A canoe is a lightweight narrow
water vessel
Any vehicle used in or on water as well as underwater, including boats, ships, hovercraft and submarines, is a watercraft, also known as a water vessel or waterborne vessel. A watercraft usually has a propulsive capability (whether by sail, ...
, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed
paddle.
In
British English, the term ''canoe'' can also refer to a
kayak
A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word ''qajaq'' ().
The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each se ...
,
while canoes are called
Canadian or open canoes to distinguish them from kayaks.
Canoes were developed by cultures all over the world, including some designed for use with
sail
A sail is a tensile structure—which is made from fabric or other membrane materials—that uses wind power to propel sailing craft, including sailing ships, sailboats, windsurfers, ice boats, and even sail-powered land vehicles. Sails may ...
s or
outriggers. Until the mid-19th century, the canoe was an important means of transport for exploration and trade, and in some places is still used as such, sometimes with the addition of an
outboard motor. Where the canoe played a key role in history, such as the
Northern United States
The Northern United States, commonly referred to as the American North, the Northern States, or simply the North, is a geographical or historical region of the United States.
History Early history
Before the 19th century westward expansion, the "N ...
, Canada, and New Zealand, it remains an important theme in
popular culture.
Canoes are now
widely used for competition and pleasure, such as
racing,
whitewater, touring and
camping,
freestyle
Freestyle may refer to:
Brands
* Reebok Freestyle, a women's athletic shoe
* Ford Freestyle, an SUV automobile
* Coca-Cola Freestyle, a vending machine
* ICD Freestyle, a paintball marker
* Abbott FreeStyle, a blood glucose monitor by Abbott La ...
and general
recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasur ...
. Canoeing has been
part of the Olympics since
1936
Events
January–February
* January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...
. The intended use of the canoe dictates its
hull
Hull may refer to:
Structures
* Chassis, of an armored fighting vehicle
* Fuselage, of an aircraft
* Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds
* Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a ship
* Submarine hull
Mathematics
* Affine hull, in affi ...
shape,
length
Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a base unit for length is chosen, from which all other units are derived. In the Interna ...
, and construction material. Historically, canoes were
dugouts
Dugout may refer to:
* Dugout (shelter), an underground shelter
* Dugout (boat), a logboat
* Dugout (smoking), a marijuana container
Sports
* In bat-and-ball sports, a dugout is one of two areas where players of the home or opposing teams sit whe ...
or made of
bark
Bark may refer to:
* Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick
* Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog)
Places
* Bark, Germany
* Bark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland
Arts, ...
on a wood frame, but construction materials evolved to
canvas
Canvas is an extremely durable plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, shelters, as a support for oil painting and for other items for which sturdiness is required, as well as in such fashion objects as handbags ...
on a wood frame, then to aluminum. Most modern canoes are made of molded plastic or
composites such as
fiberglass or those incorporating
kevlar, or
graphite.
History
The word ''canoe'' came into English from the Spanish/Portuguese word ''canoa''. They in turn had adopted the word from the
Arawakan languages of the Caribbean for a dugout canoe, ''kanawa''.
Dugouts
Many peoples made dugout canoes, by carving out a single piece of wood; either a whole
trunk
Trunk may refer to:
Biology
* Trunk (anatomy), synonym for torso
* Trunk (botany), a tree's central superstructure
* Trunk of corpus callosum, in neuroanatomy
* Elephant trunk, the proboscis of an elephant
Computing
* Trunk (software), in rev ...
, or a slab of trunk from particularly large trees.
Constructed between 8200 and 7600 BC, and found in the
Netherlands, the
Pesse canoe may be the oldest known canoe. Excavations in
Denmark reveal the use of dugouts and paddles during the
Ertebølle period, (c. 5300–3950 BC).
One of the oldest canoes in the world is the
Dufuna canoe
The Dufuna canoe is a dugout canoe discovered in 1987 by a Fulani cattle herdsman a few kilometers from the village of Dufuna in the Fune Local Government Area, not far from the Komadugu Gana River, in Yobe State, Nigeria. Radiocarbon dating of a s ...
in Nigeria. It is the oldest boat to be discovered in Africa, and the third oldest known worldwide.
