Restoration & how to remove part?

[b.a. hart]

We are restoring a 13' Old Town (#146552) that has the sailing kit from Old Town attached. Our issue is where the rudder attaches to two metal pieces(Gudgeons). They appear to be brass. They are secured by pins that go through the planks and into the internal stem. You can not see them from the inside of canoe. The heads on the outside are rounded (see photos). Of course these need to be removed before we can install the new canvas.
Has anyone encountered this challenge before and how would you safely remove the rudder attachments, or "gudgeons"? Thank you- BJ

 

[Benson Gray]

The pins (rivets) need to be drilled out. I started with a small drill and worked my way up with progressively larger bits and had no problems saving the gudgeons on one of my sailing canoes. It does take some time and patience though. New ones are available if you have a problem. See http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=1469 for more information. Good luck,

Benson

 

[ebeeby]

I just have to say that Benson is a national treasure - surely as far as canoes go. It amazes me - your breadth of experience - and even a link for a new part!

You wouldn't happen to have an interest in /5 airhead BMW's would you?

 

[b.a. hart]

Gudgeon Removal a Success

Hi Benson,
We removed the Gudgeons today with the progressive drill process you described. In about half an hour we had all four brass heads drilled out and both gudgeons removed. Pulled out the brass pins with a needle-nose pliers. Remaing holes through the internal stem were stuffed with Minwax Wood Filler.
Now we were able to brush hull inside and out with hot linseedoil/presevative mix and on with the rest of the restoration of this 1946 13' Old Town cutie. I spent way to much time in concern over this when the process worked so well. Thanks from the lakes and rivers of Michigan! b.a.hart

 

[chris pearson]

Wow

A 13 foot sailing canoe? How cool, never heard of one that short. The problem with the pins is that the are usually bent. When they are peened over, they bend a bit in the hole based on the fact that the 2 opposing faces of the gudgeons arent parallel due to the shape of the canoe end. I had to sure up the hole by plugging and redrilling. I then turned my own pins on a lathe so they could be driven from the opposing sides meeting and overlapping in the middle. One side is a male and the other, female, or a tube. I made the inside diameter of the tube smaller than the pin so they would "press" together. This worked out very well.