Multiple Cross Section through one side of a 

 canoe on the building bed; at the headboard, 

 middle, first, and second thwarts. Gunwale 

 is raised and supported on sheering posts set 

 under thwarts. Crown of the building bed is 

 shown by varying heights of bottoms of the four 

 sections. 



Cross Section of canoe on building bed during 

 third stage of construction (above) and fourth 

 stage. {Sketch by Adney.) 



toward the head of the stake. Between two of the 

 slashes a length of bark is now brought up against 

 the outer stakes; against the bark the small, inside 

 stake is placed with the round face of the chisel- 

 pointed butt wedged against the outer face of the 

 gunwale. The top is then levered against the outside 

 stake, so that the flat face of each clamps the bark in 

 place. The top of the inner stake is then bound to 

 the outer. 



In setting the inside stakes, care is taken that 

 their points do not pierce the bark. No inside stakes 

 are required at the ends, as here the outside stakes 

 are so close together in opposing pairs as to hold the 

 bark in a sharp fold along the centerline of the cover. 

 This of course is also true of the stakes beyond the 

 ends of the gunwales. 



After a few lengths of bark have been thus secured, 

 they are faired between the stakes by inserting thin 

 strips of split sapling, or battens of wood or root, 

 along each side of the bark, under the inside and 

 outside stakes. These battens are placed about half- 



way up the upturned bark. Some builders used long 

 wooden battens, as this gave a very fair side when 

 enough lengths were secured upright; others got the 

 same results with short battens, the ends of which 

 were overlapped between a pair of stakes on each side. 



When the bark has been turned up and clamped, 

 the gores may be trimmed to allow it to be sewn with 

 edge-to-edge seams at each slash. This is usually 

 done after the sides are faired, by moving the battens 

 up and down as the cuts are made, then replacing 

 them in their original position. The gores or slashes, 

 if overlapped, are not usually sewn at this stage of 

 construction. 



With the inside stakes in place, the longitudinal 

 battens secured, and the gores cut or the overlaps 

 properly arranged, all is ready for sheering the gun- 

 wales. First the weights are removed from the 

 gunwale frame so that it can be lifted. If the inside 

 stakes have been properly made and fitted this can 

 be done without disturbing the sides, though the 

 ties across each pair of outside stakes may have to 

 be slacked ofT somewhat. Before lifting the frame, 

 some short posts, usually of sapling or of waste firom 

 splitting out the gunwales and thwarts, are cut in 



46 