The canoe is currently in
Damaturu, the
Yobe State capital.
Canoes have also played a vital role in the colonisation of the
Pre-Columbian Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
as they represented the only possibility of reaching the Caribbean Islands from mainland South America. Around 3500 BC ancient
Amerindian groups colonised the first Caribbean Islands using single-hulled canoes. Only a very few Pre-Columbian Caribbean canoes have been found. There are several families of trees that could have been used to construct Caribbean canoes. These include woods of the
mahogany
Mahogany is a straight-grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Unive ...
family (Meliaceae) such as the
Cuban mahogany (''Swietenia mahagoni''), that can reach heights of 30–35 m and the red cedar (''
Cedrela odorata
''Cedrela odorata'' is a commercially important species of tree in the chinaberry family, Meliaceae, commonly known as Spanish cedar or Cuban cedar; it is also known as cedro in Spanish.
Classification
The genus ''Cedrela'' has undergone two m ...
''), that can grow up to 60 m in height., as well as the ''
ceiba'' genus (Malvacae), such as ''
Ceiba pentandra'', than can grow up to 60–70 m tall. It is likely that these canoes were built in a variety of sizes. Ranging from fishing canoes, holding one or a few individuals, to larger ones able to carry as many as a few dozen people that could have being used to reach the Caribbean Islands from the mainland. Reports by historical
chronicle
A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...
rs claim to have witnessed a canoe "containing 40 to 50
Caribs
“Carib” may refer to:
People and languages
* Kalina people, or Caribs, an indigenous people of South America
**Carib language, also known as Kalina, the language of the South American Caribs
* Kalinago people, or Island Caribs, an indigenous ...
..when it came out to trade with a visiting English ship". There is still much dispute regarding the use of sails in Caribbean canoes. Some archaeologists doubt that oceanic transportation would have been possible without the use of sails, as winds and currents would have carried the canoes off course. However, no evidence of a sail or a Caribbean canoe that could have made use of a sail has been found. Furthermore, no historical sources mention Caribbean canoes with sails. One possibility could be that canoes with sails were initially used in the Caribbean but later abandoned before European contact. This, however, seems unlikely, as long-distance trade continued in the Caribbean even after the prehistoric colonisation of the islands. Hence, it is likely that early Caribbean colonists made use of canoes without sails.
Native American groups of the
north Pacific coast made
dugout canoes in a number of styles for different purposes, from western red-cedar (''
Thuja plicata'') or yellow-cedar (''
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis''), depending on availability.
Different styles were required for ocean-going vessels versus river boats, and for
whale-hunting versus
seal-hunting versus
salmon-fishing. The
Quinault Quinault may refer to:
* Quinault people, an Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast
**Quinault Indian Nation, a federally recognized tribe
**Quinault language, their language
People
* Quinault family of actors, including
* Jean-Baptis ...
of
Washington State built shovel-nose canoes, with double bows, for river travel that could slide over a
logjam
A log jam is a naturally occurring phenomenon characterized by a dense accumulation of tree trunks and pieces of large wood across a vast section of a river, stream, or lake. ("Large wood" is commonly defined as pieces of wood more than in diame ...
without needing to be
potaged. The
Kootenai of British Columbia province made
sturgeon-nosed canoe The sturgeon-nosed canoe, also known as a Kootenay Canoe or Kootenay-nosed Canoe (Ktunaxa: ''yaqsuʔmiǂ'' ), was a distinctive canoe style used by the Sinixt, Ktunaxa and Kalispel First Nations in Interior British Columbia and the Pacific Northwes ...
s from pine bark, designed to be stable in windy conditions on
Kootenay Lake
Kootenay Lake is a lake located in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Kootenay River. The lake has been raised by the Corra Linn Dam and has a dike system at the southern end, which, along with industry in the 1950s–70s, has changed th ...
