seat knee brackets

[Phil Lantagne]

I have a 1930's era oldtown dighy in aa grade that is missing a seat bracket. I am looking for any info. as to what kind of wood and what part of the tree they where cut from (fork,branch or stump) Also is there a profile of the rubrail available as mine is very worn and needs to be replaced.

 

[Benson Gray]

Old Town would typically use a 'knee' with the grain running around the corner if possible for seat brackets and transom braces. This would have come from a fork, branch stump or any other area with curved grain. The woods would typically have been juniper, ash, oak, or other hardwood. You should be able to use one of the other brackets to judge the type of grain and wood to match. An AA grade dinghy would typically have a "cotton rope bumper in grove in gunwales" but your build record may have more specific information. There is a "1937 Old Town dinghy model, AA grade, 9 feet long, with open gunwales for parts" listed at http://classifieds.wcha.org/index.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=951&query=retrieval if you want to get some examples to work from. Please reply here if this doesn't answer your question. Good luck with your restoration,

Benson