Kathy and DEnis' Gerrish

[chris pearson]

I was the lucky dog to buy Denis and Kathy's Gerrish. So warm today, had to strip it. Needs much work, and was restored at one point. Gunwales are swiss cheese, the steel bolts rotted out and instead of replacing the bolts, they flip flopped the bow and stern seat positions, so inwales and outwales need replacing! I found the original bolts and holes underneath wood filler. 6 "new" ribs added and not faired in very well and too narrow, gotta go. 5 cracked original ribs, and a bunch of pre-restored planking to replace, they used red cedar and I'm guessing Gerrish used white. The keel is toast as well as stem tips. I also need to make a new bow seat, the original is missing. New half round gunwale caps need to be remade as well. Don't get me wrong, this canoe is very restorable, just a matter of putting the hours in as you all know!

 

[chris pearson]

More pics.....

Wet canoe, just after stripping.

 

[Dan Miller]

Hi Chris -

Nice job stripping - I'm going to bring a couple canoes over, and I expect a titillating show!

Bonus points for effective use of masking tape. I just write on the boat with a sharpie - low brow!

Don't let this rag boat distract you from the real project - the Huron (probably not the sort of Huron most folks are picturing!)

Dan

 

[chris pearson]

Ewww, ouch! Hmmm, think I'm ready for the Huron challenge?

 

[Dan Miller]

Mr. Model Man, you are more than ready!

 

[Andre Cloutier]

While i suffer from mild Gerrish envy, dont know much of their chronology - did he build long enough to transition to open wales? or was this one lowered during a previous restoration? Rag boats indeed.....

 

[Kathryn Klos]

This canoe probably dates from 1905-09... and Gerrish's open gunwale canoes (one pictured in "The Wood n Canvas Canoe") have (as Chris mentioned) a half-round on top of the inwale and the outwale, to pretty-up that open gunwale opening that folks weren't accustomed to. I don't know who "invented" the open gunwale, but am thinking Gerrish was one of the first to decide they were a good idea. I find it interesting that the early builders added interesting trims to open wale canoes, possibly because they had to encourage the public to accept them.

Chris-- dandy job-- I knew she'd be in good hands! What a pretty canoe.