MAYBE IT’S THE SUBTLE TUMBLEHOME curve below the gunwales of a solo canoe, maybe it’s the sweeping re-curved stems of a 17-foot laker, or maybe it’s the knife- edge bow of a racer that is built for speed; all paddlers have their favourite part of a canoe, the part their eyes linger on when they see a canoe hanging in a shop. No matter what aspect of canoe design makes you want to reach for your wallet,
the buyer’s guide will help you find the right canoe. In the following pages you’ll find stories about our seven categories of canoeing. Read about awakening to the thrill of whitewater, avoiding headwinds in Nova Scotia, paddling like the voyageurs on Lake Superior, pushing limits of endurance in Texas, perfecting your C stroke, catch- ing your own campfire dinner and realizing you are a born adventurer. After familiarizing yourself with canoe design below, consult the lists of canoes that
have been recommended for each type of canoeing by their builders. Then comes the fun part. Buying a canoe is about understanding how design affects performance and deciding which performance characteristics are most important to you. But, most of all, it’s about tying a canoe to the roof of your car and driving home with it.
erstanding which canoe will work best for you.
ROCKER: TRACKING VS. MANOEUVRABILITY Viewed from the side, the amount that the ca- noe’s keel line (the bottom profile of the canoe) curves upward toward bow and stern is termed rocker. The amount of rocker determines how easily a boat turns versus how well it tracks. A straight keel line (no rocker) allows for excep- tional tracking, ideal for covering long distanc- es in a straight line. A canoe with a lot of rocker offers exceptional manoeuvrability.
HULL SYMMETRY AND TAPER Viewed from above, symmetrical canoes have identical bow and stern ends with the widest point at the centre of the hull. This design of- fers more versatility because it can be paddled as a tandem or a solo canoe. Asymmetrical ca- noes typically have the widest section behind the centre of the boat creating a longer bow. This configuration produces enhanced forward speed and tracking and is often seen in touring and performance boat designs. Touring and performance boats will also have sharper, more knife-like tapers at the bow and stern to cut through the water efficiently. Whitewater and general-purpose boats will have blunter ends to add volume and give buoyancy in waves, providing a drier ride.
MATERIALS
Once you have chosen a canoe design that best suits your needs, your choice of material will be based on durability, cost, weight, aesthetics, and the shape requirements of the canoe. There are a staggering number of different
materials used to make canoes including wood (sealed with canvas or fibreglass), polyethylene plastic, Royalex, and composites (glass, Kevlar or carbon/graphite fibres mixed with adhesive resins). The most expensive boats are generally either made of composites, Royalex or wood. Strong, lightweight composites such as Kev-
lar are good for trippers, racers or anyone else willing to spend money to shave off pounds.
Heavier Royalex boats are favoured by
whitewater paddlers primarily concerned with bumping, bouncing, sliding and bending over rocks unscathed. Royalex, a supple vinyl- and-foam sandwich that looks like plastic and bounces back to shape when deformed, is also well-suited to the round, blunt shapes of most whitewater designs. Wood canoes—expensive once the craftsman-
ship is factored in—are in a class of their own. Though relatively fragile, maintenance-intensive and not exceptionally lightweight, wood boats excel in beauty. They’re still popular because, to many people, canoeing is about aesthetics. Many paddlers are willing to give a little more care and take a little more weight for the timeless beauty and authenticity of a wood boat. Less expensive materials like fibreglass and
polyethylene are used in a variety of boats for a wide range of purposes. In the simplest terms, these materials share the advantages of their higher-end cousins—composite for lightness, plastic for durability. Finally, many manufacturers have their
own versions or combinations of these ma- terials, proprietary constructions with trade- marked names.
FOUR ELEMENTS OF CANOE SHAPE Rocker
Sides HEAVY
MODERATE STRAIGHT
Hull Symmetry
ASYMMETRICAL SYMMETRICAL
TUMBLEHOME FLAT FLARE
WHICH ONE SHOULD I BUY?
Whether you are altogether new to paddling, crossing over from kayaking, or a seasoned ca- noeist, you should determine your needs and desires before you wander into your local retail- er or builder’s shop to buy a canoe. Be wary of the “a canoe is a canoe” sales pitch or the “does it all” model and be sure to test-paddle a boat before buying. It’s best to test-paddle a canoe under the conditions you will likely use the boat—outfitted, loaded with gear or on your most frequently travelled class of whitewater. When you’ve narrowed down your choice of
models, it’s the little things that may help you make up your mind. Some trim options, such as moulded, adjustable seats and sculpted yokes, affect the performance and handling of the boat. Others, such as wooden gunwales, wicker seats and cherry deck plates, serve the same functions as aluminum or vinyl alternatives, but affect the overall feel, increasing the boat’s intrinsic value. Once you have determined your needs and
matched a boat to those specifications, the ultimate decision comes down to two things: price and colour. —Canoeroots editors
Bottom ROUND Trimming GUNWALES STRAIGHT SHALLOW ARCH
CONTOURED YOKE THWART
SEAT DECK
C A NOE ROOT S n
1 9
WILLY WATERTON
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