Doesn’t have to be oak. Ash is costly
and about to get more so, but you can have gunwales ripped out of softwood such as douglas fir. Just choose 18’ plus with straight grain and no knots. Light, strong enough. Should be pre-finished on inner sides before screwing it on.
Also, some aluminum gunwale systems can be ordered through canoe dealers, and can be easier to install. It might mean some re-outfitting, although on my Bluewater, the wooden portage yoke and the hangers for the ash seat frames are just pieces of bent aluminum attached below the rim of the gunwale with aluminum rivets.
canoe
Thanks. I just may take that route. I may never find hardwood around here and a softwood would last me the rest of my life. I like the idea of aluminum but I don’t know what problems I’d run into installing it.
YAKPAD… BAD IDEA
I just read your message and this advice may be too late but I hope not.I bought my wife a Yakpad last summer and after a year’s use she says it was basically a waste of a lot of money.Sure it helps a little, but VERY little according to her. Definitely recommend against the Yakpad.Hope this saves you some wasted dollars.
We’ll see…
I ordered a Yakpad and have promised to report on its efficiency on this forum. I think it depends on what you are expecting from it but as you get older, every bit of comfort helps.
Kaynoe solved my problem.
We tried a lot of boats before we settled on a Mohawk Odyssey 14 for me. I sit and can adjust my position thruout the day. I have footpegs, backband, thigh padding and use a kayak paddle. I use a piece of closed cell sleeping pad on the web and wood seat. We all it the ‘kaynoe’. I paddle smaller rivers and streams, some smaller lakes. Much easier for me to get in and out of the canoe and carry it.