Question about Carleton's construction

[Howie]

I'm in the process of repairing/restoring a 1922 Carleton. I also look at Craigslist from time to time for new canoes to buy. Recently I saw this Carleton: http://fingerlakes.craigslist.org/boa/4031316570.html If you look at the 4th pic showing the bow area, look through some missing planking you'll see a big chunk of wood inside the canoe near the stem area. And in the pic you can see some metal at the top of this wood.

My Carleton had the same wood & metal chunks both fore & aft. I assumed it from a poor previous restoration attempt and got rid of it. It certainly seems to have had no earthly use - at least mine didn't. And it added weight! Oh... come to think of it - the 1st & last half ribs might have been nailed into it in one spot.

Can someone tell me what it was for?

 

[Dan Miller]

Apart from assuming it is a misguided attempt at repair, I have no suggestions.

However, the Craigslist canoe is most likely a Racine Boat Manufacturing Company canoe - planking pattern, stem profile, two carry thwarts, all point this way.

 

[Howie]

You don't think the deck looks like a Carleton? Anyway, you may be right I suppose about the amateur repair attempt - that's certainly what I thought when I looked into mine. But I can't shake the fact that I've seen the same clunky chunk of wood in 3 different canoes. I figure it's gotta be from the manufacturer. In any case it's fun trying to track down this type of trivia. Thanks for replying.

 

[Dan Miller]

You don't think the deck looks like a Carleton?

A number of builders used heart-shaped decks. While the decks on that canoe do look similar to a Carleton, not much else about the canoe does, to me.

 

[Howie]

I hadn't noticed the 2nd carry thwart. Maybe you're right.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

If I'm seeing the same chunky-thing you are, Howie, we had a Detroit with something like that in each end. It seemed to be someone's way of reinforcing the ends, but didn't seem a factory-thing. Maybe what you have is different though.

 

[Howie]

I know, I'm obsessing... but I have no explanation for it so my curiosity is piqued. As I say I've seen 3 canoes with the same structure. It you were to remove it you'd see a sort of half-moon shape top to bottom and tapered cross-section-wise like stems are. They might have been meant to fit between the 1st ribs and stem and served to prevent the sides in this area from being stove(?) in. The ones I removed were not attached to the stem in any way though, and they don't seem to have been attached to the decks either. Very odd. I figured for sure you guys would know what they were right away!

 

[Howie]

Just had another thought... Since all the canoes I've seen with this chunk of wood have been local (to me) maybe they were all worked on by the same guy at some point.