. In recent years
First Nations in British Columbia and
Washington State have been revitalizing the ocean-going canoe tradition. Beginning in the 1980s, the
Heiltsuk and
Haida
Haida may refer to:
Places
* Haida, an old name for Nový Bor
* Haida Gwaii, meaning "Islands of the People", formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands
* Haida Islands, a different archipelago near Bella Bella, British Columbia
Ships
* , a 1 ...
were early leaders in this movement. The paddle to
Expo 86 in Vancouver by the
Heiltsuk, and the 1989 Paddle to
Seattle were early instances of this. In 1993 a large number of canoes paddled from up and down the coast to
Bella Bella in its first canoe festival – 'Qatuwas. The revitalization continued – and
Tribal Journeys
Tribal Canoe Journeys is a celebrated event for the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Founded in 1989, this event has been held annually to bring together members of Indigenous nations from the coasts of Alaska, British Columbia, ...
began with trips to various communities held in most years.
Australian Aboriginal people made canoes from hollowed out
tree trunks
In botany, the trunk (or bole) is the stem and main wooden axis of a tree, which is an important feature in tree identification, and which often differs markedly from the bottom of the trunk to the top, depending on the species. The trunk is the ...
, as well as from tree bark.
The indigenous people of the
Amazon commonly used
Hymenaea (
) trees.
Bark canoes
Australia
Some
Australian Aboriginal peoples made bark canoes.
They could only be made from the bark of certain trees (usually
red gum or
box gum) and during summer. After cutting the outline of the required size and shape, a digging stick was used to cut through the bark to the hardwood, and the bark was then slowly prised out using numerous smaller sticks. The slab of bark was held in place by branches or hand-woven rope, and after separation from the tree, lowered to the ground and small fires lit on the inside of the bark. This would cause the bark to dry out and curl upwards, after which the ends could be pulled together and stitched with hemp and plugged with mud. It was then allowed to mature, with frequent applications of
grease and
ochre
Ochre ( ; , ), or ocher in American English, is a natural clay earth pigment, a mixture of ferric oxide and varying amounts of clay and sand. It ranges in colour from yellow to deep orange or brown. It is also the name of the colours produced ...
. The remaining tree was later dubbed a
canoe tree by Europeans.
Because of the porosity of the bark, they did not last too long (about two years
), and were mainly used for fishing or crossing rivers or lakes rather than long journeys. They were usually propelled by punting with a long stick. Another type of bark canoe was made out of a type of
stringybark
A stringybark can be any of the many ''Eucalyptus'' species which have thick, fibrous bark. Like all eucalypts, stringybarks belong to the family Myrtaceae. In exceptionally fertile locations some stringybark species (in particular messmate strin ...
gum known as Messmate stringybark (''
Eucalyptus obliqua''), where the bark was pleated and tied at each end, with a framework of cross-ties and ribs. This type was known as a pleated or tied bark canoe. Bark strips could also be sewn together to make larger canoes, known as sewn bark canoes.
Americas
Many
indigenous peoples of the Americas built
bark
Bark may refer to:
* Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick
* Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog)
Places
* Bark, Germany
* Bark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland
Arts, ...
canoes. They were usually skinned with
birch bark over a light wooden frame, but other types could be used if birch was scarce. At a typical length of and weight of , the canoes were light enough to be
portage
Portage or portaging (Canada: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a ...
d, yet could carry a lot of cargo, even in shallow water. Although susceptible to damage from rocks, they are easily repaired. Their performance qualities were soon recognized by early European
settler colonials, and canoes played a key role in the
exploration of North America, with
Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...
canoeing as far as the
Georgian Bay in 1615.
In 1603 a canoe was brought to
Sir Robert Cecil's
house
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
in London and rowed on the
Thames by
Virginian Indians from
Tsenacommacah. In 1643
David Pietersz. de Vries
David Pieterszoon de Vries ( – 13 September 1655) was a Dutch navigator from Hoorn.Joris van der MeeKoopman in de West; De indianen en de Nieuw Nederlanders in het journaal van David Pietersz. De Vries, 2001 (Dutch)
Biography
In 1617, De ...
recorded a
Mohawk canoe in Dutch possession at
Rensselaerswyck capable of transporting 225
bushels of maize.
