Unusual rib looks Canadian

[Treewater]

I have a 16 ft canoe. It is similar to Peterborough, narrow ribs. If the picture will show it, the ribs are narrow but laminate of three pieces. The outer piece is tapered at the end. Thus it is three laminates around the hull but when it reaches the gunnel the taper is down to two thicknesses. As you see, it is not a wide board even while it is wide board construction. Got it from a member who felt it worthy of fiberglass removal. Obviously, it was canvas originally. Closed gunnel so must be early 20th century.
Might add, this canoe must have been built on a Canadian form. It oddly enough had a very wide, 1 1/2 to 2 inch keel and two bilge keels as well.

 

[Treewater]

No replies so far. Ribs are on 6 inch centers. Canoe is 15 ft 10 inches. Laminated ribs, tapered at the top outside to create tumble home. Someone make a guess.

 

[pklonowski]

Home-built?

That's certainly not an educated guess, but it is a guess...

 

[Treewater]

Thanks. Got the canoe from Kathy Klos and that was her guess. I think it was made on a form so there are others like it. Wasn't an ornate canoe but well made. Professionally made my guess. It surely has had rough service but constant repairs.
Odd keel arrangement. Keel about two inches wide. bilge keels as well. Could have been added later.

 

[pklonowski]

Pictures of the keels might be interesting... The center keel is two inches wide; how tall is it? It might be a "shoe keel," which is much less deep than the regular keels, usually intended for river use. But then, having bilge keels doesn't make much sense for a river boat...

 

[Treewater]

I don't have any remnant of the original keel. The screw pattern is on both sides of the bottom two planks and from their width I determine it was a wide keel. I agree, why the bilge keels? River use would make sense. This canoe has hit a lot of rocks.

 

[pklonowski]

Maybe bilge keels were added to afford some protection from rocks? I'm speculating wildly here...

 

[Treewater]

I wondered the same thing. It is possible this is a home built but I doubt it. Too much care into details. Too well done. But this was a canoe that someone used and kept using and kept repairing. If I could take a pattern of the rib placement I'd try to compare it with Canadian wide boards. Somewhere there is a match for this.
I keep fishing for a person who has seen laminated ribs. No one yet.

 

[Treewater]

UFO planking.
This canoe has typical cedar planking with one exception. The top plank is oak and runs full length, 1 1/2 inches wide. I cannot tell if it was steam bent or cut to follow the up-sweep. Anyone seen something like this before?

 

[Treewater]

Here's the stern with the new oak plank. I'm a little concerned for putting on the canvas. Staples will be hard to drive

 

[Treewater]

Deck view, ribs, holes not fixed and seat hanger on right.