mast step

[Craig Johnson]

If a sailing rig was original equipment on a canoe how was the mast step attached? was it screwed down from the inside, screwed or bolted up through the hull before canvassing, or through the keel after canvassing? Did different manufactures use different methods at different times?
thanks, Craig

 

[bluedcanoed]

I suspect it varies by manufacturer and time period. My late production Chestnut has the mast step notched to fit around the end of the interior stem and is attached by two screws from the top that penetrate into the exterior keel strip.

Bob

 

[Fitz]

Old Town

I have a seen a couple of steps in Old Towns and I have installed one. I am not sure the steps in the Old Towns were installed at the factory, but they were bolted with two bolts through the keel. The bolts were secured with nuts in the step.

I installed mine the same way, with well bedded hardware and it works great.

 

[Benson Gray]

Most of the mast steps in Old Town canoes are screwed into the keel from the top. The one shown at http://forums.wcha.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=6491&d=1226694223 has the front side screwed in from the top and the back side bolted in from the bottom. The messages at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=5175 have more information on this topic.

Benson

 

[WoodNCanvas]

Interesting info at http://www.ferwerdacanoe.us/hiawathacanoesailing.html (showing sailing rig for Hiawatha sailing canoe)....and then details of mast seat at http://www.ferwerdacanoe.us/canoemastseat.html