Ribs at the seat

[tetonrr@live.com]

Has anyone tried putting ribs at the seat location? This would add a little weight but would give the canoe a lot of lateral strength at the seat locations. By using the mold at the seat location I would have the proper shape to add a 1/2 x 1 inch steam bent wood rib that would be epoxied to the inside of the canoe. I would still include the yoke. I'm at the fiberglass stage now. Any thoughts?
Rusty

[Jim Dodd]

Hi Rusty

If your intent is to beef up your hull in the seating area, I'd be more inclined to add an extra layer of cloth. It's much easier, and less visible than a rib.

I always double layer my hulls on the bottom outside, and have on several occasions added a diamond shaped extra layer on the inside.

This has proven very effective at beefing up the hull !

If you simply glass the inside with two layers of cloth, and over lap them in the middle, you have spent very little extra time, and gained the benefit, without changing the visibility of a beautiful hull !

Jim

[Cruiser]

Hi Rusty ...

Assuming you are building a regular cedar strip with fiberglass inside and out, the boat is plenty strong already, is there a reason you feel it needs to be even stronger in that location? And trying to steam bend the wood to match the boat curvature will be a tougher task than it seems .... most of those curves are compound, plus you also have the "spring back" with any jig you build to do the bending.

In any case I suspect a second layer of cloth in the area would be lighter and give more strength than adding ribs in only that location.

Just my opinion.

Brian

[Patricks Dad]

I agree that a 2nd layer of glass is the most efficient way to add stiffness to your hull if that is indeed needed. I'd suggest that it's not. But if for some reason you really want to add ribs in the hull, you can do so after the glass is installed (don't attempt to glass over the ribs later). I have added ribs to the inside of a hull by using inside of the (glassed) hull itself as the form. I added ribs not for strength but for appearance only. It added 15 pounds and 3 months of effort (but it looks great).

[tetonrr@live.com]

Thanks for the input on rib for the seat. I weight about 265 pounds and I though a rib would help with the lateral strength at the seat area. An additional layer of fiberglass would be a lot easer.
Thanks,
Rusty

[Cruiser]

Just as an aside, have you thought of posting build pics, we are all eager for some .... please


Brian

[sedges]

Are you hanging the seat from the gunnel or attaching it to the hull?

[tetonrr@live.com]

My though was to attach the seat to both the rib and the gunnel. Picture was after epoxy and 1st sanding
Rusty

[sedges]

I have had a 300 pound partner in a bow seat without any problems. The seat frame bowed a bit, but what concerned me most was the inwale from which it hangs. My gunwales were screwed on from the outside. That leaves the inwale a little stronger not having all the screw holes through it, just the tips of the screws.

I put extra screws in the seat areas because I could see the inwale pulling away from the hull.

Another way to beef it up is to glue a half inch thick piece of gunwale stock to the bottom of the inwale in the seat area. This would stiffen it considerably.

If you are building a tandem, consider your seat placement carefully if the two paddlers are going to be a great difference in weight.