Royalex Bell Nexus

[BWCA66]

Anybody have or use one of these? I ask because 20 miles from me there are some brand new hulls sitting on a rack. These were never completed when Bell shut down. Just wondering what people thought of this model, thinking it might be fun to get one and finish it.

 

[Canotrouge]

No Title

Bell Nexus, I own one and paddle one and it is not a fishing boat.... it is a ww play boat/river runner... In the picture below is my wife and her sister.

 

[BWCA66]

Bell Nexus, I own one and paddle one and it is not a fishing boat.... it is a ww play boat/river runner... In the picture below is my wife and her sister.

I get that it's a ww river boat, that said - do you like yours?

 

[Canotrouge]

Kind of, My wife likes it more than me. A bit slow, but dry and stable, for a ww canoe. Hahaha I just reread your post... an important word got lost in translation lol, finish it not fish with it... hahahaha....

Ok back to the Nexus, It was a Bob foote design, I found a place on the web, might be his website where there was 2 different ways of outfitting it regarding saddle placement, we went with more sporty closer together saddles.

It is a good boat, heavy like no other, slower than most, but dry and stable!

 

[Waterdog]

I had a Bell Prodigy, Bell Nexus, and Mad RIver Outrage X. The Nexus is a longer hull than the others and I had it set up as a solo. I agree with Canotrouge, its not the liveliest around, but if the hulls are priced right it would be a great boat to outfit. I only have the outrage x now but I'd by a Millbrook or Caption for my next one. Let me know if there's a Northstar on that rack. I'd love to fit one of those out!

Cheers,

Barry

 

[cflcanoe]

Why dose every one want the same boat as me? A Northstar.
Have to agree with Baryon. If the price is right and you like to out fit canoes then go for it. I would most likely buy a Whitesell if the price was right. And I live in Florida​

 

[Jim Dodd]

A Very Good Friend, just picked up the last three, today. One for me.

Though they are billed as a tandem, they look like they will make fun solos ! He also brought home Vinyl Gunnels. I ended up with two sets. They are wide channeled for the thicker Royalex hulls !

Looking for End caps now ! Plus any info on these hulls !

Thanks Canotrouge ! I may pic your brain for more details later ! Maybe a good choice for a Pedestal seat ?

This hull just looks like it would handle some of these narrow, fast flowing Iowa streams.

Jim

 

[Canotrouge]

A Very Good Friend, just picked up the last three, today. One for me.

Though they are billed as a tandem, they look like they will make fun solos ! He also brought home Vinyl Gunnels. I ended up with two sets. They are wide channeled for the thicker Royalex hulls !

Looking for End caps now ! Plus any info on these hulls !

Thanks Canotrouge ! I may pic your brain for more details later ! Maybe a good choice for a Pedestal seat ?

This hull just looks like it would handle some of these narrow, fast flowing Iowa streams.

Jim

Hmmm, I don'T know about that pig as a solo... It takes a lot of 2 paddlers to get her moving.... Have fun lol. If you go on Bob Foote page(google it) you should find some info on outfitting and design!

 

[Guest]

A Very Good Friend, just picked up the last three, today. One for me.

Though they are billed as a tandem, they look like they will make fun solos ! He also brought home Vinyl Gunnels. I ended up with two sets. They are wide channeled for the thicker Royalex hulls !

Looking for End caps now ! Plus any info on these hulls !

Jim, that is a great score, especially with an extra set of vinyl gunwales. I wonder what else is left up in La Crosse.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BELL-CANOE-NEXUS-TANDEM-WHITEWATER-ROYALEX-HULL-/263061094972

Nexus hull specs for those interested

14 foot 4 inches long
28 inch gunwale width, 30 waterline, 32 max
22 inch bow, 21 inch stern, 15.5 midships
5.75 inches of rocker bow, 5 inches stern
50 lbs
6 inch freeboard at 850 lbs

 

[Guest]

Jim, about the deck caps. If the naked hull is to be gunwaled in vinyl the plastic deck plates need to match the cross section of the one piece inwale and outwale gunwale box, as well as the angle of the vee stems, at least for a decent pop rivet fit.

The Nexus has a little bit of lay out in the stem, so the perfectly fitted vinyl gunwale deck plate would also have a slightly undercut lip at the tip.

I have three sets of long unused vinyl deck plates in the shop and would be happy to send you a set if they would fit. Lets measure to see what I have.

A near pristine set of black vinyl Old Town deck plates with a molded carry handle, slightly undercut at the stem. I am not sure how to size them for fit in description. Draw an Isosceles triangle, 17.5 inches along the equal sides, 9.5 hull width inches long at the base at hull width

A set of moderately scraped and dirtied black vinyl deck plates, not Old Towns, but with the identical OT gunwale channel. Straight tipped, no undercut, no layout. 20 inches long on the equal sides, 11 hull width inches long at the base.

A set incredibly bulbous stemmed brown vinyl Mohawks, slightly undercut. The gunwale channel is a bit more square than the other two, but very close in cross section. The tips of those deck plates are very wide, but FWIW, 18 inches along the side and 11 at the base.

Let me know, I would be happy to send you a tracing of the hull stem sheerline vee for any of those deck plates that might fit.

 

[Jim Dodd]

Thanks Mike ! I don't know that the Old Town caps will work ?

The Nexus, is quite round nosed ! I should put up a pic or two ! First going to TRY and locate originals, or at least see one first hand, and maybe try my hand at fabricating a set ?

I need to locate a Nearby Nexus !

Thanks for the Generous Offer Mike !!!

Jim

 

[Guest]

Thanks Mike ! I don't know that the Old Town caps will work ?

Jim, I do not know if you have worked with vinyl gunwales and deck plates before, but FWIW this is a scrap of vinyl gunwale cross section I keep in the shop to show the box channel and how the pop rivets and etc fit.

I seem to recall that Bell gunwales had a very different more rounded shape, but it has been a long time since I worked with Bell stuff.

P3150653 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

 

[Jim Dodd]

Hi Mike

Yes, the Bell gunnels had a different profile, but to my knowledge, they aren't available. They mimicked the profile of their wood gunnels. I'm also told they are harder to install. I would prefer the Bell originals !

Thanks Mike !

Jim

 

[Guest]

In case that vinyl gunwale photo is confusing, that is a busted out chunk of thick old school Royalex, with a vinyl gunwale pop rivted on one side and a too skinny hull channeled aluminum gunwale pop riveted on the other. And a snap rivet and a webbing loop pop riveted in as well, just for shop demonstration when friends come to work on their canoes,

Thanks Mike ! I don't know that the Old Town caps will work ?

maybe try my hand at fabricating a set ?

Better remembering the shape of Bell gunwales the Old Town, Mohawk, etc vinyl deck plates would look like crap and not fit worth a dang.

If you fabricate something do show and tell. Carbon Fiber? Maybe Kydex?

People make all sorts of convoluted stuff from Kydex, from holsters to knife cases to. . . . .deck plates?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fun-With-KYDEX/

 

[Mike McCrea]

I found deck caps that may fit the Bell Yellowstone Solo’s blunt stems. They may fit your Nexus; bulbous stemmed end caps for Wenonah’s Rendezvous, and even wider, blunt Wenonah stem caps, maybe for the Rouge or some other Wenonah WW hull.

I traced the outline of the Rendezvous caps. Happy to mail it to you if you are still in need, just let me know an address and I’ll stick a trace in the mail.