Y Stern Canvas

[shelldrake]

Hello All,

I am working on a 16' Canadian Canoe Co., Prospector style Y stern. The stem top, inwale ends and cant rib tops have been spliced and a new deck installed. I also added a thwart just aft of the bow seat and adjusted the lengths of the other thwarts to get a fair shape back. A new bow seat has been constructed and will be supported by cleats instead of hanging from the inwales. The interior has been stripped and I'm in the process of interior varnish. I have only canvassed double enders and was wondering if anyone had any tips on stretching at the stern end. Should the clamp be moved further aft than with a pointed end?

Also, I was told that the hull numbers were meaningless, but if anyone has any thoughts on them, I would appreciate it. The bow stem number is 924 and the stern 1646.

Thanks for you help.

Matt

I'm experiencing difficulties reducing the size of my images, so no pics.......sorry

 

[Kathryn Klos]

If your email program automatically reduces picture-size, you can email pictures to yourself and then post... or you can always email to me or "webmaster" to post for you.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Hi, I am no help on the numbers but as far as canvassing I've got some food for thought. Yes, the clamp would have to be further back of the transom and that takes more canvas to achieve. When I do transomed canoes or rowboats I staple the canvas to the transom at center, 3 or 4 staples. then I go to the bow and stretch the canvas by hand by putting my foot on the stem and pulling hard with both hands. I then, while balancing there on one foot, with the other foot on the stem and pulling with both hands, and then with the other hand I staple two or three staples temporarily to hold the canvas tight to the stem. the temporary stem staples come out later and are not cause for concern while splitting the canvas at the stem and closing it up last. Then I go midships and start stapling, one side then the other. Seems to work for me. I picked it up (stole it) from Gil at the Quiet Water Symposium. Oh, I should mention that this is done with the boat upside down. Ok, so the method described may require that you grow a third hand.

 

[shelldrake]

Thanks for the information Dave. Do you use clamps on double ended canoes and this technique only on sterned boats? The hand stretching sounds pretty simple, but I worry about getting it tight enough.

Anyone have any thoughts on my stem numbers?

Thanks,

Matt

 

[Dave Wermuth]

On dbl ended regular canoes I use the standard clamp system upside down. What I've been told is that it needs to be tight enough to get the wrinkles out. Tons of pressure aren't needed, in my opinion.

 

[bluedcanoed]

When I went to re-canvas my first square stern freighter, I asked Tom Evans in Saskatchewan how much canvas I would need. He said about six inches extra at the back. He told me to make a transom the same shape as the real one out of scrap wood and to staple the canvas to it first - then stretch the canvas as usual. It worked fine!

Bob

 

[goldencub]

I did what Bob did with my square ender, except that I made the false transom about an inch smaller than the real one - same shape, just a tad smaller. Then, staple the canvas to it and stretch fore and aft and proceed as usual. Seemed to work just fine. Al D

 

[shelldrake]

Thanks Bob and Al. I had that very same thought about using a "false" transom to guide the canvas. I will give it a try.

Matt