Replacing gunwales or scarfing in pieces...

[NickBailey]

I picked up a '47 HW AA Old Town last weekend. It had some major damage after the owner ran his car into it. There are a lot of ribs and some planking to replace, and the gunwales are broken in a few spots. The mahogany inwales are in fantastic condition other than the broken spaces, and I'd like to keep as much of the original as possible. The original decks and tapered portion of the existing gunwales in particular look great. I'd like to avoid disturbing them, but not at the expense of significantly weakening the canoe. I could also avoid steaming new gunwales if I just scarf, which is another bonus of preserving the original pieces.

Do you all suggest scarfing in a couple of pieces of mahogany on the inwales where necessary (either one long piece or a pair of shorter scarfs per inwale) or just re-milling some brand new inwales. If I made them myself I would still have to scarf them. I was only able to find a 10ft. board.

Thanks in advance. I do have plenty of pictures at home and will eventually add them. This is a big project, but I'm really excited to do it!

-Nick Bailey

 

[Gil Cramer]

If you only have a 10' piece, you might as well scarf the inwale. I would mill to specs, soak it for a few days, and bend it around the other side of the hull where it is to be installed. let it dry, cut glue joints 8:1, use a batten around the outside of the hull to maintain fairness and epoxy it in place.

 

[Nick Bailey]

Thanks for the reply. Here are some photos of the inwale & ribs.

 

[Dave Osborn]

Good luck, Nick!
Looks like something Dave Wermuth would tangle with!!

 

[chris pearson]

Holy......

Crap!!!!!!! I donno, I'd replace the whole gunwale, you can find long lengths of mahogany easier than clear spruce! Check Old Town. Holy cow, how many ribs are busted? I agree, looks like a job for my fishin buddy, Dave W.!!!

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Chris, hop a plane, bring a fly rod. Walk the beach and scan for bull reds with me. Roxie saw a sailfish yesterday. And dolphins are regulars. I've had shots at skipjack but nothign yet. Hoping for a big Red or pompano. Actually, I turned one away last summer like yours, Nick. It's possible. Dave O. I've got a new 6wt for you to try this spring in Quetico.

 

[Nick Bailey]

Thanks again for replying everyone.

I know I've got my work cut out for me, but what the heck. Its intimidating to look at, but once you break it down to it component pieces it seems a little easier. The bow half is in good shape & I can use it to bend the ribs for the stern half. The stems and decks are all in excellent shape, and most of the planking is also in excellent condition. Once I get the inwales figured out its a matter of bending a whole bunch of ribs. Wow...it sure is easy to say!

Thanks again. I think I'm going to mill a full strip of inwale & try scarfing and see how I like the results.

Good luck on the big Red!

-Nick

 

[Dan Miller]

If you haven't already, have a look at Fred Capenos's article "The Saga Of Bits and Pieces" in Wooden Canoe issue 155 (October 2009) - if nothing else, it will serve as inspiration, and might give you some ideas, too.

 

[JClearwater]

A thought

There might be someone in the association that lives in your general locale that has a canoe of the same model that you could borrow to bend the ribs over. It would be easier than trying to do it all off the undamaged end. It would also be helpful to compare dimensions so you get the width etc right. I'd loan you mine but we are not exactly neighbors.

Just a thought for what it's worth.

JCC

 

[doug schmitt]

I have purchaced 19 ft mahogany from Paxton Lumbers industrial division, we always asked for a pattern grade mahogany. Try Paxtonwood.com

Just a thought, good luck.

 

[Mark Neuzil]

Nick, did you try Youngblood's in Minneapolis? Expensive, I know, but it often has just what a guy needs.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

If you see any 20' honduras, let us know. :

I haven't seen anything longer then 16-17' in the past several years. That's still better than a 10ft'er though.

And one of you guys, either Mark or Nick, go get that possible White, please, I don't need any more canoes.

Oh, Nick, what age and length is your canoe? I have a 20's 17' HW in the basement that could be used for bending/measurements, and a 18' outside.

Dan

 

[Nick Bailey]

Thanks Dan! I may take you up on that as the project moves along. Depite the appearance, I think I'll be able to recreate the original shape of the gunwales. I have all the pieces of the gunwales as well as the thwarts and seats in their original placement. I'm hoping that once I get them reassembled and battened up the boat should be the proper shape. Easy for me to say though, right? This could just be inexperience talking.

I have looked into some longer pieces of Mahogany, and if I don't like the looks of my scarfs I may look a little harder. For now I'll at least give my $40 board a chance to work. I'll post my progress (and probably a lot more questions) as I go.

The Vintage Canoe on Craigslist: I offered $100 for the potential White. (should we call it a "gray" for now?) I'm kind of in the same spot. I've got more projects than I should at the moment. I could store this one in a warehouse at work, but its still a lot of messing around when its still pretty speculative that its a White. I haven't heard back from her, so I'm guessing she's moved on. Oh well.

Thanks again to everyone for the great feedback and helpful offers.

-Nick