Canoe - Part 3

Yesterday was an exciting day. Scott and I bent the ribs around the form so there is now tangible evidence of a canoe taking shape.

Earlier in the week, I cut the bevels on the stems and Scott attached them to the form. Notches for the ribs that cross them were marked and chiseled out so they would sit flush with the stems.

The ribs had been soaking for several days, then were boiled for about half an hour before we attempted to bend them. It was amazing how easily they conformed to the required shapes. With one of us on either side of the form, the rib is slid under a strongback attached to the centerline  which prevents the rib from lifting as it is bent. The rib is held in position temporarily with a clamp to the inwale while we drill pilot holes for the bronze ring nails, two per rib. After about two hours all was finished: it looks like the skeleton of some large marine animal. As you will see in the photos, we only put in every other rib on the form since we are covering the boat with epoxy and fibreglass rather than canvas. This will result in a lighter but just as strong canoe as the glass/epoxy will provide structural strength where canvas is mainly just for waterproofing.

Next step is fairing the ribs with a long sanding board in preparation for the planking. I’ll have to wait a few days for everything to dry before this step. In the meantime, I’ll carry on building up varnish in the seats and yoke and carve out a paddle for myself. See below for more photos.