Re: [baidarka] rivets, anyone?

Wolfgang Brinck (wolfgang.brinck@hksystems.com)
Wed, 13 May 1998 15:03:08 -0500

Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 15:03:08 -0500
From: "Wolfgang Brinck" <wolfgang.brinck@hksystems.com>
To: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
Subject: Re: [baidarka] rivets, anyone?

Robert Herbert and Buffy Turner wrote:

> Douglas Ingram wrote:
> >
> > It seems to me that one of the great advantages of lashing is that you have
> > continuity of structural strength along the entire rib and stringer. Using
> > screws and or rivets puts a hole in both pieces. A hole of any size in wood
> > that is the right size for the Baidarka would be of a significant size. I
> > would expect that screws and rivets would introduce a whole series of stress
> > points along the length of the boat. Combine that with a localized grain
> > irregularity...
> >
> > >Has anyone tried riveting and screwing parts of wooden baidarkas
> > >together? I know that it would be somewhat stiffer that if just tied,
> > >but it would still have some flex over the length of the boat.
> > >
> > >Robert
> > >Islamorada, FL, USA
> > >
> > >
> > Douglas Ingram
> > Red River Canoe & Paddle
> > P.O. Box 78, GRP 4, RR 2
> > Lorette, Manitoba
> > Canada
> > ROA OYO
> > (204)878-2524
> > URL: www.wilds.mb.ca/redriver
> > e-mail: redcanoe@pangea.ca
>
> Douglas
> Your point about weakening the structure is well taken. I hadn't thought
> about that part.
> Robert

Aside from making a hole in the rib, the screw also tends to localize stresses
to the point where the screw is placed and that will be the point where the rib or
stringer breaks. Two piece wooden paddles with metal ferrules always break where
the wood meets the ferrule because that is where the stress is focused. Lashing
distributes stresses more evenly.