Setting Up the Canoe
Having made all the material ready, the work of setting up the canoe may begin, and as it is built upside down, place the backbone on boxes, about 1 ft. or more above the floor, and place the molds in the numbered places on the backbone, allowing the backbone to rest upon the bottom of the mortises cut in the top of the molds. Study [Figs. 8] and [9] before beginning the work of setting up the hull.
True up the molds with a square and fasten them firmly by toenailing them to the backbone. Put the keelson in place, allowing it to fit down in the mortises cut in the molds to receive it. Take particular care that the stems are a good fit with the angle of the backbone at the ends, then fasten by nailing through the top edge of the mold into the stems. As shown in the stem-mold drawing, [Fig. 6], the splice where the stem fits the keelson must be cut out after it is bent into place. This is easily done by marking around the outside edge of the stem and then beveling from the inside on each side. The outer edge is left about ¹⁄₈ in. wide, and the bevel runs out to the width of the keel at the lower end.
The gunwales are next put on at the sheer line, and fastened to the molds and stems, leaving sufficient of the nails exposed to make them easily withdrawn later on. The four ribbands are then put on each side, at equal distances apart, between the gunwale and keel, or at 5-in. centers, measuring from the keel up toward the gunwale. Fasten the ribbands by driving 1¹⁄₄-in. brads through them into the mold. Measure off the keel for the ribs, which should be put on 3 in. apart, measuring from the centers. The ribs are fastened to the outside of the keelson and are curved under the ribbands. Fasten each rib to the keel by means of two ⁵⁄₈-in. copper clout nails, then spring them into place and fasten to the gunwales. Put in all the ribs in the same way, spacing them so that a rib will be placed over each mold. When all the ribs are put in, remove the ribbands, and begin planking the hull.