René de Bréhant de Galinée, a French
missionary who explored the
Great Lakes in 1669, declared: "The convenience of these canoes is great in these waters, full of cataracts or waterfalls, and rapids through which it is impossible to take any boat. When you reach them you load canoe and baggage upon your shoulders and go overland until the navigation is good; and then you put your canoe back into the water, and embark again. American painter, author and traveler
George Catlin wrote that the bark canoe was "the most beautiful and light model of all the water crafts that ever were invented".
The first explorer to cross the North American continent,
Alexander Mackenzie, used canoes extensively, as did
David Thompson and the
Lewis and Clark Expedition.
In the
North American fur trade
The North American fur trade is the commercial trade in furs in North America. Various Indigenous peoples of the Americas traded furs with other tribes during the pre-Columbian era. Europeans started their participation in the North American fur ...
the
Hudson's Bay Company's
voyageurs used three types of canoe:
* The
rabaska or ''canot du maître'' was designed for the long haul from the
St. Lawrence River to western
Lake Superior. Its dimensions were: length approximately , beam , and height about . It could carry 60 packs weighing , and of provisions. With a crew of eight or ten (paddling or rowing), they could make three knots over calm waters. Four to six men could portage it, bottom up.
Henry Schoolcraft declared it "altogether one of the most eligible modes of conveyance that can be employed upon the lakes".
Archibald McDonald
Archibald McDonald (3 February 1790 – 15 January 1853) was chief trader for the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Langley, Fort Nisqually and Fort Colvile and one-time deputy governor of the Red River Colony.
Early life
McDonald was born in Leech ...
of the Hudson's Bay Company wrote: "I never heard of such a canoe being wrecked, or upset, or swamped ... they swam like ducks."
* The du nord (French: "canoe of the north"), a craft specially made and adapted for speedy travel, was the workhorse of the fur trade transportation system. About one-half the size of the Montreal canoe, it could carry about 35 packs weighing and was manned by four to eight men. It could be carried by two men and was portaged in the upright position.
* The express canoe or léger, was about long and were used to carry people, reports, and news.
The birch bark canoe was used in a supply route from
Montreal to the Pacific Ocean and the
Mackenzie River, and continued to be used up to the end of the 19th century.
The
indigenous peoples of eastern Canada and the northeast United States made canoes using the bark of the
paper birch, which was harvested in early spring by stripping off the bark in one piece, using wooden wedges. Next, the two ends (
stem
Stem or STEM may refer to:
Plant structures
* Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang
* Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure
* Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...
and
stern
The stern is the back or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Ori ...
) were sewn together and made watertight with the
pitch of
balsam fir. The ribs of the canoe, called verons in
Canadian French
Canadian French (french: français canadien) is the French language as it is spoken in Canada. It includes Varieties of French#Canada, multiple varieties, the most prominent of which is Quebec French, Québécois (Quebec French). Formerly ''Can ...
, were made of
white cedar White cedar may refer to several different trees:
* Bignoniaceae
** '' Tabebuia heterophylla'' - native to Caribbean islands and also cultivated as an ornamental tree
* Cupressaceae
Cupressaceae is a conifer family, the cypress family, with w ...
, and the hull, ribs, and thwarts were fastened using
watap, a binding usually made from the
roots of various species of
conifers
Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All extan ...
, such as the
white spruce,
black spruce
''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of the province of Newfoundland and Labra ...
, or
cedar, and caulked with pitch.
Skin canoes
Skin canoes are constructed using animal skins stretched over a framework. Examples include the
kayak
A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word ''qajaq'' ().
The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each se ...
and
umiak.
Modern canoes
In 19th-century North America, the birch-on-frame construction technique evolved into the wood-and-canvas canoes made by fastening an external waterproofed
canvas
Canvas is an extremely durable plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, shelters, as a support for oil painting and for other items for which sturdiness is required, as well as in such fashion objects as handbags ...
shell to planks and ribs by
boat builders
This is a list of boat builders, for which there is a Wikipedia article.
