Subject: Re: [baidarka] willow gathering
From: wolfgang brinck (nativewater@yahoo.com)
Date: Fri Oct 07 2005 - 00:16:00 EDT
--- Wendy Baker Davis <wendy.bakerdavis@fandm.edu> wrote:
> I lived in the deceptively highly-populated Lancaster County PA -
> around here all land is privately owned or state game lands,
> municipal parks and such. When I was young, you could just go out
> and cut down willow shoots, etc along a river bank and no one would
>
> care. The state prohibits one from removing or disturbing plants
> or
> anything in the game lands (except deer of course). Private land
> owners are highly protective of their domain. Where do you folks
> go
> to identify and cut down (legally) willow shoots for your boats.
> How
> do you identify willow shoots from other similar plants? Do you
> run
> around with a Guide to Plants? What times of year are best to find
>
> and cut them down?
>
I am not qualified to address the legal aspects of willow gathering.
However, plant life is profuse and many shrubs and trees grow where
no one wants them. Furthermore, many species of trees and shrubs
besides willow are suitable for the manufacture of ribs. I made ribs
for one boat entirely out of small elm trees growing out of cracks in
the concrete next to the building where I was renting space. I was
doing my landlord a favor since he would normally have to have hired
someone to cut them down.
A good way to find out what works for ribs is to take an excursion to
a target area of your choice and bring along a small pruning shears
suitable for cutting half inch twigs. Walk around, cut a twig here
and there, and bend it. If you can bend a half inch diameter thirty
inch long twig into a nice semi circle, then it is suitable for rib
material. The main requirement for rib material is twigs of
sufficient length, reasonably straight without branching for the
length of the rib. However, even though many species of shrub are
suitable for ribs, it is best to use all one kind for a given boat.
Different species will have different bending characteristics and
results will be more predictable if your ribs are all one kind of
wood.
As for when to gather ribs, the best time is a day or two before you
need them. Basket makers gather their willows in the winter. However
I have gathered them at all times of the year. Willows gathered in
the spring when the sap is running are easy to peel. There are no
doubt optimal times for gathering, but the thing is to build a boat.
One of the first baidarkas I've built with willow ribs is now 17
years old. The ribs have gotten warped and slightly twisted, and
here and there, the hull has some unexpected peaks and valleys. I
have pulled the skin off the boat and will in due time put in new
ribs. I guess my point is that even if you don't worry about when you
gather your ribs, they will last a decade and a half.
Wolfgang
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