Norwest Canoes burns to the ground: article (in French)
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Norwest Canoe Fire
- Thread starter scratchypants
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A family canoe manufacturing business was razed by the flames overnight from Monday to Tuesday in Prévost, in the Laurentians.
The flames destroyed the premises of Canots Nor-West, located on Curé-Labelle Boulevard.
The fire started shortly after 4 a.m. and many local firefighters were called to the scene to bring the raging blaze under control.
The Canots Nor-West company is one of the oldest in Prévost. At least fifteen people are now unemployed.
“This is one of Prévost’s oldest businesses. It is also a tradition in the manufacture of canoes unique in North America that is affected by this fire. I can already assure the Gariépy family of the full collaboration of the City for the reconstruction of the building”, reacted on Facebook the mayor of the municipality, Paul Germain. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The building would be a total loss and the damage would certainly amount to several hundred thousand dollars.
A family canoe manufacturing business was razed by the flames overnight from Monday to Tuesday in Prévost, in the Laurentians.
The flames destroyed the premises of Canots Nor-West, located on Curé-Labelle Boulevard.
The fire started shortly after 4 a.m. and many local firefighters were called to the scene to bring the raging blaze under control.
The Canots Nor-West company is one of the oldest in Prévost. At least fifteen people are now unemployed.
“This is one of Prévost’s oldest businesses. It is also a tradition in the manufacture of canoes unique in North America that is affected by this fire. I can already assure the Gariépy family of the full collaboration of the City for the reconstruction of the building”, reacted on Facebook the mayor of the municipality, Paul Germain. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The building would be a total loss and the damage would certainly amount to several hundred thousand dollars.
I hope they can resurrect the business! They are basically the last full scale freighter canoe business.
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30 minutes from home. Family business. My first canoe was a Nor-West. Beautiful WC canoe. As years went by, they specialized in constructing
freighter canoes as mentioned by memaquay. Their WC freighters can be found all over the North and are a favourite of the original peoples.
Hope they reconstruct.
G.
freighter canoes as mentioned by memaquay. Their WC freighters can be found all over the North and are a favourite of the original peoples.
Hope they reconstruct.
G.
Its not that they can't rebuild, but the loss of all the small specialized jigs and tools is very hard to replace... And the forms.. takes a long time to rebuild those.. Hopefully they had plans kept off site.
I drove by there the other day and there is no reconstruction going on, however I do not know what their intentions are.
Next time I go by I'll stop and ask.
G.
Next time I go by I'll stop and ask.
G.
Sad
GRB (https://www.grbnewmandesigns.com/) in Canton, NY has built several woodstrip voyageur canoes 28' and longer in recent years, such as this one I raced a few times in the Yukon River races. Although the company now focuses more on building carbon layup canoes instead of woodstrip
In another year I paddled his 34' carbon monster in the Yukon 1000 mile race, built by a company based in Texas.
A local Adirondack woodstrip builder made this 34'cedar woodstrip for me that I used for several years to race the Adirondack 90 miler.
Savage River also makes a carbon C4 (four paddler seats) 23' canoes (Saranac C4) that i have also paddled in the Yukon race. Wenonah makes their version in Kevlar (Minnesota IV)
Abitibi canoes makes a 21 foot fiberglass freighter, in the usual classic design. I owned the 18 footer, it was a heck of a boat.
Clipper Canoes - Western Canoe and Kayak if you don't want/need wood canvas or cedar strip.
Big Canoes
Clipper offer the largest selection of big canoes in the world. Our Big Canoes are paddled by outfitter and tour guides from China to Germany, Latvia to Scotland, California to Florida, and British Columbia to the Northwest Territories. Seating up to 18 people, Big Canoes mean big fun.| Name | Length | Beam | Bow Height | Center Height | Stern Height | Max # of Paddlers | Weight (lbs) | Base Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22' | 48" | 39" | 19" | 39" | 8 | 170-220lbs | $8,795 CAD | Learn More |
| 25'6 | 48" | 36" | 19" | 36" | 10 | 215-250lbs | $9,995.00 CAD | Learn More |
| 29' | 51" | 37" | 20" | 37" | 14 | 335-390lbs | $12,075 CAD | Learn More |
| 24' | 49" | 39" | 19" | 39" | 8 | 180-240lbs | $9,995 CAD | Learn More |
| 36' | 58" | 50" | 23" | 50" | 18 | 575lbs | $19,995 CAD | Learn More |
| 39' | 58" | | 18 | 650lbs | $19,995 CAD | Learn More |
| 18'6" | 37" | 22" | 16" | 22" | 1600lbs | 62-78lbs | $2,920 CAD | Learn More |
| 20' | 40" | 24" | 17" | 24" | 1900lbs | 76-98lbs | $3,160 CAD |
Square Stern
These canoes are built with a squared off stern to accommodate a small electric or gas motor up to the equivalent of 3 hp max. These canoes are designed to take a load. The best choice for those canoeists who prefer to ‘troll’ along the majority of the time.| Name | Length | Beam | Bow Height | Center Height | Stern Height | Capacity-6” waterline | Weight (lbs) | Base Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15' | 37" | 22" | 15" | 16" | 1100lbs | 56-72lbs | $2,340 CAD | Learn More |
| 16'6" | 37" | 23" | 16" | 16" | 1425lbs | 62-84lbs | $2,665 CAD | Learn More |
| 18' | 40" | 24" | 17" | 16" | 1765lbs | 76-98lbs | $3,165 CAD | Learn More |
I didn't realize how picky I was until just now. I really like the look and functionality of the Nor-West freighters. I want a square stern and I will probably use a 25-50hp outboard.