Motorboats (<50 feet)
*American Skier
*Andrée & Rosenqvist
*Bayliner
*Beneteau
*Boston Whaler
*Brunswick Boat Group
*Carter Safari 28, Carter Marine
*Carver Yach ...
such as
Old Town Canoe
Old Town Canoe Company is a historic maker of canoes in Old Town, Maine. The company had its beginnings in 1898, in buildings constructed in 1890 for a shoe business, and was incorporated in 1901. Old Town entered the canoe market as a builder o ...
,
E. M. White Canoe,
Peterborough Canoe Company and at the
Chestnut Canoe Company in
New Brunswick. While similar to bark canoes in the use of
ribs, and a waterproof covering, the construction method is different, being built by bending ribs over a solid mold. Once removed from the mold, the decks,
thwarts and
seat
A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but also headquarters in a wider sense.
Types of seat
The following are examples of different kinds of seat:
* Armchair (furniture), ...
s are installed, and canvas is stretched tightly over the hull. The canvas is then treated with a combination of
varnish
Varnish is a clear transparent hard protective coating or film. It is not a stain. It usually has a yellowish shade from the manufacturing process and materials used, but it may also be pigmented as desired, and is sold commercially in various ...
es and
paint
Paint is any pigmented liquid, liquefiable, or solid mastic composition that, after application to a substrate in a thin layer, converts to a solid film. It is most commonly used to protect, color, or provide texture. Paint can be made in many ...
s to render it more durable and
watertight.
Although canoes were once primarily a means of transport, with industrialization they became popular as
recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasur ...
al or sporting watercraft.
John MacGregor John MacGregor, John Macgregor or John McGregor may refer to:
Sportsmen
* John McGregor (footballer, born 1851), Scottish international football player
* John McGregor (footballer, born 1900) (1900–1993), English football player
* John McGrego ...
popularized canoeing through his books, and in 1866 founded the
Royal Canoe Club in London and in 1880 the
American Canoe Association. The
Canadian Canoe Association was founded in 1900, and the
British Canoe Union in 1936.
Sprint canoe was a
demonstration sport
A demonstration sport, or exhibition sport, is a sport which is played to promote it, rather than as part of standard medal competition. This occurs commonly during the Olympic Games, but may also occur at other sporting events.
Demonstration spor ...
at the
1924 Paris Olympics and became an Olympic discipline at the
1936 Berlin Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-sp ...
. The
International Canoe Federation was formed in 1946 and is the umbrella organization of all national canoe organizations worldwide.
Hull design
Hull
Hull may refer to:
Structures
* Chassis, of an armored fighting vehicle
* Fuselage, of an aircraft
* Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds
* Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a ship
* Submarine hull
Mathematics
* Affine hull, in affi ...
design must meet different, often conflicting, requirements for speed, carrying capacity, maneuverability, and stability
The canoe's
hull speed can be calculated using the principles of
ship resistance and propulsion.
* Length: this is often stated by manufacturers as the
overall length of the boat, but what counts in performance terms is the
length
Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a base unit for length is chosen, from which all other units are derived. In the Interna ...
of the
waterline, and more specifically its value relative to the
displacement of the canoe. Displacement is the amount of water
displaced by the boat. It is equal to the total weight of the boat and its contents since a floating body displaces its own weight in water. When a canoe is paddled through water, it takes an effort to push all of the displaced water out of the way. Canoes are
displacement hulls: the longer the waterline relative to its displacement, the faster it can be paddled. Among general
touring canoeists, is a popular length, providing a good compromise between capacity and cruising speed.
Too large a canoe will simply mean extra work paddling at cruising speed.
*
Width (beam): a wider boat provides more stability at the expense of speed. A canoe cuts through the water like a wedge, and a shorter boat needs a narrower beam to reduce the angle of the wedge cutting through the water.
