Stem to Wale Connection

[Bridgeengrjim]

Last summer we obtained a Robertson canoe (See thread "Gerrish or not?"). There is a 5/16" thick "outwale" and cap over the inwale. The inwale extends the full length of the canoe with the deck between the wales. Upon removing these caps I discovered that the only connection between the stem and the inwale is a nail down through the wale into the end grain of the stem.

The planking is attached to the stem and wale except at their ends where the stem and wale are thicker. It seems that the planking was intended to maintain the vertical alignment of the wales, however, the planking has split and the wales have pulled away from the stem. We can replace the planking and pull the wale back into the proper alignment, however i believe that the problem will simply reoccur.

Due to rot we will need to rebuild the ends of the stems and are wondering if there is a better method to connect the stem and wales.

 

[Fitz]

Old Town built a quarter of a million canoes or so with steel nails through the inwales into the top of the stem. It doesn't take much to secure it. Plus when building, the inwales and stems go on the form early in the construction. A search of the forum will find examples of fancy beefed up mortices and other means of dealing with the connection, but it may very well be overkill.

On Old Town's, I like to use silicon bronze ring nails instead of steel.