Not really cheating, standard Merrimack configuration is Cherry out and Ash in.
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Happy National Pfeffernusse Day! ⚪🇩🇪😋
Not really cheating, standard Merrimack configuration is Cherry out and Ash in.
Ash on the inwale?? I've not heard of that but that is interesting.
Pretty much the standard Merrimack tradition, ash seats, yokes, thwarts and inner gunnel with cherry handles, decks and outer gunnels. Substitute other woods for the cherry but pretty much always use ash.
OK. we have a mill nearby....
Here's a close-up of a dirty (Missouri River mud) Merrimack Souhegan with ash and cherry trim.
Ok, so, I've done ash in and out. Ash in and cherry out. Red Oak out, twice, bends nice but needs to be sealed really well and won't do it again. Honduran Mahogany outers once, flattish shear line so not much bending involved. Douglas Fir in and out. I prefer cherry but need to scarf it.. oh wait, cannot get Anything at 16 foot other than DF so everything gets a scarf.
Presently use a 4" ABS pipe for a steam chamber but building a bigger box out of foiled foam, roomier and should hold the heat better. The pipe tends to sag at 210 degrees. I need a steel milk can for water for new steamer as well. It would be big enough to steam a couple dozen ribs at once but considering the likelihood of ever building a w/c from scratch, I may reduce the chamber size a tad.
For steaming on the boat we use a length of RV waste hose. Slip it down the rail, hook up to steamer, rag in the far in as best as possible, can then heat and slide it slowly off as you bend the rail into place, keeping the heat on the as yet unbent portion. Works well.
Presently use a 4" ABS pipe for a steam chamber but building a bigger box out of foiled foam, roomier and should hold the heat better. The pipe tends to sag at 210 degrees. I need a steel milk can for water for new steamer as well. It would be big enough to steam a couple dozen ribs at once but considering the likelihood of ever building a w/c from scratch, I may reduce the chamber size a tad.
For steaming on the boat we use a length of RV waste hose. Slip it down the rail, hook up to steamer, rag in the far in as best as possible, can then heat and slide it slowly off as you bend the rail into place, keeping the heat on the as yet unbent portion. Works well.
o goody. I like things that can do double duty, as do all canoe trippers. The problem is our RV waste hose is ...used..
Wallpaper steamers work great for canoe work. Inexpensive and no open flame.
Jim
Jim
You people go to a lot of extra work.
A towel and a tea pot.
Two canoes 16 Oak bends, no problems.
A towel and a tea pot.
Two canoes 16 Oak bends, no problems.
We will be doing a gunwale steam bending demo at the WCHA Assembly on Friday using the plastic bag method. Come one, come all.
We will be doing a gunwale steam bending demo at the WCHA Assembly on Friday using the plastic bag method. Come one, come all.
There ya go, Kim. Buy the old Merrimack, take it to the WCHA, and let them use it in steam bending demo. Can't get any easier than that.
Alan
You guys are being kind of hard on that little Osprey. I had the Navarro Legacy, which is essentially the same boat. Not a bad little rec boat, and pretty to look at. Slow, but stable on flat water. Better than an OT Pack for fishing from.
If it was in ddriving distance from me, I'd have to consider getting it. The mahogany plank would be put to other use.
If it was in ddriving distance from me, I'd have to consider getting it. The mahogany plank would be put to other use.
Well I hence would have a packing dilemma.. We already are taking two boats for the Tom MacKenzie tribute and a travel trailer. We do have a canoe trailer but to tandem THAT to the trailer is not legal and the Champlain Ferry would be some $65 each way
Ill just attend Fitz's workshop on gunwale installation.
You can put new gunwales on a Merrimack, but I seem to remember some ring nails that complicated issues during demo. You won't need to steam them either. They go right on. Canoes with a prominent sheer need the steam. We will be doing an Old Town H.W.
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My canoe refurbisher partner found one of these and thought he had made a great score. Poor thing was hogged worse than DougD's Disco. (that's bad!) We cleaned it up and didn't loose his investment, didn't make any money, lucky to break even.
I had a guy wanted to sell me one for real cheap a month ago, I passed. After seeing that video of the yellow Merrimack, maybe I missed something. Very nice when cleaned up.
I had a guy wanted to sell me one for real cheap a month ago, I passed. After seeing that video of the yellow Merrimack, maybe I missed something. Very nice when cleaned up.
This one I'm sure will have a happy ending. The canoe was bought and is headed to Crossville, TN to be restored by Randy Pew, It was either Randy or his Dad that built it in the first place.
AWESOME !
If someone could post a pic of how it should look, it would help the healing process !
Here is a Stowe Mansfield that I rehabbed. Now I remember, the ring nails secured the outwales!
G
Guest
Guest
That is a wonderful turn of events for that battered Merrimack. It could not have passed into better hands and, who knows, maybe it came about from the banter on this board.
It could only be better if Randy Pew documented the rehab. Hint, hint. . . .
BTW, Randy, if you are reading this, apologies for the beanpod and coracle comments. Kim’s video made me appreciate what an attractive canoe really is.
