Canvassing a Square Stern

[Fitz]

My tripping bud up in Maine has his 20 foot Chestnut all rebuilt and varnished. It will be time to canvas soon. It is an Ogilvy Pool with a wineglass transom. I have never canvassed a square stern. Any tips on doing up the square end that people can share would be greatly appreciated.

The attached photo is a "before" restoration photo of the transom.

 

[Rod Tait (Orca Boats)]

I have only done one. That one had two layers for the transom. Canvas tacked, attached to transom, sealed and then outer layer of transom (hardwood) was attached with screws to cover canvas overlay.

 

[bluedcanoed]

Make a duplicate transom shape of thick plywood with an anchor point and staple or tack new new canvas to it. Stretch canvas from anchor points as normal.
This way you don't need a lot of extra material to go to a conventional clamp at the rear end.

Bob

 

[jlarrabee]

I actually had a hard time stretching the rubberized-canvas around a Grand Laker.
We ended up just stretching all the way down and tacking a piece over the tail... previously it was nicely done right up to the transom and then painted.

 

[Grandlaker]

Fritz I cut a rabbit about 3/4 wide by 1/4 deep around the outer face of the stern pull the canvas around the corner and fasten in the rabbit . then fill flush to the face of the stern

 

[Fitz]

Thanks for all of the great ideas, folks. I will venture up to the hinterlands this weekend to give a hand with the canvassing. I will report back.

Fitz.

 

[Dave Osborn]

Since I did not replace the transom on this 1921 OT Square Stern, I cut a rabbet in the trim pieces about 1/8" deep to accommodate the canvas attached to the transom.

 

[shelldrake]

Hi Fitz,

My Canadian Canoe Co Y-stern has a shallow rabbet around the perimeter of the transom. Canvas is wrapped around the edge into the rabbet and stapled there. Then a covering board is installed over the the whole surface, hiding the rabbet and canvas. I used mahogany when I re-canvased mine and the little varnished mahogany transom looks pretty sharp.

Let me know if you want photos.

Matt