I like to think that Clarence Bouges would have approved of my canoe shop!
There is nothing quite like the tranquility of setting sail on a Muskoka, Ontario lake or river in a quality-built canoe custom made to your specifications. You might have thought that the day of having a superb canoe ended when Clarence Bouges, the famous canoe maker, passed away in 1982. Thankfully, the journey has begun again. At Cook Craft, I take pride in crafting canoes and custom paddles that recapture history.
While most come to my canoe shop to get a custom-made canoe, I have a lot more than that to offer. I also offer canoe restoration for antique canoes, carbon fiber canoes, Kevlar canoes, and even antique row boats. In addition, I offer custom lyres, custom violins, and repairs to both fiddles and lyres. My obsession with wooden watercraft and good fortune in coming across Clarence’s old canoe shop have culminated in a dream come true. I’m doing what I love and you will quickly see that the result is the beauty and reliability that you deserve.
Sadly, I am not accompanied by the one-winged raven called Joe that Clarence was, but I take pride in honouring Clarence’s memory by creating remarkable handcrafted canoes in my canoe shop that I believe he would approve of. At Cook Craft, we are primarily woodworkers. Often composite and kevlar require new gunnels, which we specialize in. We also can help with cosmetic repairs to composite and kevlar canoes. If you have a canoe in mind, stop by and see me and we can get started making your vision a reality. I’m living the Canadian dream and I look forward to helping you do the same by paddling an exceptional wooden canoe down a river in the Ontario wilderness.
