Canoe Options
The base price for our canoes is for white ash trim, including the deck pieces, all thwarts, seats and the outer gunwales. Cherry trim may be substituted for an additional price. The outwales are full-length In both ash or cherry. We have also been offering walnut trim, though the outwales are not full-length (usually incorporating a decorative scarph-joined piece of a different species at the midships.
Cherry trim for solo canoe – add $100, for tandem canoe – add $150
Walnut trim (includes hand-caned seats), for solo – add $350, for tandem – add $650
Standard seats are either ash or cherry-framed with real cane that has been woven by machine and held in place with a spline at its periphery. We also offer hand-caned seats that are fitted into a custom hardwood frame.
Hand-caned seats in either ash, cherry or walnut – add $250 per seat
We offer some nice-looking and quite comfortable carved canoe yokes made of the same wood as the rest of the trim. These yokes can be fitted with 5/8″ thick closed cell foam pads to make them even more comfortable as you tread the portage trail. For a lesser price we are now also offering a modified carved yoke that is common in Canada. These are available in cherry or ash. We also offer a simple flat curved yoke that can be fitted with portage pads.
Curved yoke or straight thwart – no extra charge
Curved yoke with portage pads – add $50
Modified Canadian yoke in ash – add $150, in cherry – add $175
Hand carved yoke in ash – add $225, in cherry – add $250
Pads for carved yokes – add $50
Finely carved quarter thwarts are standard in all our canoes. Many customers, however, request that the bow quarter thwart be left out in the 15′ and16′ models so that they may paddle the canoe backward from the bow seat. We do not feel that merely leaving the thwart out affords sufficient structure to the canoe so we have devised a method using a single piece of wood at the end of each seat to act both as a spacer and a lateral stabilizer. There is no extra charge for this option.
Handle thwarts, just behind the decks, are standard accouterments. These make a pleasant place to grab the end of the canoe to lift it over a beaver dam and are the best place to tie off the canoe to the car.
For canoes to be used on rocky streams we offer floor ribs fitted between the full-length ribs to protect the planking. This offers protection of the planking for river use. It will add a few pounds and is not recommended unless rocky rivers are in your canoe’s future.
Floor ribs – add $350 for solo and $400 for tandem canoes
Brass stem bands are found on the leading edge of all our canoes as decorative protection from rocks.
Keels can be added to any of our canoes. Normally the keel is made of Ash and is about 7/8″ deep and the width tapering from 7/8″ at its base to about 1/2″ at the leading edge. Though most of our canoes track well by virtue of their design, a keel will help a canoe track in side winds. At the same time, it will decrease the ease of turning and be a specific hindrance in streams where a keel can catch on rocks. A
A keel can always be added later, should it be necessary, though it cannot be removed (since it is screwed through the hull).
Keel – add $175
Long decks can be fitted to any canoe. These are made of a thin slice of the trim wood that is screwed to arched frames which extend from inwale to inwale. One frame at the inboard end of the deck is carved to be a comfortable place to lift the canoe from and eliminates the need for a “handle” thwart.
Long decks – add $250
For the hull, we normally use select Northern white cedar as both ribs and planking. If you wish, however, we will substitute Western red cedar planking for an additional price.
Red Cedar Planking – add $250 for solo and $300 for tandem canoes
Lighter Weights
Some people are interested in canoes that are even lighter than our normal fare. Though we have reduced the weight in our standard canoes well below some other builder’s, there is still some opportunity for weight savings. Standard covering for our canoes is #10 Midwest duck, a #8 duck can be used for added protection (it comes standard on Fishdance), or a #12 duck can be used for a lighter weight option. We also offer a poly/cotton canvas option that is the lightest of choices.
#12 or #8 duck covering – add $100
In the solo canoes, we normally use a standard bow seat. The solo seats can be mounted flat or canted, to allow kneeling. The solo seats can also be mounted on a wooden track so they are adjustable forward and aft. The bow seats can also be made adjustable. While adjustability does open up a level of comfort it also introduces complexity and I am more and more of the opinion that it best to keep it simple. Rearranging gear or the addition of a water bag can perhaps just as easily affect trim.
Adjustable solo or bow seats: Add $150 to your canoe order
Fixed seat rowing rig – $500 (includes caned seat with foot rest, outrigger with oarlock sockets and attaching hardware.
Choice of Color/Paint
Boats can be painted nearly any color. We use a variety of oil-based paints. The standard marine paints found in the Interlux and Pettit lines are very good as are the small custom paints made by Kirby in Massachusetts and Marshall’s Cove in Washington. Epifanes Paint, a quality marine enamel from Holland, offers an exceptional gloss that some prefer. I have some color chips from paints we have used in the past and most of the color choices for these paints can be found online. I should add that I have found the marine grade Rustoleum to have a dark green that I feel is a true “canoe green”, but of course everyone has his or her own opinion. And that’s good.
Canoes can be painted with a contrasting color below the water line or an epoxy-graphite coating can be used below the water line to provide extra protection. This treatment makes the bottom area slipperier and more scratch resistant. Add $250 for epoxy/graphite bottom or $200 for two-tone paint scheme.
Our canoes all come with our lily design in the bow and Stewart River side lettering at midships. If you wish these to be omitted just ask.