Handcrafted Cedar-Canvas Canoes
Wood, nails, canvas, and varnish come together to create a canoe that’s more than transportation—it’s a classic craft built to take you deeper into nature. A cedar-canvas canoe offers a quieter, smoother feel on the water and an outdoor experience that modern composites can’t quite replicate.
Why Choose a Cedar-Canvas Canoe?
A wooden canoe isn’t just beautiful—it’s practical, durable, and designed for real use.
Built to Be Used (Not Just Admired)
These canoes may look majestic, but they’re made for real adventures. You can paddle confidently, take trips, and enjoy the outdoors without feeling like you have to baby the boat.
Materials & Craftsmanship
Every canoe is built using carefully constructed molds and premium Canadian materials.
Select Canadian Lumber
- White cedar from the Ottawa Valley
- Hardwoods from Ontario including oak, ash, cherry, and walnut
Traditional Cedar-Canvas Build
- Sealed and coated with premium spar varnish (with flexible additives + UV inhibitors)
- Wrapped in strong cotton canvas
- Filled using traditional canoe filler used for nearly 150 years
- Painted finish
- Installed keel and polished brass stem bands
Result: a canoe that’s classic, durable, and built to last for generations.
Canoe Designs Available
I offer several proven canoe designs, each built from a dedicated mold:
- 15.5′ Chestnut Bob’s Special
- 14′ Chestnut Playmate
- 16′ Peterborough Huron
- 13.5′ Clarence Bouges
- 13.5′ Clarence Bouges Square Stern (great with a small electric motor)
- 16′ Clarence Bouges Cruiser
- 16′ Otter Canoe by Ted Pallister (NEW!)
- 9′ Clarence Bouges (Clarence’s old trapping canoe)
- 16′ Angler
- 16′ Cruiser Ultra (Don Allman Design)
- 12′ Solo Canoe (small and light; beamy and steady)
- 14′ Ranger (reasonably fast and maneuverable solo canoe)
Pricing
Base cost for a new cedar-canvas canoe: $7,200 + HST
Similar Services We Offer:
Custom Paddles
I make unique, artistic canoe paddles that are both fun to use and built to perform. Each paddle is handcrafted as a functional tool first—but finished with the care and detail of a true piece of wood art.
