Chapter XXIV: How to Make a Canvas Canoe

BY E. T. LITTLEWOOD, M.A.

I propose to give directions for the construction of a canvas canoe requiring the expenditure of from 15s. to £1 in money, from a week to a fortnight of spare time, a very few tools, and a moderate amount of skill.

I have from time to time made canoes of various kinds, and have been led to adopt the pattern to be hereafter described as being most easily and cheaply constructed, and as possessing the important characters of speed, comfort, safety, and durability, and not being too heavy to carry on the shoulder for a quarter of a mile or so if necessary.

To proceed at once to my directions. It will be best to build under cover, though this is not a necessity. For the keel take a piece of straight deal or pine, free from imperfections, 10 ft. × 2 in. × 1 in. For stem and stern post, which should be alike, pieces of oak or elm should be cut to the pattern shown (Fig. 1) from a piece with a curved grain (to be had for about 6d.) 1 ft. 6 in. × 1 ft. × 3/4 in.; 3 in. at the ends should be bevelled off and fitted to the ends of the keel, taking care that the latter forms one plane with them. They are best fixed in their place by driving copper nails through, and tapping their ends over perforated caps known as ‘burs,’ which can be easily obtained; but wire nails clenched will do here, as in other parts of the work.

Next from 1/2 in. deal plank cut out two shapes to fit over keel (allowing it to project 1/4 in.), according to patterns (Figs. 2 and 3). Strips of 3/4 in. should be nailed on each side of the sockets cut for the keel, coming rather nearer at their other ends. The use of these is both to strengthen the shapes themselves and to make them fit firmly and tightly to the keel, also to make supports for the coamings round the well, to be described later.

The shapes should be placed with strips turned towards the ends of the canoe and at right angles to the keel, the larger one 10 in. behind the middle point of the keel, and the smaller one 2 ft. 10 in. in front of the same point (Fig. 4). Take care that the middle points of the shapes are in a straight line with the stem and stern post. A good nail may now be driven right through the two ends of each pair of strips, clipping the keel tightly between them. Next take two clean strips of deal rather longer than the canoe. They should be perfectly free from knots or imperfections, or much trouble will be occasioned afterwards. Say 1-1/2 in. × 3/4 in. Fit them on as in Fig. 4, bevelling off the ends, and nailing into stem and stern post.

They should be allowed to take their natural curve, but pulled lengthways a little, so as to hold well to the shapes. Both sides should be alike, and the shapes should not be driven out of the central line. To prevent this, before nailing get a friend to hold the two ends against the stem while you nail the other ends to the stern post. Then nail the former ends to the stem, pulling them towards you a little, and keeping your eye on the central line. They may now be nailed to the shapes by means of corner pieces.

Next prepare, or get a carpenter to prepare for you, ten strips a little longer than the canoe, and 1/4 in. square. This is a very good thickness. These are to be arranged as in Fig. 5, the distances between the strips being equal, or, if anything, decreasing a little towards the keel, where the pressure of the water will be greatest. They should be put on in the same way as the upper stronger strips which already form the gunwale. I may repeat that this thin wood must be thoroughly good. If any strip is not so, it is useless and must be replaced by another. Cut rests for the strips in the shapes, allowing them to project a little. Let the strips lie flat to the edges of the shapes. Do not, however, _twist_ them in fitting their ends to stem and stern post. Those edges of the strips which would press into the canvas must be planed off. The ends, especially near the keel, will require care in fitting (Fig. 6).

It is better to drive no nails through the strips except at the ends. Those parts of the shapes which are between the strips should now be hollowed out (Fig. 7), so that when the water presses in the canvas no projection shall be produced across the direction of motion of the canoe, as such projections seriously retard its progress. All the edges of the strips which would be liable to work through the canvas should be shaved off as before mentioned.

Next for the coamings round the well in which to sit. This should be made generally strong. Make a framework of deal 2 in. × 3/4 in., to fit in exactly between the shapes as shown in Fig. 10. The breadth at the stern end may be 18 in., and at the other 14 in. This will be quite broad enough. The two end pieces should be well nailed into those strips by which the shapes were strengthened. Also fit struts between the middle points of the sides of the well and the gunwale. Fit two strips about 1-1/2 in. × 3/4 in., or 2 in. × 1/2 in., from the middle point of the top of each shape, or end of the well, to the stem and stern post, nailing the gunwale at each end into it through some interposed wedges, so as to make a solid triangle at each end.

In each of the three compartments of the canoe fit a strengthening rib, as shown in Fig. 8 for middle, Fig. 9 for ends, which will sufficiently explain the construction. They should be fastened to the gunwale, but the thinner strips had better be arranged merely to rest against them, and not to be nailed into them. They need only be made of thin wood. Thin oak would be best.

Put one or two light cross strengtheners between the two sides of the gunwale, and one or two from the keel to the upper longitudinal pieces. The latter may be nailed into the cross pieces. Go carefully over the whole framework, removing any eminences or loose nails likely to wear a hole in the canvas, remembering always that the water will press it well against the framework, and the canoe will be ready for covering. But the floor should be first put in, which may consist of a piece of 1/2 in. plank laid on the keel, strengthened at each end by a cross piece. By means of the latter it may be nailed into the shapes, and another piece across the middle may be added, which will not interfere with sitting.

