cedar rib canoe question

[walt]

I recently acquired an old Peterborough #4 cedar rib canoe I'm going to start work on and noticed something curious. (for those of you who are interested the serial number, on the combing, is 2559 4).
The attached pic shows what must be a support of some kind behind the stern thwart that I assumed had been added later (as other seat contraptions had) until I checked my other cedar rib and sure enough, it had the same support. But there's no indication of anything being screwed into it and I'm wondering if anyone has a canoe with one of these intact or an idea/pic of what I am assuming would be a bench or back rest of some sort that would have been used.
On another note, please, please tell me that there exists a chemical or technique that will remove silicone that has been jammed into every little gap in between about 180 ribs?

 

[jchu]

Nice to see another rib canoe Walt. No, mine had nothing of the sort in the stern but did have a seat. I'm just guessing, but maybe for a seat or bench like you said. I have a # 4 and would love to see any pictures you might want to send for comparisons to my original canoe.

jchurch_no1 at msn.com

Good luck with it, they are a beautiful craft. Getting mine ready to go out, ice is ready to pop out here.

Jeff Church

 

[Dan Miller]

I had a Peterborough cedar strip at one time that had those. I also have a loose seat that woulddrop in on supports like such, though the seat and the boat I had did not match. Not sure how it would work, as the thwart would make sitting in the seat somewhat uncomfortable.

 

[Michael Grace]

And I have a longitudinal strip canoe from the Canadian Canoe Co. that has the same thing. No seat or evidence that one was ever there; just the support pieces attached to the hull with three screws each.

Michael