I am at the stage in my wood canvas canoe construction where I need to add the decks. What I don’t know is how long to make them. Is there a standard length, or is it more a matter of personal preference? I’m thinking of using cherry for the decks.

My decks are 16" long. You can make them any size you want, though. I've used cherry many times on my canoes and it's a fine wood for trim. It will darken with age and is very elegant on a canoe. Also It might be a good idea to use the same wood on the decks that you use for the thwarts and yoke for a harmonious use of materials. I only use ash for seats, though, becasue of its flexibility and strength.

The wood pictured is flame birch.

Tom

Tom
Are those bronze carriage (style) bolts that secure your carry handle to the gunnels ?
Joe

Joe,

Yes they are 10 x 24 bronze carriage bolts. The best place to buy them is from Clark Craft.

bronze carriage bolts

I think they are about $1.50 each. Worth every penny when it comes to hand-crafted canoes.

Tom

Yes. They add a touch of class.

Sparetime,

Something to keep in mind is that the longer you make the decks the more weight you will add to the finished canoe. I learned this lesson the hard way on my first canoe. The weight that gets built in must someday be carried. I don't mean to sound discouraging but it is something to think about.

Dick

Dick, you have a point worth considering.

I built a 38 lb. solo many moons ago but it's a stripper. The decks are just a couple of inches long. I did everything I could to keep the weight down.

Wood canvas canoes are heavy no matter what. Decks add some weight but it's negligible compared to the rest of the canoe. One place to save a bunch of weight on a WC canoe is to use Dacron instead of canvas but that changes the purity of the canoe.

One last thing to consider is the aesthetic balance of the decks in the canoe. Very short decks in a wood boat can have an awkward look but that too is also up to the builder to decide what is pleasing.

Tom

I am leaning towards a 12 inch deck. That seems to fit the boat well.

As for weight, I have been conscious of it, but the estimated weight for the boat is around 60 lbs. So not a terrible weight considering most of the aluminum boats are around that.