I've looked at these as well. The bow is much lower than the Nor-West.
MacKenzie Sport 18 is just too small. I can't find the dimensions, but scaling off a few photos, I think the bow height on the Nor-West 24 is more than 40" and the stern around 26-28". Of course, it is also almost 600 lbs so not paddling it unless you have small army and/or lots of time.Clipper Canoes - Western Canoe and Kayak if you don't want/need wood canvas or cedar strip.
Big Canoes
Clipper offer the largest selection of big canoes in the world. Our Big Canoes are paddled by outfitter and tour guides from China to Germany, Latvia to Scotland, California to Florida, and British Columbia to the Northwest Territories. Seating up to 18 people, Big Canoes mean big fun.
Name Length Beam Bow Height Center Height Stern Height Max # of Paddlers Weight (lbs) Base Price 22' 48" 39" 19" 39" 8 170-220lbs $8,795 CAD Learn More 25'6 48" 36" 19" 36" 10 215-250lbs $9,995.00 CAD Learn More 29' 51" 37" 20" 37" 14 335-390lbs $12,075 CAD Learn More 24' 49" 39" 19" 39" 8 180-240lbs $9,995 CAD Learn More 36' 58" 50" 23" 50" 18 575lbs $19,995 CAD Learn More 39' 58" 18 650lbs $19,995 CAD Learn More
18'6" 37" 22" 16" 22" 1600lbs 62-78lbs $2,920 CAD Learn More 20' 40" 24" 17" 24" 1900lbs 76-98lbs $3,160 CAD
Square Stern
These canoes are built with a squared off stern to accommodate a small electric or gas motor up to the equivalent of 3 hp max. These canoes are designed to take a load. The best choice for those canoeists who prefer to ‘troll’ along the majority of the time.
Name Length Beam Bow Height Center Height Stern Height Capacity-6” waterline Weight (lbs) Base Price 15' 37" 22" 15" 16" 1100lbs 56-72lbs $2,340 CAD Learn More 16'6" 37" 23" 16" 16" 1425lbs 62-84lbs $2,665 CAD Learn More 18' 40" 24" 17" 16" 1765lbs 76-98lbs $3,165 CAD Learn More
Dale Tobey at the link below can make one for you.
Benson
Grand Lake Canoe + Paddle
Restoration, repair, and new construction of classic wooden grand lakers. 20’ square stern cedar rib and plank canoes. I also make ash paddles, and on request custom paddles any style, from any species you would like.
www.woodencanoe.org
I made some trips to Baffin island about 12 years ago to install remote weather stations in a couple of the fjords. The Clyde River Inuit were partners on the project and provided transportation to the sites in Nor West freighters. I was a little nervous about travelling in these boats, but luckily we had good weather. Travelling on the open sea along the coast of Baffin Bay in 3-5 foot swell was a bit beyond my comfort zone though. I never thought of these as "canoe trips", but I suppose they were.
Mark
Mark
What made you scared?
There is currently underway an expedition to traverse the Northwest Passage in the Arctic, if successful, it will be the first to complete the 2000 mile NWP under human paddle power using tandem sea kayaks. One of the four paddlers was a paddling partner of mine on the Yukon River Quest canoe race in 2017. the following year she won the entire Yukon race overall, paddling in her kayak.
Arctic Cowboys Route Map - The Arctic Cowboys
Baffin Bay - the body of water/ocean that marks the eastern border of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, through which the NWP traverses via various routes. Button Point - southeastern- most point of Bylot Island that marks the team's official starting point of the expedition. Named after arctic...
www.thearcticcowboys.com
Open canoe on the coast of Baffin Bay pretty much sums it up.
That's quite the adventure. I am surprised nobody has paddled that route. I've been to Pond Inlet where they're starting. They're going through Bellot Straight and on west to the McKenzie River. I have read journals of all the British explorers that passed through that route. All the hardship and death. Franklin and the birchbark canoes, Parry and Ross' sledge journeys, wooden ships damaged and destroyed. Wow. I wonder if a warming arctic will make it an easier passage than the Brits found.There is currently underway an expedition to traverse the Northwest Passage in the Arctic, if successful, it will be the first to complete the 2000 mile NWP under human paddle power using tandem sea kayaks. One of the four paddlers was a paddling partner of mine on the Yukon River Quest canoe race in 2017. the following year she won the entire Yukon race overall, paddling in her kayak.
Arctic Cowboys Route Map - The Arctic Cowboys
Baffin Bay - the body of water/ocean that marks the eastern border of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, through which the NWP traverses via various routes. Button Point - southeastern- most point of Bylot Island that marks the team's official starting point of the expedition. Named after arctic...
Mark
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