Continued lessons for the crew….

From Canoe Handling (1885, 3rd Edition 1901) by C. Bowyer Vaux

I’ve had more than one reader ask for articles on sailing terminology. We can all benefit from knowing the various parts and terminology of a typical decked canoe of the day, and most other boats of any time. Again to assist, I’ve called upon Mr. Vaux to continue the lesson. Ed.

HULL. The body of the canoe. The sum of all its parts with the exception of masts, sail, rig, etc. The hull is made up of frame, planking and deck.

FRAME. The skeleton to which the planking and deck are fastened. The body frame consists of keel, keelson, stempost, sternpost, ribs and knees.

KEEL. The backbone of the canoe. A timber running from end to end on the bottom of the hull and terminating in the stem and sternposts, to which it is securely fastened.

KEELSON. A timber or plank inside the canoe fastened to the keel and resting on it above the junction of the planking with the keel.

STEM. The curved (or straight) timber rising from forward end of keel, to which the planking is fastened, forming the bow of the canoe, and terminating at the deck, or very slightly above it.

STERNPOST. The timber rising from the keel at its after end, to which the planking is fastened, forming the stern of the canoe. Bow, forward end. Stern, aft, or rear end.

RIBS. Timbers running from gunwale (the junction of deck and sides) on one side, down to keel and up to the gunwale on the other; or, from gunwale to keel. The curve of the ribs governs the shape of the canoe, and forms its lines, so called. A canoe's lines merely mean its shape, the lines indicating its shape. The ribs are fastened to the keel and to the timber at gunwale (which timber extends on both sides from stem to stern) or the top streak, which in that case is heavier than the others, as is the case in the illustration on this page (section). In building the planking is put over the moulds and fastened, the ribs being put in afterward, in this respect differing from the method employed in building larger vessels. The distance between ribs varies in different methods of building from 1-1/2 inches to 10 inches or more.

KNEES. Timbers taking the place of ribs along the canoe the length of the well or cockpit, and forming deck supports as well as assuming the functions of ribs.

PLANKING. Boards forming the sides and bottom of hull. They are sunk into the keel and securely fastened to it, to the keelson, to each other on the laps and to the ribs. A single plank is called a streak. The garboard streak is the one (on each side) next to and joining the keel. The streaks usually run the entire length of the boat, terminating at the stem and stern posts, to which they are fastened. If they do not extend the entire length two pieces are butted, as it is called.

DECKS. The covering of the hold or body of the canoe which is formed by the bottom and sides. The opening in the deck to admit the placing of stores and cargo inside and to accommodate the crew is called the well. The deck is made of a frame and deck planks. The frame consists of carlines, side-frame of well, ridge-piece, main beam, and mast beams.

CARLINES. Deck beams fastened to the planking at the gunwale on which the deck planking is fastened. Technically, they are pieces of timber fastened between beams in a fore and aft direction.

SIDE-FRAME. Timbers running fore and aft, fastened to and supported by the knees and forming the well hole.

RIDGE-PIECE. Timbers extending from stem and sternpost to well. The carlines are fastened to it, and it forms the ridge or crown of the deck.

MAIN BEAM. The largest beam generally placed in a canoe) just in front of the well as a support for the ridge-piece and fore end of well frame.

MAST BEAMS. Wide beams supporting in part and stiffening the deck frame, and through which the mast-tubes are run to the step on the keel.