BN Morris

[fred capenos]

Hello
This will be the first of many questions I'm sure.This restoration will be slow because I want to keep the canoe sea worthy while I finish the Book Case Canoe. I'll just do one small thing at a time until it gets down to removing the canvas. These questions pertain to Morris seats. I've received two opinions regarding the seat hardware. one is slotted screws and the other is carriage bolts. Who's right. Next, the seats on this canoe are Mahogany and they have Mahogany pegs in the four corners holding the caning in. Is this correct? Also, the seat spacers are square as compared to round in every other canoe I've seen. Is this correct?

Thanks in advance for your help
Fred

 

[Dan Miller]

I've received two opinions regarding the seat hardware. one is slotted screws and the other is carriage bolts. Who's right.

Round head slotted screws are correct for an open gunwale Morris.

Next, the seats on this canoe are Mahogany and they have Mahogany pegs in the four corners holding the caning in. Is this correct?

Yes, this the typical treatment of seat caning when corner holes are present.

 

[fred capenos]

B N Morris

Thank you Dan, and I would at this time like to say Thanks to David Mc Danial and state that I will never doubt you again.

Later Fred

 

[Michael Grace]

Hi Fred,

Here are some pics for comparison.

First is a shot of the seat spacer block and slotted machine screw supporting the seat in a 14xxx Morris. This canoe is a 16' open gunwale model with short decks and mahogany trim. I have a 17' canoe, serial number 15xxx that is closed gunwales with long decks and mahogany trim. It does not use the round-head slotted screws, but it does have the square blocks.

Second photo is of a significantly older closed gunwale Morris. It uses copper cylinders as seat spacers. I have another similar Morris, also older and closed gunwale, and it also uses the copper cylinders.

Michael

 

[fred capenos]

B N Morris

Thank You Michael. I'll go with sloted screws, peged corners, and blocks instead of cylinders.

Fred

 

[fred capenos]

Next question

It appears that the outwales on this Morris are nailed on from the inside. Screws are used at the seat and thawart locations. Are all B N Morris open gunwale canoes made this way,and if not, do we know if and when they started using screws.

Fred

 

[David McDaniel]

B N Morris

Fred;
Yes the open gunnel Morris used steel finish nails to attach the
outwale to the inner, and the screws you will notice are at either
side of the thwart,to reinforce this junction.
later Dave

 

[fred capenos]

B N Morris

Thank you David. At the risk of being Keel-Hauled, has anyone out there used screws to re-install the outwales? These outwales are in good shape except for the last 3 inches and the usual dark stain around steel fastners.

Fred

 

[David McDaniel]

B N Morris

Fred;
Yes, I have used screws installed from the inwale to the outwale
with a very small countersink and waffer sized bung,glued to the
screw head. The screws hold much better and don't let the canvas
slip.
later Dave

 

[fred capenos]

B N Morris

David. Thank you Sir. Screws it will be, and any decay from the nails will drill out.

Fred

 

[fred capenos]

B N Morris

Hello,
This is my next question. What type of fasteners did Morris use to fasten the decks to the rails? I doubt that the decks on this canoe are original. they are fastened with small brass brads (5/8' long X.050" in diamiter. About 35 of these are in each deck.

Fred

 

[David McDaniel]

B N Morris

Fred;
The two open gunnel Morris canoes that I have owned
had steel brads coutersunk and filled above the head with
filler and stained to match the deck wood. I believe this to
be the original method. I am sure that brass brads were also
used.
later Dave

 

[fred capenos]

B N Morris

Thank ya David
Fred

 

[mdouglass]

I recently acquired a 1915 B.N. Morris. On the inwale, just a few inches aft of the front deck or breasthook is a small brass fitting with a hole in it. The fitting is smaller in diameter than a dime. I have a couple other spots where the brass fitting is missing, but, a grommet-like impression of the lost fitting remains in the wood and varnish, along with a centered threaded impression deeper within the inwale's wood.

It seems to me that the hole in the fitting was to receive another piece of hardware such as a pin, or the end of a wire. Does anyone have any idea what these fittings might be for?

Mark Douglass

 

[pklonowski]

It may be for a flagpole... Pictures would help.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Yes, pictures would help... nothing springs to mind. As with any canoe, Morrises commonly had a painter ring and sockets for pennants, and some of the models used in liveries were electrified and had other fancy gear attached to them.

 

[Dan Miller]

Another vote for photos... possibly mounting hardware for a canopy?

 

[mdouglass]

Here are some photos.

Mark Douglass

 

[fred capenos]

Are there holes in both inwales? If so, how far apart, and are they symmetric? How many holes?

 

[mdouglass]

Although I have submitted four photos, in the bow there are only two locations. They are on the inside surface of the inwales, located 1-1/2 inches aft of the breasthook/foredeck on starboard and port sides. The distance between them is 6 inches. They are symmetrically placed. Of these two locations, I only have one remaining brass fitting. The other fitting is lost but a grommet-like impression remains.

Also near the aft seat, I have one grommet-like impression remaining on one side, but no brass fitting. On the other side, the grommet-like impression is further aft.

The inwales have a variety of scratches, dents, mars, abrasions, nails, nail holes, screws, screw holes, etc. to suggest that the inwales are original on both sides.

I am wondering if these just might be artifacts of a courting canopy as suggested by you, Dan, and by you, Fred. Also, see post #4 under the courting canoe canopy thread submitted by Michael Grace.

(On reconsideration, I will have to carefully re-examine the placement of some of the screws in the inwales to see if they were placed into holes where other brass fittings may have been.)

Mark Douglass