Lakefield : broken ribs

[Dave Wermuth]

More on the Lakefield I recently acquired. The metal tags .... there are six of them under the outwales. See photo.
It doesn't quite match the tag formats posted by Dick Persson a few years ago. Can anyone shed some light? ALSO, who knows how to replace broken ribs? Is it similar to w/c? Have I finally met my match?

 

[chris pearson]

Are they Red elm? I have a bunch! It bends like string!

 

[Worth Gretter]

Dave, it looks like Chris is going to help you out the the ribs. Thank goodness, because it seems like a daunting job otherwise.....

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Hey Chris, I don't know but I think it's about time i visit anyway and I'll try to find out in the mean time. It actually looks like cedar but more experienced eye need to look.

 

[John Sand]

I once put some ribs in an old St Lawrence skiff, it wasn't too hard. You can do it too.

 

[samb]

Not sure whether you have met your match or not, but you have certainly given yourself a challenge.

I think you'll find that the ribs go under the keelson - and the keelson doesn't look to be in a very good shape. Here in the UK where wooden canoes are rare (I constantly look and have only seen about 5 this year) but I don't think I'd take on that boat in a hurry . . . . . Where I have needed to repair ribs before I have just sistered them up next to the original as the bit sticking out from under, and the keelson itself, was still ok. (no idea why they are all different lengths)
I pre-drilled holes at each end, steamed them, bent them to shape in situ and quickly drilled through and got the ends nails in place - no need to bend them over till later.

Your first job might be to look at the keelson and remove the bad bits. There will be screws into it from the keel and nails all along from the planks (try not to damage these). Work out if you need a whole new keelson or just bits to scarf in.
Next, make the replacement keelson bits. You need to match the router cutter to the rib shapes so possibly best to make the ribs at the same time.

I made ribs out of oak, not being able to get the elm of the original. After that I think I’d remove alternate ribs, bend replacements and fix in place with clamps. When you’ve done a few of them, locate them in exactly the right place with your routed keelson, drill through from the holes in the outside and nail them at each plank. Then do the ‘other’ alternate ribs.
Good luck; if you find a better way, please record it here as I may need it sometime.

Sam

 

[Michael Grace]

Hi Dave. I have a couple of Lakefields; the photo here is a thwart tag from one (don't have a photo handy from the other). This one looks almost identical to yours except the fonts are a little different and yours has a comma in the third line; mine doesn't. This canoe is a pristine, untouched original. Its tags and the tag you show are certainly legitimate Lakefield tags.

I don't have the history to know when mine was built so cannot add anything there.

I remember seeing your "new" canoe a while back and being shocked at its condition, but why not try to bring it back? I often think of R.C. (Dick) Cross when I see basket cases, because he has brought back a number of canoes that seemed almost impossible - brought them back to stunning condition. I think he probably could make this one gorgeous and if one person can do so, so can another. I'd be thinking about pulling the entire keelson, then replacing ribs, then adding back a new keelson. It might take some creative thinking to bring the hull back into fair shape. Please keep us posted. By the way, I also imagine that your ribs are red elm, a great bending wood as you probably know. Pre-drilling will be important when re-nailing the planking.

Best of luck!

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Michael, thanks. I thought the ribs were fastened with flat head canoe tacks. And the info is very helpful. It helps to develop a plan. I've brought back several that were beyond basket case status. Going to power wash today as it is unusually warm.

 

[chris pearson]

David, you can have my elm but unsure if I have enough to make as many as you may require.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Thanks! I'm thinking I may try to build a solo canoe for qas. Canvas demo. People like that.

 

[Gil Cramer]

Dave,
I was waiting for a Canadian restorer to respond to your post, but since none have, so far, Here goes:
After power washing and stripping you can assess the total damage.
The ribs are hardwood, probably elm-red elm, rock elm, slippery elm, who knows. Actually, almost any hardwood will do.
The nails are not canoe tacks, but copper nails bent over and clinched into the wood while it is still hot and wet.
If I were restoring the canoe, I would carefully pull the keelson. The keel will likely need to be removed to do this.
Afterwards, I would restore the shape of the canoe with ratchet straps, crossbraces, and whatever it takes to get back the original shape. If that means some ribs need to be partially or completely removed, so be it.
After carefully removing 2 or 3 ribs far apart, I would steam and bend those ribs into place. I would have a ratchet strap very close to the rib location so that the planking doesn't spread. Then drill the rib through the original planking holes, drive in the nails and bend them into the ribs immediately.
Use the old keelson for a pattern for the new one. The easiest way to cut the rib cutouts is to use a drill press and a 3" wide,or so piece of oak. After all the holes are drilled, rip the piece on the table saw to the proper dimension.

Since this is a Canadian canoe, there should definitely be a case of Molson on hand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Thanks Gil. I am following your advice and others who have posted here. Plus, Chris had some elm for me. It's beginning to look possible. I power washed and am seeing the bent over nails

 

[Dave Wermuth]

And thanks to SAMB as well. I will be referring to this as I go. I have power washed and set some braces for now.