Replacing The Cane In A Canoe Seat

Materials Needed: 

• Seat frame
• New Cane and Spine*
• Tub
• Water
• Block of wood 1 0"x7"x7 /8" to fill hole in center of seat
• Blunt chisel or blunt screwdriver
• Hammer
• Glue (water-resistant wood glue)

Note: You can purchase cane and spline kits at IslandfallsCanoe.com

Steps: 

1. Clean old cane and spline out of seat carefully.
2. Place cane and spline in water to soak. Cane needs to soak for only a couple of minutes, spline should continue soaking while the cane is being put in place.
3. Place the block of wood in the center of the seat. It should fill most of the hole and will hold your cane up in place while it is being installed.
4. Place cane over block centering it on the seat. The cane may need to be trimmed to fit. If there is too much overhang it will not all fit neatly down into the groove.
5. With a blunt instrument, tap in the corners of the cane. This should be done in 8 places.
6. Tap in the cane along the long sides first, working a few inches on one side and then a few on the opposite side alternately until finished.
7. Now that the cane is in place, fill the groove 1 /3 full of glue. Put the spline in the groove and tap it gently with a mallet or you may use a hammer and a block of wood. Do not hit the spline directly, as it will make dents and gouges.

Allow the seat to dry for 24 hours.

Cane 14"x1O" Spine 27"