Bending new ribs, where?

[Treewater]

I have a 1938 Octa, 18 ft. There are seven broken ribs, badly broken just aft of the forward seat. If the pictures make it clear, the hull is rather distorted and I'm afraid using the rule of thumb, "bend on the outside one rib toward the end," will not work since seven in a row are bad. Am I safe to count ribs and use the other end of the canoe? To do so would presume the canoe is perfectly symmetrical. Any experience here?

 

[Lazy Jack]

No wooden canoe is perfectly symmetrical.

You can assume that this canoe came off the mold roughly symmetrical so you can use one end to develop the other.

After being bent, the ribs do retain some flexibility so it is not a high precision endeavor.

Be careful with your 'rule of thumb'. You may find that the ribs towards the middle of the canoe have to bent 3-4 ribs spaces towards the end or they'll be too wide.

 

[Gil Cramer]

If the inwales are intact, measure the beam where the rib will be installed to the outside of the inwale. Go to the other end if need be, and measure the same beam on the OUTSIDE of the ribs and planking. Bend the rib there. The new rib will fit almost as well as the one removed.

 

[Treewater]

Thanks fellows. Sounds common sense. Nice steam box Jack.