Bell Creek Runner

[BellCreekRunner]

Hello
I am new to the forum and have been a paddler for most of my life. I starting when I was a young boy at camp Easton for boys around 1975 on bass wood lake I believe in the BWCA border. Anyway I purchased a Bell Creek Runner in 1991 and have had it ever since. Does anybody here have one? I want to install a spray cover for it and wondered if anybody has made one per the book "Canoeing Wild Rivers" by Cliff Jacobson. I have seen the ones made by some companies but maybe a home made one would be fun a fairly easy to make. Any advise or experience would be welcomed.

 

[Robin]

I’m not sure if mine came from Cliff’s book, maybe. I made it out of an old 4 man Ureka Timberline tent fly. That same material can be found today as lightweight tarps and even bought by the yard.
My canoe was a wood canvas canoe so I didn’t want to install snaps. I sewed a cord into the perimeter of the tarp and it was tightened around my gunnels. It worked, but I grew tired of the extra time and effort needed at portages.
I didn’t have it for white water, just for rain and wave spray while tripping.
I never sewed before, I bought a used Brother sewing machine and learned via YouTube.