Thoughts on shortening a canoe

[scoutergriz]

Can you explain what you mean by this please?

you have the bow section angled towards the centre in one direction, and the stern angling in from the other, removing the centre eliminates the point where the two sections line up parallel to each other, instead ending up with a v-shaped joint.

 

[ozarkpaddler1]

Just sell it and buy a boat that's more like what you want.

 

[Guest]

Is that still the case with the Northstar Northwind 20? I was thinking I wouldn't mind having one of those as a C3 or jumbo tandem, but if it's a tube steak stretch dachshund I'll go back to thinking I wouldn't mind having a Minnesota 3.

No idea, I have not seen a 20’ NorthStar in person.

Again, the two seamed, slab sided “addition” Northwind paddled agreeably, the non-contiguous midships “not-curve” just looked fugly to my eye. The one we paddled had the two seams factory option $ “blended” into the hull exterior, but those odd lines were still very visible, and off putting simply in aesthetics.

I understand the need for a (single) center seam in shouldered tumble home mold release, but the Bell Northwind, with two belly line seams, reminded me of a poorly executed stretch limo, and I’d love to hear the honest truth behind that two-seam construction.

 

[alsg]

I doubt it will come out great, but to the original poster I say: Give it a try. What have you got to lose? Worst case scenario, by cutting it in half, you will have an easier time getting it into the dumpster.

 

[Ride AMAP]

I have a canoe I'd like to cut exactly how you described. How did your project go?

 

[Robin]

I shortened a wood canvas canoe from 18’ to just under 16’ by removing 5 of the identical 7 ribs in the center. It was a Chestnut Cruiser, which came in 16-17 and 18’ lengths from the factory, I believe the 18’ was just a stretched-out 16'er and it turned out really nice. So in some cases, you can shorten a canoe.

Seems to me that you can only remove a section in the middle that is the same on both ends, that is before the curve starts towards the ends of the canoe. A cardboard template of the center of the inside of the canoe will help determine how far you can go fore and aft from the center and still have a proper-looking canoe.

I would use ash gunnels inside and out for strength. Repurposed aluminum gunnels shortened in the middle won’t give you the beef you need to hold the canoe ridged IMO.
Here's a video that might help.

And here's my wood canvas project,

 

[wanderingwithwendy]

I have a second old (really old) fiberglass canoe. From what I can tell, it is a Bee Craft built in the mid-70s. Construction is the thick fiberglass woven matting with chop glass blown on top to smooth it out. It lived a hard life at a canoe rental company until I liberated it in '98. The bow had hit several boulders and was cracked through. The hull both sides had taken some serious direct hits and cracked through. The rental company just goobered some glass matting over the cracks and kept using it until the gunwales finally pulled off. I ripped off their crap repair, ground down to good firm boat, and repaired the canoe properly. It has sat on my barn for years because I really can't get my wife to go canoeing and it is a huge 17' canoe; just too much for me to handle by myself on the river.

I am debating cutting a 4-foot chunk out of the middle of the canoe. I think it would make it a lot more manageable as a solo canoe to be shorter and lighter. Thoughts???

I am having a hard time finding the picture of the finished product and how this new frankensteined canoe did in the water?! It is really hard to find info on this kinda thing online!

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I am having a hard time finding the picture of the finished product and how this new frankensteined canoe did in the water?! It is really hard to find info on this kinda thing online!

Welcome to site membership, wwwendy!

This thread is almost two years old and the OP, twmattox, hasn't logged on here in almost that long. I suspect his canoe shortening project was never completed. The two videos Robin posted above show, respectively, a fiberglass and a wood-canvas canoe that were successfully shortened.

 

[wanderingwithwendy]

Welcome to site membership, wwwendy!

This thread is almost two years old and the OP, twmattox, hasn't logged on here in almost that long. I suspect his canoe shortening project was never completed. The two videos Robin posted above show, respectively, a fiberglass and a wood-canvas canoe that were successfully shortened.

Thank you! I will check those videos out Lots to look at and learn on here!

 

[Jim Dodd]

I'd go with wacking off one end, and glassing on a flat back!. Even if you don't put a motor on it, It is a joy to paddle a square stern canoe ! Swinging the stern left or right is a breeze without the stern to fight with.
I used to paddle a square stern some, and loved it !

Jim