canvas canoe question

[stuckinthemud]

I am undertaking one of the slowest builds in history, building a variant of Miller`s waterrat IV sailing canoe as decribed in http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com . I pre-bent the ash ribs last june, got the stringers milled last july, and then stopped.... still Summer`s coming and its time to dustoff the workbench, BUT there`s one thing I don`t understand. In his stem construction, Miller describes cutting a 1/4" rabbet to receive the canvas. Why? as I undersrand it fabric is usually stretched around the stem, so why would you need this rabbet?.The skinning instructions in Millers` account are vague at best, any help/advice would be gratefully received.

[Canoeyawl]

Perhaps so the stem bands will lie flush?

[Bruce Hooke]

If you don't get the information you need here you might want to post this question over at the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association forum...there are lots of wood-canvas canoe fanatics who hang out over there and who may be more familiar with the issue you are asking about.

[stuckinthemud]

I never thought that stem bands would wrap so far around the stem, but it does make sense. Thanks for the WCHA reference Bruce, never knew they existed but I`m gonna enjoy visiting their forum.

[Fitz]

We need more information. I couldn't find any canoes on your link. WCHA is a great resource.

[Canoez]

I couldn't find the information the OP was talking about, but would assume the rabbet was on the sides of the stem to allow the bedded canvas to be tacked in without having a surface be proud? I'd think that would be difficult to get the canvas stretched well, seated and sealed.

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

Kareela (PBK27 canvas kayak) was built by wrapping each side of the hull canvas around the stem- and stern-posts for about 2" and tacking them into the posts. Everything was then painted for watertightness. Then a small cover-piece was fitted over the whole lot and glued into place with contact cement before it too was painted. That's expressing it a little simply as I had to allow for the deck canvas finishing there too, but that was the principle and it went perfectly simply and straightforwardly.

Here's the boat, and I can probably get a photo of one of the end-covers if you need it.

I'm assuming yours is an open canoe, but there's a Kayak Building Forum here where you might find something of interest too.

Mike

[stuckinthemud]

How embarasing, your right the link doesn`t work, but a google using miller sail canoe waterrat IV will take you to it. The canoe in fact will be decked, and may sport a gunter rig and mizzen one day, in about 5 years time at the current rate of build.... If you could post a pic of the end covers Mike, that could be really useful.

[Songololo]

This one? http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~fassitt/canoe_mirror/miller/miller_22.html

[stuckinthemud]

Thats the one! How did you post the article?

[Songololo]

For the link: used the Insert Link button in the Quick Reply or Reply to Thread dialog; pasted the link from the web browser path box into the link box.

For the pics: used the Insert Image button; pasted the image path and name (right-click on image and select Copy Image Location - in Firefox) into the box on the URL tab, unticked the 'Retrieve remote file...' option.

[stuckinthemud]

Thanks

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

Here you are -- bow and stern covers shown below. Sorry about the rather poor photos -- she's in storage in my garage and can't be removed until my stepson relocates his showroom from the front half.... She's also looking her age as you can tell, but she reached her half-century last year so I guess we shouldn't be all that surprised.

On the bow shot you can see a crease underneath the end-cover left by the edge of the hull canvas. You can also see the lines of the gunwales and stringers. If I can find the construction photos I took with my Brownie box camera at the time, I'll scan and post some of the internal framing to show how it all went together (with no rebates anywhere.)

Mike

[stuckinthemud]

Thanks (again), very useful