A Slow Boat To Nowhere

[shipwright]

Is that part actually called a thwart in the plans Al? I'm not so familiar with canoes but I would have called that a yoke or carrying yoke. Thwart is the name usually used for seats in small boats.
???

Paul

[algale]

The plans for my canoe call it a yoke.

But on the canoe forums I see the term thwart used generically for any cross-member (although never as a seat).

But you're the shipbuilder, Paul, so I'll go with what you say!

[charlese]

Oh shucks! Although it looks like a yoke, (thinking of oxen)I was happy to learn the name thwart.
Whatever it's called, it is beautiful.

[algale]

So, the bow seat is temporarily bolted in. My prior mistake with the initial fitting of the yoke made me pay a lot of attention to the tumblehome when installing the seat and I got a good, tight fit.

IMG_2698.JPG (194.47 KiB) Viewed 5895 times

FullSizeRender(7).jpg (361.5 KiB) Viewed 5895 times

I still need to make the spacers that fit between the seat and the gunwale. And I need to do a better job seating the bolt heads, a job which is made a little complicated by the angle of the gunwale.

The seat has exactly 10 inches of clearance under it and the top of the seat is 11 inches to the bottom of the canoe. Any lower and I fear the bow paddler won't be able to get their feet under the seat for kneeling in rougher water and the sitting position will be very uncomfortable. But it seems relatively high to the gunwale compared to some of the pictures I have seen.

Any experienced paddlers have views on seat height?

[JPG]

So, the bow seat is temporarily bolted in. My prior mistake with the initial fitting of the yoke made me pay a lot of attention to the tumblehome when installing the seat and I got a good, tight fit.

IMG_2698.JPG

FullSizeRender(7).jpg

I still need to make the spacers that fit between the seat and the gunwale. And I need to do a better job seating the bolt heads, a job which is made a little complicated by the angle of the gunwale.

The seat has exactly 10 inches of clearance under it and the top of the seat is 11 inches to the bottom of the canoe. Any lower and I fear the bow paddler won't be able to get their feet under the seat for kneeling in rougher water and the sitting position will be very uncomfortable. But it seems relatively high to the gunwale compared to some of the pictures I have seen.

Any experienced paddlers have views on seat height?

Counterbore the heads slightly?

[algale]

Counterbore the heads slightly?

Exactly what I have done. I think I just need to deepen the counterbores sligthly.

[algale]

Has someone shot a hole through the stern of my canoe?

IMG_2714.JPG (166.82 KiB) Viewed 5819 times

The hole (along with an identical one in the bow) is preparation for the insertion of a copper tube that will be epoxied in and allow me to insert bow and stern lines for various purposes, including car topping, tying up to a dock or the shore, towing the canoe behind another boat or lining it through rough water. Drilling that hole through an otherwise perfectly good hull was absolutely traumatic. Hated doing it.

Here's the copper tube, pre-epoxy. It will get cut down flush to the hull.

IMG_2719.JPG (183.37 KiB) Viewed 5819 times

[rjent]

Has someone shot a hole through the stern of my canoe?

IMG_2714.JPG

The hole (along with an identical one in the bow) is preparation for the insertion of a copper tube that will be epoxied in and allow me to insert bow and stern lines for various purposes, including car topping, tying up to a dock or the shore, towing the canoe behind another boat or lining it through rough water. Drilling that hole through an otherwise perfectly good hull was absolutely traumatic. Hated doing it.

Here's the copper tube, pre-epoxy. It will get cut down flush to the hull.

IMG_2719.JPG

I am not sure I could have LOL. There is no other way? Wow is all I can say. I trust you, but just Wow ....

[algale]

I am not sure I could have LOL. There is no other way? Wow is all I can say. I trust you, but just Wow ....

Some folks put a piece of hardware like a ring on the deck or the very top of the stem but it just isn't nearly as secure an attachment method and if lining or towing the boat a high attachment makes it much more prone to capsizing according to folks with a lot more canoeing experience than I.

Believe me I dreaded doing it and my hands were shaking as I drilled it.

[jsburger]

I am sure it is in solid wood but why?? I can't imagine why you want to do that. It is not necessary in any case that I can think of and to me it detracts from the beautiful canoe you have built. Please explain.