Hey folks, well the $500 kevlar I picked up last spring did not make it through its first winter, but I figure even with repair it will have been a good price.

Any idea if there is someone in Ottawa that can do aluminum? Last spring Trailhead was $325 for vinyl and $650 for ash, but they did not do aluminum. They also sell the vinyl rails for $70 each if I want to DIY. How hard would that be?

I would prefer aluminum gunwales but I guess the vinyl will do. Definitely do not want wood.

I will post a video once it is available - maybe it is possible to just repair the existing wood in place not sure. The inside gunwales seem fine it is the outside ones that are iffy in a few places. Original owner also stored it outside.

Here is what it looks like - can I just repair that section of the outwale?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CAXg_W_XCM

Maybe I'll just buy the parts from Trialhead and try to do it myself with vinyl. Though aluminum would still be preferred.

Looks like Mad River sells aluminum gunwales to order.

https://www.madrivercanoe.com/us/experi ... site-hulls

I wonder if a local aluminum extruder might be able to make some for me?

Western Canoeing - Clipper Canoes - has aluminum gunnels - perhaps available from a dealer near you?

https://westerncanoekayak.com/aluminum-gunnel/

I had thoughts of ordering some 4' ash splicing sections to repair the wooden gunwales on my M.R. Indy from HarmonyGear.com https://www.harmonygear.com/products/98 ... -4-ft.html

Turned into a giant shipping hassle. Decided to "mill" my own sections with a table saw and power sander ... and found a lumberyard that stocked ash (Peacock's in Oshawa if anyone is interested) ... but I realized that if I waited until I got out there to buy the ash the work could be held up indefinitely. I decided to damn the aesthetics (I just want a solo boat to get on the water) and used more widely available white oak.

Didn't turn out to be a thing of beauty, but its not fugly either ... and now I'm ready to paddle!

This guy makes it look easy. Is it standard practice to make new screw holes and not go through the old holes in the hull?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiZzgUdHQp4

User KipawaRob pinged me on this and offered to do it in wood if I wanted. His price was very competitive and the work is superb! I'll post some pics when I get some.

Thanks Rob!

Great to meet a fellow MyCCRer

Wood is definitely an option, especially if you just replace the outwale.

If you want to switch to aluminum that’s also an option.

Do you know the manufacturer?

_________________
Brian
http://www.JohnstonPursuits.ca

 

I make my own ash gunnels from 1x10 by 3/4" by 10' ash from a local supplier. I rip the ash to a little over 3/4" wide and then I made a jig to make long splices (10") on my table saw ( a cheep Sears table saw with a good blade) I glue two 10' piece's together with Tightbond III at the splice and end up with 20' ash gunnels. You only need 8 metal C clamps to do a good splice, and I can install them with those 8 clamps too. A belt sander cleans up the splice very well. I make new holes when I install the gunnels, not an issue imo

Here's a video of new gunnels going on. https://youtu.be/r-wcPPOWiIE