Detachable Yoke for Swift Carbon Gunnels

[Black_Fly]

My Canoe has some threaded metal holes for a proprietary screw on yoke. Doesn’t look like my clamp on yoke will work (and it’s 800 miles away). Swift doesn’t have their yoke available. Anyone know a substitute yoke that might work with these gunnels? I could make one if I knew he thread size or better yet, acquire the same knobs.

 

[recped]

I bought knobs and bolts from Lee Valley but not for a "fancy" boat with a threaded inserts permanently in the gunnels.

Maybe Swift can tell you the thread size that fits> Be warned that since it's Swift they may be using metric threads.

Jig & Fixture Parts - Lee Valley Tools

Looking for Hardware for your next project? Shop Tool Hooks Collection on Lee Valley, and explore our indoor and outdoor hardware collection.

www.leevalley.com

To go with the knobs/bolts I bought wingnuts so no tools are required.

Iron Wing Nut - Lee Valley Tools

www.leevalley.com

One needs to make sure there is enough room for the wing nut to spin, space may be at a premium on those integrated gunnels.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Anyone know a substitute yoke that might work with these gunnels?

Swift offers a lightweight fabric yoke that may be satisfactory for short carries:

Packable Fabric Yoke - Swift Canoe & Kayak Outdoor Centres

A great option for those trips where you may only have one quick portage, or those who want to pack as light as possible. This yoke packs up small and adjusts to fit around a variety of pack boats and smaller solo canoes.

swiftoutside.com

Placid Boatworks also offers fabric yokes. Red Leaf (originally Bag Lady) no longer seems to.

There are threads on this site for making DIY yokes, including several variations of strap yokes.

 

[Black_Fly]

Swift offers a lightweight fabric yoke that may be satisfactory for short carries:

Packable Fabric Yoke - Swift Canoe & Kayak Outdoor Centres

A great option for those trips where you may only have one quick portage, or those who want to pack as light as possible. This yoke packs up small and adjusts to fit around a variety of pack boats and smaller solo canoes.

swiftoutside.com

Placid Boatworks also offers fabric yokes. Red Leaf (originally Bag Lady) no longer seems to.

There are threads on this site for making DIY yokes, including several variations of strap

 

[Black_Fly]

Thanks. I saw those. Need more comfort. I really would like to install the elevated pads like my NS yoke. Those hit my shoulders better and can be angled off the AC joint. Plus, a pack will clear the seat.

Maybe Swift will respond to my inquiry. Probably not going to be a fast project.

 

[Black_Fly]

I would think the knob bolt length a particular thickness yoke will also be an issue. I do anticipate it being a metric size.

 

[tketcham]

If your yoke is long enough to reach across each rail at midpoint I don't see why you couldn't drill out holes or channels in the yoke to retrofit with something from a hardware store or perhaps from Swift. Yes, the bolt length would have to accommodate the yoke thickness and have sufficient depth into the recessed nut. Swift warns about not over-tightening to avoid damaging the threads/nut. I'll try to remember to take a photo of Swift's yoke screw assembly so you can see how it's configured.

 

[Black_Fly]

Thanks. That would be very helpful.

 

[tketcham]

Here's what the bolt assembly looks like. It looks like the bolt head (probably with a square underside) fits into the nylon handle. I didn't try to pop it out of the handle to confirm. The friction keeper washer has a small nylon inset.

Those pencil marks are where I roughed in an area that I'm going to sand away to have rounded ends and save some weight.

 

[Alan Gage]

I'd start by going to the hardware store and buying a few bolts of varying sizes to figure out the thread size and pitch. Or just ask Swift. Then you can buy the correct knobs and make your own.

Alan

 

[tketcham]

I'd start by going to the hardware store and buying a few bolts of varying sizes to figure out the thread size and pitch. Or just ask Swift. Then you can buy the correct knobs and make your own.

Alan

I checked and a standard SAE 1/4 x 20 nut fit onto the bolt just right. I bet one of those 1/4" carriage bolts (or similar) would work well. The hardware store might even have some of those specialty stainless bolts and I've seen those keeper washers as well.

 

[Alan Gage]

My Ace Hardware has a selection of those plastic knobs as well but I don't remember if they're standard or metric.

Alan

 

[kahel]

Those pencil marks are where I roughed in an area that I'm going to sand away to have rounded ends and save some weight.

ha ha, that was a good one.

 

[kahel]

by the way - here there you can find a lot of screw bolts with knobs - which will be able to fix your problem.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=screw+bolts+with+knobs&language=en_US

regards
Michael

if not - there will be an other option with a sufficient screw, a round piece of wood and some Epoxi.

 

[tketcham]

and save some weight.

I figured that would look funny. I'm going to do a lot more rasping and sanding than just those ends. The yoke is beefy enough for a Royalex tandem expedition canoe but the yoke is being used with an UL solo so I'm going to carve away a lot of excess material. And yes, it will be lighter in weight.

 

[kahel]

O.K. I didn't mean to offend you.

I didn't realize that there is also an ultra-lightweight fraction in the sport of canoeing, who do everything possible to remove material in every conceivable place in order to save weight.

As someone who only has bombproof and heavy equipment, that sounded pretty weird to me.

 

[Alan Gage]

O.K. I didn't mean to offend you.

I didn't realize that there is also an ultra-lightweight fraction in the sport of canoeing, who do everything possible to remove material in every conceivable place in order to save weight.

As someone who only has bombproof and heavy equipment, that sounded pretty weird to me.

It seems like the European market is mostly centered around Royalex and T-Formex canoes without a lot of lightweight composites. At at least that's the impression I get.

While there are plenty of robust and heavy canoes sold in the US as well many of us have found that even for pretty extreme use that bomb proof canoes aren't really necessary and there are a lot of lightweight composite canoes out there.

But even those lightweight hulls share many components with their heavy weight brothers. So the same yoke that carries a 70 pound tandem is the same one used for a 30 pound composite. Gunwale dimensions often remain the same as well.

While I don't consider myself a gram weenie I have gone to considerable time and expense when building canoes to shave weight where I can and it definitely adds up, especially on trips with lots of portaging.

Alan

 

[sailsman63]

I bet one of those 1/4" carriage bolts (or similar) would work well.

Just as a side point, in case you are considering following some of the other recommendations and buying online: You probably don't want a carriage bolt. They're the ones with a rounded head with no way to grip or drive them. (they're intended to be tightened into the surface of timbers by a nut from the other side.) Probably won't work so well going into a threaded insert.

 

[tketcham]

O.K. I didn't mean to offend you.

No worries, I wasn't offended. I was going to explain in my earlier post but didn't.

You probably don't want a carriage bolt. They're the ones with a rounded head with no way to grip or drive them. (they're intended to be tightened into the surface of timbers by a nut from the other side.)

I guess I didn't explain well enough that the bolt that slides into the plastic knob probably has a squared section (right below the round head) that fits into a corresponding inset in the knob, just like a carriage bolt into a timber.

 

[sailsman63]

No worries, I wasn't offended. I was going to explain in my earlier post but didn't.


I guess I didn't explain well enough that the bolt that slides into the plastic handle probably has a squared section (right below the round head) that fits into a corresponding inset in the handle, just like a carriage bolt into a timber.

View attachment 140484

Oh... You're thinking of getting/creating something like those knobs? That could work.