Closed Gunwale Help

[jmann652401]

Hello,
I'm working on a 1916 old Town Charles River with closed gunwales, and I have two questions.

When I got the canoe the wales had been replaced with non-standard wales, actually 1"x2" firing strips. I've never replaced closed gunwales before so I have nothing to go by for an example. Could somebody please help me out and post (or send me) the details? What are the dimensions, taper lengths, etc. of the inwales, outwales and caps?

Also, when I trim the top plank, should it be trimmed even with the top of the inwale? This way the canvas staples/tacks will go through the plank and ribs and into the inwale.
OR
Should I trim the top plank 3/8" below the top of the inwale, pull the canvas over the top edge of the plank and staple the canvas to the inwale? If so would the outwale get a "shoulder" to fit up against the ribs and inwale.

Thanks for your help.
Joe

 

[Benson Gray]

Take a look at the last few messages and pictures http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=3815 to see if that answers your questions.

Benson

 

[jmann652401]

Benson,
Thanks for the info and the link. That discussion answered the dimension question.
Can you provide any information regarding where to trim the top plank. It looks to me like the drawing at the end of the other thread indicates a tapered/feathered top edge, ending just below the inwale.......but I could be reading it wrong.
Any thoughts?
Thanks again.

 

[JClearwater]

Attached is a picture of my Crandell showing the top edge of the planking flush with the top of the inwale. By necessity the canvas would be tacked below the top edge but not so low that the gunwale sidecap wouldn't cover the tack heads. The gunwale sidecap narrows as it approaches the ends of the canoe so attention must be paid not to tack too low. The sidecap on this canoe is about 3/4" wide at the center of the canoe and only 1/2" at the tips - not a whole lot of room for error. I don't know if every builder of closed gunwale canoes did it the same as Crandell but that's how this one was put together.

Jim C.