Canoe manufacturers typically provide three beam measurements: the gunwale (the measurement at the top of the hull), the waterline (the measurement at the point where the surface of the water meets the hull when it is empty), and the widest point. Another variation of the waterline beam measurement is called ''4" waterline'' where the displacement is taken into account. This measurement is done at the waterline level when the maximum load is applied to the canoe. Some canoe races use the 4" waterline beam measurement as the standard for their regulations. In races, the measurement is done by measuring the widest point at from the bottom of the canoe.
*
Freeboard: a higher-sided boat stays drier in rough water. The cost of high sides is extra weight, extra
wind resistance and increased susceptibility to cross-winds.
*
Stability and immersed bottom shape: the hull can be optimized for
initial stability (the boat feels steady when it sits flat on the water) or final stability (resistance to rolling and capsizing). A flatter-bottomed hull has higher initial stability, versus a rounder or V-shaped hull in cross-section has high final stability.
The fastest flat water non-racing canoes have sharp V-bottoms to cut through the water, but they are difficult to turn and have a deeper
draft which makes them less suitable for shallows. Flat-bottomed canoes are most popular among recreational canoeists. At the cost of speed, they have a shallow draft, turn better, and more cargo space. The reason a flat bottom canoe has lower final stability is that the hull must wrap a sharper angle between the bottom and the sides, compared to a more round-bottomed boat.
*
Keel: an external keel makes a canoe track (hold its course) better and can stiffen a floppy bottom, but it can get stuck on rocks and decrease stability in
rapid
Rapids are sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient, causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence.
Rapids are hydrological features between a ''run'' (a smoothly flowing part of a stream) and a ''cascade''. ...
s.
* Profile, the shape of the canoe's sides. Sides that
flare out above the waterline deflect water but require the paddler to reach out over the side of the canoe more. If the gunwale width is less than the maximum width the canoe is said to have
tumblehome.
* Rocker: viewed from the side of the canoe, rocker is the amount of curve in the hull, much like the curve of a banana. The full length of the hull is in the water, so it tracks well and has good speed. As the rocker increases, so does the ease of turning, at the cost of tracking.
Some Native American birch-bark canoes were characterized by extreme rocker.
* Hull
symmetry
Symmetry (from grc, συμμετρία "agreement in dimensions, due proportion, arrangement") in everyday language refers to a sense of harmonious and beautiful proportion and balance. In mathematics, "symmetry" has a more precise definit ...
: viewed from above, a symmetrical hull has its widest point at the center of the hull and both ends are identical. An asymmetrical hull typically has the widest section aft of centerline, creating a longer bow and improving speed.
Modern materials and construction
Plastic
Royalex is a
composite material, comprising an outer layer of
vinyl and hard
acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) (chemical formula (C8H8)''x''·(C4H6)''y''·(C3H3N)''z'' is a common thermoplastic polymer. Its glass transition temperature is approximately . ABS is amorphous and therefore has no true melting point.
A ...
plastic (ABS) and an inner layer of ABS foam, bonded by heat treatment.
As a canoe material, Royalex is lighter, more resistant to
UV damage, is more rigid, and has greater structural memory than non-composite plastics such as
polyethylene. Royalex canoes are, however, more expensive than aluminium canoes or canoes made from
traditionally molded or
roto-molded polyethylene hulls.
It is heavier, and less suited for high-performance paddling than fiber-reinforced composites, such as fiberglass, kevlar, or graphite. Roto-molded polyethylene is a cheaper alternative to Royalex. Production of Royalex ceased in 2014.
Folding canoes usually consist of a
PVC skin around an aluminum frame.
Inflatable: These contain no rigid frame members and can be deflated, folded, and stored in a bag. The more durable types consist of an abrasion-resistant nylon or
rubber outer shell, with separate PVC air chambers for the two side tubes and the floor.
Fiber reinforced composites
Modern canoes are generally constructed by layering a fiber material inside a "female" mold.
Fiberglass is the most common material used in manufacturing canoes. Fiberglass is not expensive, can be molded to any shape, and is easy to repair.
Kevlar is popular with paddlers looking for a light, durable boat that will not be taken in whitewater. Fiberglass and Kevlar are strong but lack rigidity.
