If anyone has an original Bell Northwind 17, can you tell me the length measurements of your thwarts, and yoke?

I just started rehabbing a pretty shabby Bell Northwind in the Black Gold layup. Unfortunately, all the wood was rotted, or missing. I purchased new aluminum gunwales, thwarts, carry handles from Northstar canoes, and they have been helpful/great about helping me get started. The problem I've run into is that the new Northwind doesn't have the tumblehome, and is much wider than my boat. Since my boat didn't have any thwarts left in it, I have no idea what length I should cut them down to. I've installed the new aluminum gunwales, and they have definitely narrowed the hull. Any help would be appreciated.

-Andrew

Andrew - I have an original Bell Northwind 17 in KevLite and wood trim.
My center thwart (with carrying yoke) is 32.5"
Thwart toward bow is 28.25"
Thwart toward stern is 30.75"

Cool project - would love to see more photos of your progress in the coming weeks.

Kudos for rescuing that boat!

ghamer: "Andrew - I have an original Bell Northwind 17 in KevLite and wood trim.
My center thwart (with carrying yoke) is 32.5"
Thwart toward bow is 28.25"
Thwart toward stern is 30.75"

"

Thank you for that ghamer! You're a lifesaver. Beautiful boat BTW.

sns: "Cool project - would love to see more photos of your progress in the coming weeks.


Kudos for rescuing that boat!"

I'll definitely post more progress photos. Here are a couple that show where it started.

Bow to stern spacing needed too? Seems important to me....or did you have the spacing marks off of whats left of the old rails?

cowdoc: "Bow to stern spacing needed too? Seems important to me....or did you have the spacing marks off of whats left of the old rails?"

Cowdoc,

Edit: I think I know what you're referencing. The old gunwales still had the hardware hanging off where the thwarts used to be, and the yoke was still in place, but the ends were too rotted to get a proper measurement of length. I marked all locations before removing the old gunwales.

Thanks again for your input.


You'll have to talk to me like a four year old. I've honestly learned everything I know about canoes in the last week. When you reference bow to stern spacing, what are you referring to? Here are the only things I've got that would reference bow and stern:
I have total length measured, and the carry handles at bow and stern were not part of the original boat. I plan to install them anyways at the suggestion of Northstar canoes, but figured I would cut them to whatever size is needed after thwarts, and yoke are installed.

Thanks for your interest, and I appreciate any help.
-Andrew

Sounds like you have it under control. Exact thwart length was useless if not put in the right spot. Quite a diamond in the rough.....always rewarding to resurrect a good old canoe

Sacré Bleu! The neglect!