Pics 3 & 4

PD,  My compliments on the new yoke hardware.   The opaque silastic sleeve on the shaft is another nice touch.  Well Done.

MB

Thanks db, ST and MB!  It really works sweet.  I'm really happy with how it turned out.

So, here's how this went down.  I've been tired of portaging my Merlin II on my head with a seat pad down to the local put-in - ~80 rods and vowed to get something at 'copia.  Didn't like what I was seeing and I had some white ash planed down to 3/4" from another canoe repair job and the pads.  I was just going to get hardware, but $35 seemed a LOT for two star knobs, two carriage bolts and some bent chunks of metal. Then 'copia was cancelled, so I started looking around.  The hardware is wood working gear - hold downs for T-tracks like on a table saw or drill press.  That'll work!  THEN I see this cam clamp thing...hmmmm!  Put the two together...STILL cheaper than then the $35 kit.  So it's a hybrid of two kits. PowerTec pieces - (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) - pn 71168 Hold Down Clamp $11.99 and pn 71165 Cam Clamp  $21.99.

The yoke itself was modeled after a picture of a Souris River yoke - clean, simple but my own measurements and design.  All cut with a table saw and saber saw....plenty of sanding too.  Drilled the holes for slots, connected with the saber saw and rounded the edges with a 1/4" roundover bit in a router. 

The 'sleeves' are just some silicon tubing I had laying around.  I was going to find some springs.  They're there to kinda take up the slack, keep things from jingling around and move the bracket away from the underside as you loosen the cam lever. 

I have added two things since the pics.  I replaced the rubber washers with some nylon ones - helps get rid of some of the 'play' and closes up the tolerances so it's more solid when you lock it down.  I also rubber cemented some old innertube rubber on the bottom of the ends of the yoke where it rests on the gunnel, which keeps the whole affair from sliding around needlessly and locks it in place better. 

Now I just flip the levers over to unlock, move it behind the seat....no adjusting necessary....well, maybe the width spacing...then lock it down when paddling.  Set the cams once and it really doesn't need more adjusting unless you put it on a different canoe. 

pd

Thanks ST.  I'm always impressed with how (or that...) my mind works.  Hope to figure it out someday....

We should share a good bourbon or rum sometime...maybe over a campfire...by a lake. 

pd

Engineering change #2 - I went out and got some good springs at the hardware store and replaced the silicon tubing.  I feel like I'm going be happier with those.  I tried a larger spring with the hose inside it, but it bound up too much. 

pd

That's great pd.
Nothing better than when a DIY project passes the field test with flying colors.

Thanks for sharing! I'll have to look into making one of these as well. Far less hassle than the homemade yoke that I currently have.

Always nice to see different ways of doing the same-thing. Thanks for posting. 

Imgur is the way to go or at least the best/easiest I've found.

Upload your pics to an album. Click on a pic and on the right you see a list of options to copy.

Copy the one that says "message boards and forums", click on Copy, then paste in your message.

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Can't get much easier than that.

So, I noted the yoke I made originally weighs in at 3 lb. 8 oz. - very sturdy, but no light weight.  Magic's Rapidfire inspired me to see what I could do for my Merlin II at home.  Since it has 'normal' gunnels for clamping purposes, it worked out a bit easier.  I used some EVA foam from a kayak roof mount block kit this time and it came out at just 24 oz. - a whole 2 lbs. lighter than the first model.  Now I will admit it's just a bit too light for taking into the back country, as the thin yoke has some flex to it.  I'm afraid it would snap if taking a huge Quetico step off a ledge or bolder when the weight/momentum of the canoe comes down on it.  I'll just use that one at home and maybe I'll make slightly thicker yoke for trail use.

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pd

ST,

Thanks for the compliment!  I'd certainly be willing to help out any fellow QJ'ers looking for a custom yoke solution. 

No doubt adding some carbon to the MII yoke would do a lot to stiffen it up - and look great against the cherry.  Even some Kevlar or 'glass would help out, without adding much weight.  I may 'glass the blade of a new paddle I just finished when the weather warms up, so maybe I'll throw some on the yoke too.  The paddle is cherry, some 225 yr old plus white cedar I came across and scavenged and some white ash on the outside.  Here's the paddle, oiled for now.  22 ounces.

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pd

Great stuff pd!