How to re-shape with broken ribs

[AldenWitham22]

I finally have time to work on my 10' canoe project again and remembered why I stopped last fall.
The boat seems to have lost it's shape over time. When I picked it up it was about the inwale was pulled away from the yoke by about an inch. As I fought to get the finish and fiberglass off that distance seems to have multiplied.
Most of the movement was in the center 2-3' where I have a number of broken ribs.

It seems to me I could either work the new ribs up from either end in my best approximation of the original shape or I could try to find someone with the same boat and get a mould.

Does anybody have books or articles they recommend that cover this specifically? Even better would be someone in New Hampshire that would let me buy them beer and pick their brains on this.

-Alden

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Not sure what you are describing here. If you could post some pics that would help.

However, if your boat is out of shape due to broken rails, clamp in some temporary strips under the outer rails to get it back in shape again. Once it's back in shape, then you can start removing and replacing ribs. Bend the ribs over the opposite end of the canoe (assuming it is in shape.) Only remove 1 or 2 at a time, and never 2 next to each other.

Dan

it was about the inwale was pulled away from the home by

 

[AldenWitham22]

Not sure what you are describing here. If you could post some pics that would help.

However, if your boat is out of shape due to broken rails, clamp in some temporary strips under the outer rails to get it back in shape again. Once it's back in shape, then you can start removing and replacing ribs. Bend the ribs over the opposite end of the canoe (assuming it is in shape.) Only remove 1 or 2 at a time, and never 2 next to each other.

Dan

Sorry Dan it was supposed to say "yoke" but it was auto-corrected.

I guess the root of my question is, since the canoe has lost its original shape how do I know what to bend it back to?

 

[Dan Lindberg]

If you still have the yoke (or center thwart), pull it in until the rail/holes line up.
If you don't pull it in till it looks right, and while it sets, (it will take some time to "adjust" to the new shape), see if somebody else has either the same canoe or data on it, so you can get the as built width of the canoe.

Also, watch the tumblehome, if it as any, if it should have some, but lost it, that's a lot harder to put back. Hopefully you won't have to.

Dan

 

[AldenWitham22]

Thanks for your response.

I might be able to get some idea of the tumblehome by looking at what's left of broken bits. It may have been exaggerated by the repair done to it. Unfortunately the rail on one side of the thwart was roughly patched in and the whole thing was held together with framing nails through the planks.

Most of the change of shape seems to be flattening on the bottom and not the sides folding out.
I'll probably try to find someone with the same model like you said. Where is a good place to start with that?

Thanks again
-Alden

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Well, 1st you need to know what you have (maybe you do), then I'd post on this site asking if anybody else has one and could they get you some measurements and pics to see what it should look like.

Dan
for example, I don't believe I've ever heard of a 10 ft canoe.

 

[AldenWitham22]

It might take some looking. I would be interested in seeing one of these restored. I can found a set of photos on when I first bought this thing but there is not much information out there.

It's an "Auto Canoe" by Penn Yan made in the 1930's.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Google produced the following links of interest for those of us unfamiliar with the Auto Canoe:

a little history:
https://books.google.com/books?id=5...zAD#v=onepage&q="auto canoe" Penn Yan&f=false


some photos:
https://www.facebook.com/6509929548...99295488/10153205413120489/?type=3&permPage=1

our reliable source:
http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/id/pennyan.html

some info:
http://www.pennyanbbs.org/index.php?/topic/526-10-auto-canoe/#comment-2425

earlier forum post:
http://forums.wcha.org/archive/index.php/t-13295.html

 

[Greg Nolan]

the missing link for a little history:

https://books.google.com/books?id=5...zAD#v=onepage&q="auto canoe" Penn Yan&f=false

 

[AldenWitham22]

That's basically what I found and the thread is the one I started when I bought the boat.

I got a used copy of "the wood and canvas canoe" on Amazon, really wish I had picked it up earlier. It answered a lot of my questions.