Stem tip repair, bend or sawn

wanderlustjake

Beginner Canoeist
I finally got around to getting the fiberglass off our Rushton. I have some work ahead of me to say the least. This is my first restoration. The stem tips will need to be repaired ( along with all new rails and decks, rib and plank replacement). I have not pulled the planking loose to see how far down I need to go yet. One tip is broke, and the other is rough. I am curious, would using a sawn piece to replace a tip be acceptable? If so, is there an unwritten rule of how far that could go vs bending a new piece? Also, I believe the stems should be Elm? Any concerns in steaming fastening it?

Thanks!
 
In the Stelmok and Thurlow book, if you have it, check the pages where they talk about repair to rotten stems. There are pictures showing a fairly large, ie twice the usual width of the stem, cut from a board to the proper curvature, then glued in with a long scarf joint. I used this method going down maybe a foot on the stem, and the double wide wood is under the deck where nobody sees it but you. Your choice. Tom McCloud
 
Elm is good, but you could use ash or something else that you have. I think I've got a piece of elm. And I'd saw the curve too. Bending a short piece is impossible-ish. Make the splice really long. That multi saw will come in handy. You could do a birdsbeak. Or you could laminate a thin piece in the inside after. But a real long splice is what I prefer to do. The double wide that Tom describes makes for a real solid stem.
 
In the forum’s knowledge base, specifically here, forums.wcha.org/knowledgebase/BuildRestore:Rebuild+rotted+tips is an extended discussion of the repairs and various methods you are likely to need.
 
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