C-Forum

Is it possible to pinch (narrow) an OC1 with vinyl gunnels or do they have to be replaced with wood first?

Jack

I think you could pinch a boat with vinyl gunwales, as long as you are conservative about it. One would like to know the orientation of the aluminum inserts, which you might learn by investigating through existing screw holes or by taking off an end cap. My ballpark estimate of conservative pinching is that you should not narrow the boat more than 2" at the center.

Opinions may vary. Do conservatives pinch easier than liberals, or harder?

Pinch that sucker! It's common practice for downriver racers to pinch the gunnels on ABS boats to make 'em faster . We narrowed an Old Town Penobscot by 3 inches. It now meets spec with 1/8" to spare . It takes a little rocker out too.

As to the question of the aluminum inserts, as long as you put the shortened thwarts back in the original position, it won't be a problem.

I like to remove all thwarts, then use a ratchet type strap with hooks on the ends to pull the boat in for measuring. Then cut & drill the thwarts, screw 'em in & go paddle. Depending on how much you pull it in, the boat will be a little or a lot tippier.

I have pulled several boats in...upto 4". I would say the gunwales would never represent a problem...changing the hull shape with a major-tuck-job may or may not end up being a good thing. Major tucks tend to make the hull more rounded and reduces rocker somewhat.

I tucked the seat thwart in my Viper 12 something between 1.5" and 2" and moved the forward thwart up about 8" and shortened it similarly. It made cross strokes easier. Can't say I noticed a tremendous difference in stability, but I *thought* it was faster and turned as well as ever.

Take two pieces of aluminum tubing (one that slides inside the other) and you can make adjustable thwarts with which you can narrow ( turns slower, tracks better; easier strokes on/offside) or widen (turns easier, more stable, harder strokes on/offside) the royalex hull. I put one of those spring loaded knobs inside to pop up through the holes in the outer piece of tubing and could adjust the boat mid-run. If you have cord running across the boat to keep the air bags in, remember to adjust them prior to widening the boat.
Have fun;
RT

I think you'd have make a real significant "tuck job" to notice any changes in a boats rocker/turning, though I agree with the theory.

My observations from narrowing my 16' Prospector from 37.5" to 35" is that it's faster and has less initial stability, and that it has better 'edges' and tuns more aggressivley. But it may have more to do with what I *think* it does. Anyway, having tucked 2.5" I don't notice it having less rocker or being harder to turn. I also moved the seats towards centre.

P.