Connecticut Water Trails Association
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Connecticut Water Trails Association |
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Connecticut Water Trails Program Canoe Basics Anatomy Of A Canoe
Beam:
Refers to the width of
the canoe at its widest point
Canoe Seats: The bow seat is wider and is fastened to the gunnels
further from the end of the canoe. The stern seat is narrowest and is
fastened to the gunnels closest to the end of the canoe Deck Plates: Are the triangle shaped pieces of wood that are
fastened between the gunnels at either end of the canoe. They provide a
convenient handhold for carrying and a place to attach a painter line Deep Dish Carry or Portage Yoke:
Is a center thwart which is contoured to comfortably
fit your shoulders to best support the canoes weight when solo portaging
(carrying) Flotation: A flotation compartment or foam block may be located under the deck which prevents the canoe from sinking if capsized or swamped. Flotation Bags: large inflatable air bags, usually sized to fill the space between two thwarts or a thwart and seat. They are held in place by nylon netting secured to the gunwale. They are used for buoyancy and prevent swamping - by reducing the canoe's internal volume. Freeboard: The portion of the hull between the waterline and the top of the gunwale.
Gunnels or Gunwales : (pronounced gunnel) - the top edge of the
hull. Refers to the upper edges of the canoes sides. Wood
Gunwales consist of two pieces inner & outer gunnels that sandwich the
boats upper edges and are usually attached by Phillips screws. Aluminum
or vinyl gunnels consist of a one-piece extrusion that is set onto the
canoes upper edges and is attached by rivets
Hull:
Is the body of the
canoe which sits in and displaces water and provides the canoes buoyancy
Keel: A narrow strip
which runs along the centre of the bottom of the hull from bow to stern.
Keels provide better tracking, act as a bang plate, which takes most of
the bangs and wear Kneeling Thwart:
Replaces the normal thwart (about 6 inches aft) and
is fitted on an angle to better enable kneeled solo paddling as it takes
weight / stress off both the paddler's knees and ankles while still
providing canoe structure & rigidity Painters Ring: Used to attach ropes. Port Side:
Is the left side of the canoe, looking from the
stern towards the bow Ribs of a Canoe: Shallow "U" shaped pieces that push outwards on the inside of the canoes hull to add strength & and rigidity in some canoes. Note: some quality fiberglass and Kevlar canoes do NOT have ribs as the manufacturers have chosen to add a core stiffening material to the canoes hull instead Scuppers or Scalloped Canoe Gunnels:
Elongated slots (2 to 3 inches long) cut into the
inner & outer gunnels. These slots (normally 4 each side of the carry
yoke) help relieve water from the canoe when cleaning, act as fasten
points and are an ascetically pleasing finishing touch to a wood trimmed
canoe. Some manufactures also offer scalloped deck plates as well Seat: (Whitewater canoes may have a foam 'saddle' in place of a seat)
Stem Bands or End Plates:
Brass or aluminum strips that follow the curved ends
of symmetrical canoes (asymmetrical canoes may have Kevlar stem bands
but never brass or aluminum). Stem bands help prevent wear to the canoes
ends through impact relief
Thwart:
A horizontal crossbeam near
the top of the hull.
A cross piece
which attaches to the canoes gunnels two-thirds of the way back from the
bow. A thwarts purpose is to provide structure and support to the
gunnels and sides of the canoes hull Yoke: A thwart across the center of the boat to allow one person to carry the canoe, sometimes molded to the shape of the shoulders.
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