Detachable Yoke for Swift Carbon Gunnels

[billconner]

Use an eye-bolt and washer. 1/4 -20 eyebolts should be found almost any hardware or big box, in stainless even. And unlike some plastic handles, it will never break.

 

[yknpdlr]

When I bought my carbon innegra crusier from Bill last year, I told him would like to use an existing wood yoke width already sized that I also use on other solo canoes that accept its original clamped nuts. That would not work in the cruiser. Bill included his bolt assembly and knobs with prepared threaded assembly in the gunwales with the boat delivery. He had a wood or carbon yoke for several hundred dollars that he could have sold to me instead. But my old shaped wood yoke fits perfectly, used wth a tip/tilt hand line from bow to stern.

 

[billconner]

I het he'd like to sell you that carbon yoke US $700! (Today) Their cherry wood version is "only" US $200. I bought a used Swift that came with that yoke and afterwards the seller admitted they erred on the price. It was an early one, with clamps, before threaded inserts in the gunwales. Carbon doesn't clamp to carbon well.

 

[Peregrin8or]

I recently found a nice lightweight solo, used. I ordered a detachable, clamp-on yoke from Piragis Northwoods, made by Hidden Valley Yoke (I think) to portage the thing. The yoke was quite a bit longer and bulkier than needed, so I cut a replacement piece out of some scrap 1/2" MDO plywood I had around, as a test. Here's a photo. The bolts, knobs, pads and "risers" all came with the commercial yoke.

It's worked well so far, but I'm planning on testing some replacement shoulder pads carved out of yoga blocks, and some 1/4" stainless bolts instead of these 3/8" bolts and knobs. I'd like to make a it a bit lighter and a bit more comfortable.

 

[Black_Fly]

Decided to make my own. Found some stainless thumb screws on Amazon, bought a blank yoke, bolt on pads from Northstar. Will post a picture when complete.

 

[bcelect]

How did you make out Blackfly? I just made one for mine. I bought a cherry Yoke from Northwest Canoe Outfitters. The knob I used, is a round knob, from Ace Hardware and the bolt is a 3" stainless steel, Allen cap screw, fully threaded, and cut down to allow five turns into the rivnut.
The knob has the Nylock anti vibration insert so it won't come out unless a wrench is used. I counter bored the gunwale side a little deeper than
most, to in order to accommodate the clearance of the gunwale rivnut and to allow using a 1/4x20 nut held in place with locktite to keep the bolt and knob attached instead of the little washer with the O-Ring. I was considering using another Nylock nut but that would require counter boring it too deep.
The Gunwale is at a little of an angle so drilling the hole into the yoke needs to be angled or in my case, I just gave the hole some extra clearance.

 

[Black_Fly]

bcelect,
Worked out well. I used the same yoke as you, but with an eyebolt. I tried several thumbscrews, which were not threaded enough, wouldn’t go all the way.

Post a photo of your yoke when you can. I’m always ready to improve mine.

 

[bcelect]

Knobs with Allen Cap Screws.