Morris seat/thwart bolts

[charvey]

Documenting 2 open gunnel Morris canoes. 1910 heart shape 17ft does not have any hardware, so I have no record. Pictured is the 1917 24'' deck 17ft, which has a random carriage bolts and round head slotted bolts with washers. What is the correct bolt head, lenght, diameter for thwarts/seats on open gunnel? I can only guess that this hardware is perhaps not original, or was interchanged when seats/thwarts were removed and replaced during it's life. Most likely inner and outer gunnels will be replaced, but that will be determined positively once the awful paint is stripped.

I've seen bolts in the archive for closed gunnel, but not for open gunnel.

Interested to know if Morris period bolts have modern equivalents and what goes where?

 

[Paul Scheuer]

Charvey:
Although my Morris Mollitor did not come with complete provenance, I believe that I have mostly original parts. The seat bolts are slotted round-head brass (maybe bronze), 10 - 24, 3-1/4 ". I'd call them carriage bolts, i.e not fully threaded. The hex nuts and washers (under the nuts only) are probably replacements. The aft, aft seat bolts, that end up being covered by the tails of the 24 " deck, are the same thread with a "L" instead of the round head, that fits in a groove in the inwale.

The bolts for the thwarts are flat headed. I'm less confident in their originality.

I see that you are in for a caning project. Have no fear, if I could do it anyone can. The hobby store kit came with instructions.

 

[charvey]

Scary Morris

Thank you for the information Paul, I have followed your post/pics. Both the bow and the stern are terminal. Attached are the scary images of 1910 Morris

I have a long way to go with both restorations.

 

[Paul Scheuer]

For the record - here is a pic of the "L"-shaped, Aft Aft Seat mounting screw. The folded length is 3 inches, with a 5/8 folded leg. Since these go under the 24 inch aft deck, they are not accessible from the top, hence the "L" which fits in the inwale notch. If you don't have these, you probably don't have the original inwales. My inwales are not a rectangular section. The top surface is about 5/8" and the bottom surface is about 7/8". When mounted, the visible inside surface is vertical, while the outboard surface matches the angle of the tumblehome.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Not sure if this is much help, but here is the picture of an open wale Morris from page 112 of "The Morris Canoe: Legacy of an American Family" (only this image is in color). The text beneath it is: "Open gunwale Morris owned and restored by Dave McDaniel. Note short decorative gunwale caps, heavy D-shaped outwales, typical Morris seat with 7-step cane pattern, and beautifully sculpted heart-shaped deck. Seats are attached with round-head slotted screws on an open gunwale Morris. (courtesy David McDaniel)"

Dave may be able to answer some of your questions.

Open gunwales aren't common on Morris canoes. Some formerly closed gunwale canoes have been converted to open due to the difficulty of recreating inwales with all the pockets. Open gunwales on a Morris were always mahogany (whereas spruce was the most common wood species for closed gunwales) and outwales were the heavy, D-shaped type. The little gunwale caps at the end of the bow and stern are also seen on open wale Kennebec canoes but Morris was the first to use them.

Keep us in the loop with pictures and questions-- this is how we all learn!

Kathy

 

[Michael Grace]

Let me add another confirmation (well. two really). Two of our Morris canoes are open gunwale, both in original condition. One is near-perfect structurally, and the other is a little rough but apparently never restored or otherwise modified. Both have the same kind of screws described by Paul and Kathy / Dave McD). The one in excellent condition has long-ish decks and short gunwale caps that cover the rear bolts on the stern seat. I haven't taken off the caps, but assume that underneath is a pair of the L-shaped bolts sunk into the gunwales, just as you find on closed-gunwale Morris canoes.

So charvey, I think your open-gunwale Morris would have had carriage bolts originally, but I don't think it had the washers. On the two of ours there's no hint that washers were ever there - no marks on the inwales, no discoloration of the finish or wood.

Michael

 

[charvey]

Thank you all for insight. The 1910 heart deck canoe I picked up nearly 15 years and I put it aside for future restoration as I recognized what it could be when restored. The green 1915 long deck I picked up recently. Figured two open gunwale restorations at one time might be easier, well at least that is the plan. I take measurements and post additional photos shortly. Both Morris's are rough, will need total gunnel replacement, decks fabricated, ribs and many feet of planking replaced. It will be safe to say that three stems need total replacement. I have one original thwart and one original seat, so new replacement copies can be fabricated.

I must free up some room in the basement workshop and finish the basket case Peterborough rowboat I have tinkered with for many years.