Factory OT outer stem mods?

chris pearson · Dec 16, 2014

Relief cuts are made at the ends of the outer stems on my 1928 Wolf Pond sailing canoe. Obviously relief to allow the outwales to sit down but I've never seen this before. Has anyone else seen OT do this before? This canoe is clean, no evidence of previous restorations anywhere.

Dave Osborn · Dec 16, 2014

Looks normal to me for an outer stem....

shelldrake · Dec 16, 2014

Chris,

I checked the outside stems on my OT 50#. They are not relieved. They carry the full dimension right to the top and between the outwales. The boat is from the early '60s.

Matt

Dave Osborn · Dec 16, 2014

Just finished a 30's OT HW that as relief for outwale rabbet...
Actually, the only outer stems that I recall as unrelieved were on closed gunwale canoes where no rabbet is present or row boats where the rabbet is planed away near the stem and lays directly on the planks.

Matt,
Are the outwales rabbeted all the way to the stem?

Dave

chris pearson · Dec 16, 2014

This is a special build from Old Town as well, not many center trunk sailing canoes, so perhaps the didn't follow the norm here?

shelldrake · Dec 16, 2014

Dave,

Yes, outwales are rabbeted full length. The outside stem is cut off slightly lower than the top of the deck so that the top (un-rabbeted) of the outwales cover the top of the outside stem. Looking down on the deck/stem/outwale junction, one cannot see the top of the stem. The outwales meet and for a flush surface with the deck.

Matt

Greg Nolan · Dec 16, 2014

Pictures of the outside stems on my 1931 50-pounder, as bought, when the outwales were broken away on one side of each end. Taken either on the day I got the canoe, or on the day more recently when I was removing the canvas. There is no relief cut into the outside stems.

stern: