Hi, I was a member here about 15 years ago, but haven't postted since. I never got my kayak built, either. I nw have a project involving an old 16' fibreglass Y-stern canoe. I am replacing all the wooden parts (gunwales, inwales, seats foredeck and transom. My problem is with bending the gunwales and inwales. I plan to make then about ½" by 1¼". It seems to me that because people bend ½" thick bows without steaming them and without cracking, I should be able to bend ½" thich ash around the broad curve of a canoe without having to build a steamer, etc., etc. On my last attempt I was making the parts 3/4" thick, but they didn't like being bent.

Dose your own experience with bending wood support this idea? I supposse I could laminate ¼" thick strips, too.

All suggestions appreciated.

I had problems bending 3/4 wood for a small sailboat build which also had a transom. I reduced it to 5/8 for the inwales and sawed 5/16 deep slits every 2 or 3" in the chine logs which solved the problem. Stiffness varies as the cube of the thickness so a small change makes a surprising difference. Your canoe is longer and probable less beamy than the boat I was building so the curve should be less sharp. Ash is supposed to bend well without steaming so I wouldn't ecpect you to have a problem. 3/4 sounds a bit heavy for gunnels and especially inwales. Does the boat have ribs? If so the inwales are really clamps and can safely be a little thinner than the gunnels as the additional thickness of the ribs will create a stiffer structure.

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