An easy to make clip to secure fabric covers, etc.

Tom Lewis, Richmond, Virginia

Some years ago I recognized a need to add a spray deck on my E.M. White-style canoe. Often, that need was recognized during those ah-!@#%&*!!! moments when waves and wakes broke over the bow and came onboard. Not wanting to cover the deck with wood, I knew a fabric shield would do just fine. All it would need is a simple design and an easy way to attach it to the gunnels. Tom Lewis has the attachment solution, which we are happy to share with you here. Ed.

 
A feature of all canoes -- gunwhales. They are both a structural member and the border between inboard and outboard. Attaching things (like a spray deck, gear bags ,drink holder, fairleads, canoe tent….) to the gunwhale is often necessary or useful in a sailing canoe.

On the Grumman—almost any model—the gunwhale profile is the same: outboard groove up around flat top.  This clip idea can be easily adapted to other gunwhale profiles.

One of the materials I find the most useful is light duty PVC -- schedule 20 -- the thin stuff used for irrigation.

The negative of using PVC is that it gets brittle with sun and age – I’ve had parts last 4-5 years.

But it is super cheap – free sometimes, light in weight, very fast and easy to work with simple tools, many uses and ubiquitous- so it gets the stamp of approval.

Making the Clip

Take a one inch piece of pipe and hacksaw cut into roughly ¾” sections so you end up with a pile of tubes or calamari rings, the raw material for the clip.

 Sand or trim the saw residue.