Front seat height on a Veazie

[Howie]

The front seat in my circa 1905 Veazie came with no spacers - it was snug against the rails. I'm wondering if this was common for Morris or Veazie.

The front seat bolts are shortish and could accommodate space maybe a 1/4" spacer at most. The bolts appear to be original - they are the type that are bent into an L shape and captured in a pocket in the rail and were a little difficult to remove. But I know that someone before me had worked on the canoe at one time - I suppose he might have replaced the bolts and removed the spacers... but why? I should add that the rail caps didn't look like they had been removed.

 

[Benson Gray]

All of the canoes shown in the Veazie catalog at https://www.mainememory.net/media/pdf/36183.pdf appear to have the bow seats bolted directly to the rails without any drops. The one shown at http://www.wcha.org/content/historically-significant-1905-morris-veazie-canoe has drops but it has been restored. There are many Morris catalogs (and the Veazie one) available from http://www.wcha.org/store/historic-wood-canoe-and-boat-company-catalog-collection if you want to research this further.

Benson

 

[Howie]

Ha! I bought the catalogue (as per your suggestion in an earlier Thread) but hadn't noticed the seat heights in the pics. Thanks for the info.

 

[Bill Thurlow]

I have Veazie #419 and the seat was bolted right to the rails.

 

[Howie]

Thanks!

 

[Mud Bug]

Wow, that company made some narrow canoes: 32" for a 16 footer. (My vast knowledge comes from Benson's link.) Considering that (and the tippy canoe you once had that you told us about, Howie) maybe making the seats as low as visually acceptable would be a good plan. Just thinking.

 

[MGC]

Depending upon your preference, these older hulls are the very best canoes to own if you enjoy paddling a quick and tender hull. The canoeists of the early 1900's were a skilled bunch. My wife and I (not to suggest that we are skilled) prefer paddling our older canoes even though some folks might find them to be a bit too twitchy.
Beginning in the early teens flattened floors and spread beams crept in to make the hulls more forgiving.
For my taste, low seats are not preferred. I lie to sit close to or on the rail in the stern and also like to be close to the rail in the bow. If I ever feel the need to stabilize the boats (big cross winds and waves, rapids, I kneel.