Morris details please

[KAT]

I've just started into the restoration of my Morris and need some specific details. I've been poring through all the Morris threads on here but haven't yet found what I seek. I need a photo or depiction of the inwale/stem joint. I need to do stem tips of about 4" each but will be replacing both inwales entirely. I am aware of the taper, it starts about 40" back and goes from 1 1/8" to about 3/8", or so, since the last few inches are gone on the only side that goes that far. That implies the inwales come in behind the stem but an actual picture would help a great deal.

Anyone?

Karin

 

[divedog]

Mine is a closed gunwale model. The inwale taper continues until they meet and are the same thickness as the stem. The inwales and are screwed to the deck and the tips of the inwales rest on top of the stem. Connection was simply two iron nails through the inwale tips into the top of the stem. The planking covers the joint on the side, and the topwales cover the nails on the top. Below is a picture taken before I scarfed in a new stem top.

Mike Wootton - Spokane, WA

 

[KAT]

Thanks. I saw later that night a video of Craig Kitchens Morris which clearly showed the inwales on top of the stem. I figured out that the inwales sit on top of the first cant rib due to a nail groove in the rib and corresponding nail in the inwale. The stems on mine are thin, only about the width of the stem band on the outside edge, which will make the shaping of the inwales quite thin.

This is a closed gunwale boat as well, dated between 1905 and 1909 by Kathryn.

Finding spruce here to replace the inwales with is not going to happen, it doesn't exist. Options...

 

[Andre Cloutier]

Was that 'options' with a question mark? Locate the wood and have it shipped in, you'll want air dried for the bending it will need

 

[Jan Bloom]

KAT you can find many places to buy spruce in lengths that you can use to scarf in new pieces. You are in Manitoba and I know that there are spruce suppliers to the west of you. I have bought guitar tops from Canadian sources. I bet that one of those suppliers will know someone that can ship you spruce at a reasonable price. I doubt that it will matter whether it is Sitka, White, Engleman or the natural hybrid Lutz.

 

[Claude Delisle]

Hi KAT, If you can get to a Windsor Plywood in either Brandon or Winnipeg, they can get you long clear lengths of Sitka Spruce. I know the local one here in Red Deer can have it with about a weeks notice. Lengths to 20+ feet. Hope that helps.

 

[KAT]

Windsor is our source for most woods we need for our other canoe projects and we will get a quote from them as well. We do need to replace both inwales completely. One has 5 feet missing in the middle, both are just done to death and not repairable. We don't believe Morris would have used Sitka in the first place and it is horrendously expensive in these parts. We do have 3 40 foot Spruce trees in the back yard. One would fit the bill if I wanted to wait a year for it to dry.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Adding the image of a Morris step...

 

[KAT]

Not knowing what is typical of a Morris I will just add what I find as I take the boat apart.

The stems are concave, which I read about here on an Old Town I believe, the reason being when you lap the canvas it is flat for the stem band... which in this case is flat on the back, not concave. No idea if the bands are original, but the canvas under them are put on with tacks and the shreds of canvas on the inwales are held on with tacks/nails as well.

I've also found small brass screws holding the planking onto both stems. There are some tacks but mostly it is the screws. It does not have the original stem rivets, someone replaced those with stainless steel machine screws and nuts on the inside. This boat did not have outside stems.

 

[flyfisher]

hello this might help

 

[flyfisher]

Hello this may help This is a morris stem.

 

[flyfisher]

just a few more photos. 1st cant rib is nailed to inner gunnel 2nd and 3rd recessed