my kevlar cruizer just got smoked by a fallen tree. i have removed the aliminum gunwales and replaced them with new 1 piece ones but i notice i now have a slight negative rocker with the way the bow and stern drop. was this the way the canoe was designed or should i remove the gunwales and massage the hullhape. thanks rob
you should pay
your deductible and get a new boat. Maybe.
Ryan L.
Any chance the old gunwales were
somewhat pre-bent at the factory? If the end droop is small, perhaps you could loosen the thwarts and see what the hull does. If the droop increases with loose thwarts, you might get it to go the other way by lengthening (or shortening) the thwarts.
It’s also possible that your new gunwales simply are stiffer than the old ones.
I’m in a similar fix because I would like aluminum replacements for the unusual split tube gunwales on a '73 Moore, but the Moore’s ends are cocked up enough that if the gunwales aren’t prebent by someone who knows how to do that, I may end up with drooping ends.
thwart width
Trying to replace it might be a little difficult. Does anyone manufacture a Sawyer Cruiser anymore? Rocker or ‘hogging’ (hog keeled–ends lower than middle) can be created by changes in the thwart width. Narrower thwarts will push the ends down and wider thwarts will bring the ends up. Did you change the thwart widths at all?
Rails and Sheer
All rails want to decrease sheer, i.e. rails are straight and want to stay so. The more sheer the hull has the greater the tendency to hog the hull.
Rails should always be installed with a spreader bar holding center hull width.
Rails should be installed from the center outwards.
Aluminum rails should be pre-bent to approximate sheer.
Worse ever hull for hog? The Sawyer DY special with the short bit of extreme sheer at bow occasioned by the stripper having a couple short pieces ~ tacked on to increase bow height. DY offered to do a new plug but Sawyer has already made the mold. Ever see a DY Sp w/o hogged bows?
DY special
I haven’t noticed it on mine. I’ll have to take a close look.
My sympathies.
My Cruiser was the first “performance” hull I ever owned, so it holds a warm place in my heart. Of course, it might be due to my memories of the bow partner I had in the mid-70s.
Sigh.
Jim
aluminum gunwales
how would you prebend aluminum rails. thanks Rob
Three Rollers
– Last Updated: May-02-11 10:24 AM EST –
Two in line spread about three feet apart that match the rail's underside. Another that matches the rail's topside on a lever.
Start the rail on the two, cam the lever into place and run the rail through the three.