How to Lace a Canoe Seat

Some modern canoe seats are built from a combination of aluminum, plastic and canvas, but canoe seats in the past were built from wood and leather lace. If the lace in your traditional canoe seat has failed, or you wish to build a new leather seat for looks and comfort, you need few supplies other than the lace itself. This project will take some time and concentration, but the quality of your end result should impress you.

Things You'll Need

  • Screwdriver
  • Knife
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Leather lace
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove the canoe's seat frame from the canoe with a screwdriver.

    • 2

      Remove the broken or stretched leather from the seat frame by cutting though the attached leather and pulling it apart.

    • 3

      Place the seat frame in front of you, and measure each side of the frame to determine its center. Mark the center with a pencil.

    • 4

      Divide each half of each side of the frame into four sections, and mark these equal intervals with a pencil mark. Now you will have nine pencil marks per side of the frame.

    • 5

      Mark your start point as the top dot on the right side of your frame, and your end point as the middle dot on the top side of the frame.

    • 6

      Number the dots in the following pattern:

      On the left side, from top to bottom, number: 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29 and 33.

      On the bottom side, from left to right, number: 34, 26, 18, 10, 2, 7, 15, 23 and 31.

      On the right side, from top to bottom number: Start, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28 and 32.

      On the top side, from left to right, number: 6, 14, 22, 30, End, 27, 19, 11 and 3.

    • 7

      Tie one end of the leather lace to the wood at the starting point using a lark's head knot, a common knot used to tie a rope to something solid.

    • 8

      Make a loop close to the end of the lace, and place it halfway under the seat frame. Pull the ends through the loop in the direction of the center of the frame so that the lace tightens down on the frame. Tie the short end of the lace to itself to complete the anchor lark's head knot.

    • 9

      Pull the lace toward the point marked 1, and make another lark's head knot, ensuring the lace is kept tight.

    • 10

      Pull the lace toward the numbers in numerical order, anchoring it on the frame each time with lark's head knots.

    • 11

      Weave the lace alternately under and over itself to create a sturdy seat.

    • 12

      Tie the final lark's head knot at the end spot, and tie it tightly to itself.

    • 13

      Cut the extra lace with a knife.

    • 14

      Screw the newly laced seat back into the canoe.