hope that helps. They are still original on this canoe, but have some staining I'd like to bleach or sand out some day ...

 

[Mudnyereye]

Hi Tom,
Welcome aboard.
I'm with Benson, the originals may have been a couple of different woods but I'd go with ash to replace now.
Noting your location I wonder if you are planning on milling your own gunwales or looking to source them ready to install?
I replaced the outwales on a 15footer ( a kevlar Evergreen boat, however) a couple of years back and picked up a pair of 16 foot milled and rounded ash gunwales from Brian Cook in Dwight.

There are a few regular canoe repairers in your area too that may chime in. Gary? Al?

Good luck with your project!
Bruce

Hi Bruce.
Thanks for the input. While I would be capable of ripping the planks, to make the gunwhales, I do not have a router to shape them, so I may just go with some prefabricated ones. I would certainly appreciate suggestions for shop around Ottawa that make them or can mill the lumber. I am okay with scarfing two smaller pieces.

 

[Benson Gray]

I would certainly appreciate suggestions for shop around Ottawa that make them or can mill the lumber.

The list at https://www.woodencanoe.org/builders-suppliers may help. Good luck,

Benson