Kennebec Yankee Flyer

[DavidK]

I stopped by to look at a Yankee Flyer my friend has. The hull had been fiberglassed at some point. I noticed some canvas sticking out between layers of the hull. My friend was told that someone probably added a layer of cedar over the original hull in an early restoration. Another friend says these boats were double hulled, with the canvas in between. What's the real deal? Wouldn't that canvas in between hold moisture and cause rot risk? Would the outer layer be covered in canvas?

 

[Benson Gray]

Some canoe builders sandwiched a canvas between layers of planking but I've never heard of Kennebec or any other boat builders ever doing this. This doesn't appear to have been mentioned in their catalog description as shown below. It simply says 'The canvas covered hull makes the "Yankee Flyer" water-tight at all times.' The build record may be available and might have more information if you can get the serial number.

Benson

 

[Dan Miller]

I agree with Benson's assessment. Here is the 1929 catalog page. It was only offered these two years, and the records show 218 were built in total.

 

[DavidK]

Thanks for your reply, Benson. In the description of the Yankee Flyer II, they say it has a "stronger bottom" but they don't explain what makes it stronger. I wondered if that was the second layer.