Forward Stem Shaping Question

[Bill Robb]

Hello...

I spent considerable time yesterday shaping my forward inner stem for a Freedom 17. I found that in order to get the strips to reach the 1/8' leading edge, I had to take considerable material off the inside of the inner stem - to the point where it is now 1/2' thick on the inside of the canoe and is now flush with the front stem mold.. Considering I started with stems that were just over 3/4", and they're laminated ash, you can imagine the shaping I went through.

My question is, does this sound normal? In none of the books I read, or websites I visited indicated that the inside of the inner stems would narrow so much. Everything seems to indicate that the stems would remain 3/4" wide inside the canoe?

I am thinking that since the inner stems are ash, I will still retain considerable strength. By the way, I was using the 'Michne Sanding Stick' method, and stapled on some filler strips. I gotta tell you, ash sure resists taking a staple!

Thanks again...

[Glen Smith]

You are right, this is one of those little things that is rarely documented. However, canoes that have a fine entry line will result in thinned down inner stems. This is normal. This is also the reason I have switched to white cedar for the inner stems since it is much easier to shape than ash or other hardwoods.