Who's the pick of the litter??

[oldie moldy]

All this talk of wood canvas canoes has got me thinking. No, it's more like lusting after a really beautiful W/C canoe. If I got another canoe I don't think she'd divorce me. Maybe.

If a person was foolish enough to ignore two very functional canoes he already had and was tip-toeing around the idea of a really outstanding wood canvas, perhaps along the lines of that Chestnut Pal, where would you send him?

If it's possible to limit it to the top three builders, who would you pick?

I expect that I'd need to drive back east to pick it up, wouldn't want to commit the canoe to a freight company.

Day dreaming........

Rob

 

[Robin]

In the Pacific Northwest, the Wooden Canoe Heritage Assc. has a chapter and the chapter contact is Martin Ferwerda from Brightwood, OR and can be reached at nwwoodencanoe@yahoo.com.
He might be able to guide you to a source of canoes available in your area.
There is a guy in BC, Mike Elliott of Kettle River Canoes, if nothing else, he has an excellent blog that I am a faithful follower...but he restores and sells canoes.http://www.canoeshop.ca/
Also, here are a couple of builders in Washington,http://www.wcha.org/buildsupply/wa.php, a builder could build a lightweight canoe to suit your personal needs, ask Canoedog about his beautiful tripping canoe built by Stewart River Boatworks

I prefer Chestnuts, so I am partial to them and would recommend a 15' Bob's for the weight savings, a 15' Chum for sturdy little tripper, or a 16' Pal.

 

[snapper]

Robin - Any recommendations of builders/shops for those of us here in the east? I'm embarrassed to say I've never paddled a w/c canoe but have always wanted too. For me, having an artificial knee, weight is a consideration but the allure is almost too much. At this point I find myself going back more and more to my roots and using traditional gear. This would just be the next logical step. Thanks for any suggestions or help you can give me (and others too I'd guess).

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...Be well.

snapper

 

[Cronje]

Have you considered an original Chestnut canoe. They are available on Kijiji/Craig's list from time to time. Also the classifieds on the WCHA website is a good place to check.

 

[oldie moldy]

Well, I wasn't too sure what a Chestnut "Chum" looked like so I Googled it, and low and behold, up pops Robin striking various heroic poses with his Chum!
Dang, no wonder that those French Canadian gals swarm around him like bees to honey!

I did look at those sites you sent Robin, the one guy rebuilds canoes and sells them and the other fella seems to specialize in a historic canoe that isn't made with canvas on the outside. I mean; what's a wood canvas canoe without the canvas?

Anyways, I don't think it'd be right for a duffer like me to use an original Chestnut, there will never be anymore, ever. But what I am interested in: does anyone out there make a really nice Chestnut kind of canoe, probably any of the three; Bob's, Chum or the Pal would work. Without really knowing what I'm talking about, I kinda of like the idea of supporting some present builder who respects the old ways of doing things.

I'm not going to rash off and do anything right away, in fact I might never, but it's fun to think about. I'm even warming up to the idea of seeing America from side to side again.

Best Wishes, Rob


P.S. I missed that "Harman canoe" Looks interesting, but recommendations from folks here on the site are really valuable in my opinion. Rob

 

[Mihun09]

How about Dave Lanthier in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. He restores, not builds, but always has canoes for sale. Like this one... http://wcha.org/pp-classifieds/show...&title=15-27-chestnut-wood-canvas-canoe&cat=3

 

[Guest]

http://www.wcha.org/buildsupply/woodcanvas.php

There are many on that list. The only one I know of personally is Loon Works. Quite a drive but well worth it I suppose... well I dunno... I know they use them for canoe ballet, so I'd bet they turn good!

 

[Guest]

Well, it just goes to show how uninformed and out of touch I am; I thought w/c's were all 60+lbs and in the hurtful neighbourhood of $4000. That WCHA classified section is a great place to start my pondering. Is there a lighter than canvas DIY option for a rebuild?

 

[Mihun09]

Southern Ontario has plenty to choose from on Kijiji. Just search for wood/canvas or cedar canvas canoes. We spend a lot of time on that portion of Kijiji. Christine is planning a summer trip back home to the Niagara region so we are contemplating how to get a couple of canoes on the roof of her Buick for the return trip, other than 2x's bolted through the roof.

You can rebuild one inexpensively enough, depends on what you start with. You could always go with a lighter canvas too, not the #10 which is the usual covering.

 

[Robin]

Robin - Any recommendations of builders/shops for those of us here in the east?

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...Be well.

snapper

Hi snapper,

Here's a link to some builders in NY....http://www.wcha.org/buildsupply/ny.php

 

[yellowcanoe]

The WCHA Annual Assembly at Pail Smiths NY this year features modern builders like Tom Mac and Pam Wedd, two of the best and many others.

Tom build light boats. After years of portaging heavy loads in the BWCA his back is done and he builds light boats to keep old people using their canoes

if you can try to make the event.

sent to you somehow from the Ocala National Forest. I'll try and find a signal again tomorrow after the days canoeing.