How to apply canvas to an upside-down canoe

[Canoeal]

The saw horses are really not an issue. I have canvassed canoes numbering at least in the 150+ range, closer to 200. I have only used comalongs on a couple, the rest were canvased either upside down, on horses or a combination of upside down and rotated at some point right side up. I first temp tack one end of the canvas at the stem several tacks to hodd the end. Grab a pair of al's canvassing vise grips (welders pliers with a block or pad on the side against the boat or gunnels) Stretch the canvass by working the pliers own the other stem a foot to 18" depending on boat length. temporarily astaple (arrow or Powershot the canvas to the hull one staple every other rib just pulling it snug (no stretching yet) go bac to the other side and do the same. I then rool the boat in the slings, and remove some of the staples from the center on one side and stretch the center section. go back to the stem and put a few more staples in the stems to stretch the sides to match the stem bottom. Finish stretching the sides, to about 3-4 ribs from the end, do all four quaters of the canoe this way, then go back and remove the temps from the ends, leaving the last few in the stems toward the bottom of the canoe, finish the end like you would and other method and seal the ends with vynil adhesive caulk between the stem wraps, and then stretch the canvas and tack the remaining ribs. In reality, doing it this way you can move the boat as you need to to reach all parts of the canoe from a standing positon. It takes me about 4-5 hours solo to canvas a canoe. It makes a canvas that is quite tight, But I wash (hang it on a line and hose down) the canvas and let it dry first, because that leaves it easier to stretch... Any questions email me or call Al Bratton Woodstrip Watercraft Co. 610-326-9282 Canoeal@aol.com. Most of you are making canvassing harder than it needs to be...