The covering is best made of what is known by linendrapers as ‘crash,’ strong and close. It must be wide enough to go completely under the canoe, and can be had about 5 ft. wide, which will be quite wide enough. Seven yards of it will be sufficient.

To put on the canvas, turn the canoe over. Lay the canvas with the centre line along the keel. Stretch it well by pulling at each end, and tack it through the middle at the extreme ends with a few tacks in a temporary manner. Put in temporary tacks along the gunwale at moderate intervals, stretching slightly, and endeavour to get rid of all folds. Begin in the middle and work towards the ends, and always pull straight away from the keel, and not along the gunwale. Then put in a second set of tacks half way between the first set of tacks on one side, pulling fairly tightly. Then on the other side put in tacks opposite to the latter, pulling as tightly as possible. The best way to do this is to seize the canvas with a pair of pincers, so that on pulling you can get the head of the pincers just over the gunwale, when they can be used as a lever to give an extra pull. A tack may then be put in on the outside of the gunwale. Half-inch galvanised tacks will do. Now remove the temporary set of tacks. To get rid of folds, which will not occur along the keel, but along the gunwale, keep bisecting the distance between two consecutive tacks by another tack, so that the canvas is equally loose on each side of it, always now pulling the canvas as tightly as possible. In this way the folds will disappear, and the canvas be stretched tight and well fastened to the gunwale. Leave that portion within a foot of each end untacked. Next cut away all that portion which projects beyond the stem and stern post, turn the edges in, and tack along the edges at moderate distances. Bisect these distances, and these again, till you have a very close row of tacks, as in Fig. 12. Pull fairly tight, but not too tight, and do not use pincers for this part. Quarter-inch tacks will be best. The ends may be cut out and put on, lapping the edges over the side, as shown in Fig. 12, and enough canvas will be left to fill the part along the sides of the well, into which the canvas should be tacked with a fine row of tacks, afterwards being stretched over the gunwale. The canoe will now be completely covered in except the well. Before putting on the top, however, give the lower part outside a good coating of boiled linseed oil. This will be most of it absorbed into the canvas. The same may be done afterwards with the top. When this is dry--that is, after two or three days--give another good coating of the same. Then paint the canoe according to taste. Two coats for the bottom will be advisable, and paint which will stand water well should be used. It would be well to paint the framework with one coat before covering.

Make a stretcher (Fig. 13) for the feet of 1/2 in. board, and slips to fit it into (Fig. 10), with stops on the floor. Also a backboard of 1/2 in. board to correspond (Fig. 14). Each piece in the latter may be 18 in. × 4 in. They should be nailed into two cross-pieces behind, so as to form a hollow for back, and should be placed 2 in. apart, to allow a space for the spine. I prefer myself to fit in the backboard by means of stops on the floor and back of the well, making it keep one position, and that at a considerable slope, and have not found a swinging backboard so comfortable as some appear to have done.

For the paddle, for which I think about 7 ft. 6 in. long over all is a good length, take a light, clean piece of yellow pine or fir 1-1/2 in. × 1-1/4 in., not more, and 6 ft. long. In the ends of this cut slots 6 in. long, each to receive two pear-shaped pieces of very light 1/2 in. plank 1 ft. 3 in. × 8 in. Nail them through with copper nails if possible. The blades should be at right angles to the thickest direction of the handle. Before nailing-in shave down the handle from an oval of 1-1/2 in. × 1-1/4 in. for 2 ft. of the middle to an oval of about 1-1/8 in. × 7/8 in. near the beginning of the blades. The handle should have its full thickness at the beginning of the blade but should be well tapered off along the blade, so as to be quite thin at its middle, where it ends. It should have its full breadth across the breadth of the blade. The blade itself may be shaved off thinner towards the edges. I do not think that for ordinary purposes any strip of copper or tin need be put round the blade, and the weight is increased by using it. The great thing about a paddle is that it should be as light as possible, and, if it appears able to stand it, it may be reduced still further. It may be painted or varnished, all but two feet in the middle. I find no rings on the paddles necessary.

A short strip nailed outside the gunwale in the middle of the canoe is a good thing; it prevents wear from the paddle, and forms something to catch hold of in lifting the canoe. A short outer keel is also a good thing at each end to prevent wear; but in making holes for the nails through the canvas into the keel care must be taken to turn in the edges round each hole, to tack with a close circle of tacks, and paint well, so as to render the place watertight.

An apron is seldom wanted, but may be made of canvas rendered waterproof with boiled oil if desired. It is well to fasten some inflated bladders in each end, so as to make the canoe a diminutive lifeboat, in case of an upset or of a hole being knocked in her.

The canoe will now be ready for launching. The owner should learn to put her carefully into the water and take her out by himself--to carry her on his shoulder. Superfluous wood may be cut from the central parts of the shapes, and also from along the keel towards the ends before covering. The floor forms a considerable item in the weight, consequently this should be made no wider or thicker than necessary. In paddling, learn to reach well forward and back, with a good swing of the body from side to side.

Such a canoe as described will be found to wear well, and one made by myself for a friend two years ago is now in use, and quite watertight.