'74 16' Chipewyan

[Bduke]

Hello all, I have been lurking without being a member for a bit, but i recently acquired a 1974 16' Chipewyan. I did contact OT and got all i could from them. The boat looks to be in good shape the gunnels are new but the original deck front and back could use a replacement. anyone know of a good option? I am not looking for a complete restore just want to give it some TLC before we take her out.

For what its worth OT customer service mentioned the cap below may fit with some modifications anyone try it?

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Welcome to membership, Bduke.

It's a long shot that someone has done this exact replacement -- a Charles River deck onto a Chipewyan. However, you should be able to estimate the fit via measurements. Are your gunwales wood or plastic? If they are wood, they may be able to be shaped at the ends to fit this deck.

Alternatively, you could just get a short end cap instead of a full deck. Here are some sources:

End Cap / Deck Canoe ABS

ABS plastic canoe end caps for finishing off the ends of gunwales.

www.cwoutfitting.com

Mad River Canoe End Cap

Oak Orchard Canoe and Kayak, we ship anywhere in the U.S. and Canada from our great selection of kayaks, canoes, and Yakima - car and truck racks. The best prices and service.

www.oakorchardcanoe.com

https://northwestcanoe.com/shop/ols/products/end-cap

 

[Bduke]

thank you those are great links.

I have plastic gunwales. But here is a newbie question, is the bow/stern angle shared across multiple canoes?

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

thank you those are great links.

I have plastic gunwales. But here is a newbie question, is the bow/stern angle shared across multiple canoes?

Might or might not be. Some canoes have narrower or wider end angles than other canoes. But the angles may be close enough that a deck plate or cap from one might fit another canoe. You can tell from the measurements given or shown by rulers for the products.

That Charles River deck is 18.75" along each side and 12" wide at the base. So, measure 18.75" from the nose along the gunwales of your Chipewyan and see if that creates a triangle with a 12" base. If it's close, you may be able to slide or snap it on.

 

[goonstroke]

Have you considered going deckless? You can always add some car door / kayak cockpit edge treatment and thwart-like grab handles. Those big vinyl decks are heavy and seem primarily intended to hide often crooked gunwhale ends.

 

[Mike McCrea]

If your OT Chipewyan-model has off-white/cream colored gunwales be very careful.

Every OT I have worked on or seen with those cream gunwales had suffered UV degredation. If it has cream gunwales that would explain why the matching cream deck plates are missing. With enough UV exposure those deck plastic plate would shatter like peanut brittle.

Same for the gunwales if you subject the gunwales to any impact, or even tie the Chipewyan to the roof racks too forcefully. Those off-white/cream gunwales and deck plates apparently had no UV inhibitor.

It matters how much UV exposure that near 50 year old hull has seen. With missing deck plates probably a lot.