Need info on Bell Northwind rx

[Greenboat]

I purchased a Galyans Woodsman III aka Bell Northwind rx 16.6 last year that was pretty beat up. The original yoke and thwarts were replaced with Bubba replacements so I never had the correct measurements.
I replaced the above along with new seats from Ed’s. My gunnels at the yoke are 34” on the outsides. However after some further research I believe the outer gunnel measurement at the yoke should be 32”?
Does anyone have this boat or know about it and can give me the outer gunnel measurements at the two thwarts and yoke?
Thanks

 

[yellowcanoe]

this popped up

• Northwind (60 lbs) - Bell Length: 16' 6" Beam: at gunwale: 32", maximum: 36, at 4" waterline: 32"

normal for thwartless boats to pop out. And people do fiddle with the length especially Bubba

 

[pblanc]

I purchased a Galyans Woodsman III aka Bell Northwind rx 16.6 last year that was pretty beat up. The original yoke and thwarts were replaced with Bubba replacements so I never had the correct measurements.
I replaced the above along with new seats from Ed’s. My gunnels at the yoke are 34” on the outsides. However after some further research I believe the outer gunnel measurement at the yoke should be 32”?
Does anyone have this boat or know about it and can give me the outer gunnel measurements at the two thwarts and yoke?
Thanks

I believe that Bell measured gunwale width at the outer edges of the molded hull, which would not include the width of the outwales.

I used to volunteer with a nature conservatory that maintained a livery of canoes and we had a couple of the Galyan's Woodsman III boats. They were nice hulls, but always the rather ugly (IMO) olive drab/Indian brown color and the gunwales were of rather poor quality, being plastic with no metal inserts. It was common for the machine screws suspending the seat frames to eventually break through the top of the gunwales.

I would suggest that you use both a stainless steel finish washer for those machine screws, and underneath that as wide a stainless steel fender (flat) washer as the width of the gunwale will allow.

 

[Greenboat]

Good idea on the flat stainless washer underneath gunnel. I used the widest top washer on top but a washer underneath will really pull it together.

The hull seems to be more flat shaped than shallow arch so I was thinking it might need to be pulled in more to give it a rounder shape. I was hoping to get the exact measurements so I will not have to get that 32” measurement on the hull at the yoke and eyeball the two thwarts to get the correct shape.…I have searched all over for info and even emailed Bear @ NorthStar and all he could provide me with were the specs that I found elsewhere.

This boat was Bubba’d pretty good but was at a wonderful price. Who knows wood gunnels and proper seat hangers may be in its future. But for now it is a serviceable canoe.