slightly used Bell Northwoods canoe in Kevlight. Not the one with the patches. Another lucky board member here scored that one.
Thanks for all the info and advice everyone.
Alright. I'm done posting in the Gear Forum for a while.

Wait...It has aluminum gunwhales. I want to change that over to wood. Hard to do? Seems like a piece of cake but I've never done this.

congrats. it's a handsome canoe.
I did take the wood gunwhales off my Blackhawk to refinish 'em. You are right; it looks easy enough to do. Can't offer any insight in making them, tho.

You can wait till you have an oops moment. Some folks wonder why add weight with wooden gunwales. But I like them too.

Its never been too long before I have had a bent alu gunwale. They are not that strong. When it needs replacing, that would be a good time to go to wood.


Its hard to find stock long enough for an 18.5 foot canoe. Perhaps if you have a mill nearby you can find something. You will need at least 20 feet long stock.

However there may be workarounds with scarf joints.

making your own

Congrats!!! You're gonna LOVE that boat. When is the maiden voyage??

If I can find open water when I pick it up next month, the maiden voyage will be, next month. Otherwise, whoa is me...next spring.

Congrats!

Congrats! That is a nice canoe.

T

congrats jeff!

Congrats! Great canoe.

Nice going Mr Snooty!

congrats!!!!

that canoe place in St Paul,Northwest Canoe,should be able to help with the wood..before Midwest fixed up their store i found 18 foot lengths of oak to replace the gunwales on my Pathfinder.for some reason the guys there refused to call it gunwale wood but "ski grounds"instead.
you you have any idea how hard it was to get two 18 foot bits in a Geo Prism and drive across town with it!!!

Nice canoe. Enjoy and congrats.

Sweet!

You are probably thumbing your nose at all other makes already...

quote Arlo Pankook: "Sweet!


You are probably thumbing your nose at all other makes already..."

Why?

Its not the best layup nor the stiffest. But it will bring joy!

quote yellowcanoe: "

quote Arlo Pankook: "Sweet!



You are probably thumbing your nose at all other makes already..."

Why?


Its not the best layup nor the stiffest. But it will bring joy!"

Probably because it's snooty. Well, everything compared to my alumacraft is snooty. haha
I've joined an elite club that's why.

Have you had a talk with your loyal, trustworthy Alumacraft about how it feels about all this? Have you provided for it's future? Are you going to wait till spring to tell it? Makes me kind of sad, Jeff...

We've never told our aluminum canoe about the two SR Q17s. But we keep them in separate states so they won't meet by accident.

Congrats on your new boat.

Thank-you everyone.

The tin can is currently hibernating on my land. When I go up there for deer hunting, I'm going to walk up to that tin can and thank it for all its hard years of service. I'll hold a little
de-commissioning ceremony and then point to the "back 40". Hopefully it will figure out how to get there on its own because I'm done humping that thing across the landscape.

Very nice score Jeff. ENJOY!

quote fitgers1: "slightly used Bell Northwoods canoe in Kevlight. Not the one with the patches. Another lucky board member here scored that one.
Thanks for all the info and advice everyone.
Alright. I'm done posting in the Gear Forum for a while.

Wait...It has aluminum gunwhales. I want to change that over to wood. Hard to do? Seems like a piece of cake but I've never done this."

You would do well to talk with the folks at Northwest Canoe. They are right there in the TC and likely have what you would need.

Oh...I see wcd beat me to it!!

you got a bow partner for that spring trip??

Pics???

good job, fitgers! how many canoes you have now?

Congrats Jeff. You will enjoy that canoe.

Nice, happy paddling

Lucky dog

Congrats! Enjoy your new ride.

That is awesome and I know you will enjoy a LOT!

SunCatcher

Nice one! Congratulations. When is the first trip?

Thanks again all. To answer some questions..
Might go to NWC for gunwales but probably not.
I've got a bow partner but can always use others.
Haven't done a true spring trip to the BDub yet so I am thinking that will be it's first trip next year.
That makes four canoes, a Mad River, a Wenonah, a Bell, an Alumacraft and one Alumacraft fishing boat and a Lund snipe duck hunting boat. Once a sailor, always a sailor I guess.
I can hardly wait to pick up the canoe from Sawtooth Outfitters in Tofte!

If you are interested in the electronic version of the Bell/ Placid protocol on wood rail fitting, modified for a re-rail situation, email charliewilson77@gmail.com

This is so like a Squid, gets out an starts his own fleet. Let me know when I'm up on fire watch. I'll keep an eye on your boa..I mean ships.
Oorah....Fair Winds and Following Seas....Brother.


Paddle on

JB

JB - I have you slated for the midwatch under instruction with the forward lookout. Try to be there before 2345 as the Signalman first class doesn't like a late relief.

yea, I'm building my fleet. Once a squid always a squid.

quote Charlie Wilson: "If you are interested in the electronic version of the Bell/ Placid protocol on wood rail fitting, modified for a re-rail situation, email charliewilson77@gmail.com"

Much appreciated. I'll drop you a line.
Thank-you

Congrats. Wood looks nice but I actually prefer aluminum for a tripping canoe. Lighter and maintenance free. Just my two cents.

quote Merganser: "Congrats. Wood looks nice but I actually prefer aluminum for a tripping canoe. Lighter and maintenance free. Just my two cents.
"

I would agree with that, but on the Bells (at least the Magic) the aluminum gunwales dig into your leg pretty good, the wood do not. Also on my last trip it was about 25 degrees, it was really nice having wood to grab onto, wasn’t nearly as cold as aluminum would have been plus it held the warmth of your hand vs sucking the heat out of it like aluminum would.

Another advantage of wood that I never thought of was appearance over time. When anodized aluminum gets scratched or dented there is really no way to refinish it, replacement is the only truly viable option to return it to like new condition, hard to do when the company isn’t around.

Also I put more than a few dents in the wood over this summer and was able to pull them out with a few tricks, a little buff with some steel wool and a quick coat of watco and shizam, like new again!

So it would appear they both have at least a couple of pluses and minuses.

quote fitgers1: "JB - I have you slated for the midwatch under instruction with the forward lookout. Try to be there before 2345 as the Signalman first class doesn't like a late relief.


yea, I'm building my fleet. Once a squid always a squid.



"

Happy Veterans Day Brother. I'm never late.

JB

And to you as well JB!

Edit: 11/13/12
For those wanting to see pictures I have them posted in my photo album

Where are the pictures?