Sarum Skin-boat How-to

Not the only way, but the way we've done it that works. An important word: what you find here is an IMCOMPLETE record of the process, created for a student who was unable to complete his boat at school. As time goes on, I may fill in steps, but this is by no means a full set of directions. When it comes out soon, I recommend the book Building Skin-on-Frame, Double-Paddle Canoes by Hilary Russell,of Sheffield, MA.

Order of Operations

  • Creating the Stem-Knee assembly
  • Attaching Knee to Keelson
  • Fill four spaces in gunwale for thwart attachment
  • Sand gunwales and breasthooks
  • Attach thwarts
  • Fit, drill gunwale rub rails
  • Assemble floorboards
  • Shape nose and tail for brass rub rails
  • Coat all wooden parts with oil or varnish: frame, rubs and floorboards
  • Skin the boat
  • Shrink the skin
  • Skin coating
  • Attach all rubrails, wooden and metal
  • Last odds and ends

Notes on related subjects

4.24.2010

Gunwale Rubrails


















Start fitting the rub rails by laying them out along the gunwales and clamping them on flush with the tops of the gunwales.  Drill pilot holes for the screws through each rib, plus one in each side of the breasthook.  These should not go all the way through the inwale; rather, they should stop about an eighth of an inch short.  These holes also need to be countersunk enough for the heads of the bronze square-drive screws to be flush or just below the surface of the rub rails.




















Trim the rub rails even with the ends of the gunwale and stem.  Then, remove the rubrails from the boat and round the outer two edges.  Do NOT round the edges that will be against the canvas.  The outer rounding is so when you bump your hand on the rubrail while paddling - and you will, occasionally - it will be soft and more comfortable.

At this point the rub rails are ready to be oiled or varnished.  Both sides, 2-3 coats.