Carbon fiber is used in racing canoes to create a very light, rigid construction usually combined with Kevlar for durability. Boats are built by draping the cloth in a mold, then impregnating it with a liquid
resin. Optionally, a vacuum process can be used to remove excess resin to reduce weight.
A
gel coat Gelcoat, also called Gel Coat, is a material used to provide a high-quality finish on the visible surface of a fibre-reinforced composite. The most common gelcoats are thermosetting polymers based on epoxy or unsaturated polyester resin chemistry. ...
on the outside gives a smoother appearance.
With
stitch and glue,
plywood
Plywood is a material manufactured from thin layers or "plies" of wood veneer that are glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up to 90 degrees to one another. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured ...
panels are stitched together to form a hull shape, and the seams are reinforced with fiber reinforced composites and varnished.
A cedar strip canoe is essentially a composite canoe with a cedar core. Usually fiberglass is used to reinforce the canoe since it is clear and allows a view of the cedar.
Aluminum
Before the invention of fiberglass, this was the standard choice for
whitewater canoeing. It is good value and very strong by weight.
This material was once more popular but is being replaced by modern lighter materials. "It is tough, durable, and will take being dragged over the bottom very well", as it has no gel or polymer outer coating which would make it subject to abrasion. The hull does not degrade from long term exposure to sunlight, and "extremes of hot and cold do not affect the material". It can dent, is difficult to repair, is noisy, can get stuck on underwater objects, and requires buoyancy chambers to assist in keeping the canoe afloat in a capsize.
In culture
In Canada, the canoe has been a theme in history and folklore, and is a symbol of
Canadian identity. From 1935 to 1986 the
Canadian silver dollar depicted a canoe with the
Northern Lights in the background.
The
Chasse-galerie is a
French-Canadian
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fr ...
tale of voyageurs who, after a night of heavy drinking on New Year's Eve at a remote timber camp want to visit their sweethearts some 100
leagues (about 400 km) away. Since they have to be back in time for work the next morning they make a pact with the
devil. Their canoe will fly through the air, on condition that they not mention God's name or touch the cross of any
church steeple as they fly by in the canoe. One version of this fable ends with the
coup de grâce when, still high in the sky, the voyageurs complete the hazardous journey but the canoe overturns, so the devil can honour the pact to deliver the voyageurs and still claim their souls.
In
John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. (; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer and the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature winner "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social ...
's novella ''
The Pearl'' set in Mexico, the main character's canoe is a means of making a living that has been passed down for generations and represents a link to cultural tradition.
The
Māori,
indigenous Polynesian people arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe (called
waka) voyages. Canoe traditions are important to the identity of Māori.
Whakapapa (genealogical links) back to the crew of founding canoes served to establish the origins of tribes, and defined tribal boundaries and relationships.
Types
Modern canoe types are usually categorized by the intended use. Many modern canoe designs are hybrids (a combination of two or more designs, meant for multiple uses). The purpose of the canoe will also often determine the materials used. Most canoes are designed for either one person (solo) or two people (
tandem), but some are designed for more than two people.
Sprint
Sprint canoe is also known as flatwater racing. The paddler
kneels
Kneeling is a basic human position where one or both knees touch the ground. Kneeling is defined as “to position the body so that one or both knees rest on the floor,” according to Merriam-Webster. Kneeling when only composed of one knee, and ...
on one knee, and uses a single-blade
paddle. Canoes have no
rudder, so the boat must be steered by the athlete's
paddle using a
j-stroke. Canoes may be entirely open or be partly covered. The minimum length of the opening on a C1 is . Boats are long and streamlined with a narrow
beam, which makes them very unstable. A C4 can be up to long and weigh .
ICF classes include C1 (solo), C2 (crew of two), and C4 (crew of four). Race distances at the
2012 Olympic Games
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
were 200 and 1000 meters.
Slalom and wildwater
In ICF
whitewater slalom paddlers negotiate their way down a of
whitewater rapids
Rapids are sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient, causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence.
Rapids are hydrological features between a ''run'' (a smoothly flowing part of a stream) and a ''cascade''. ...
, through a series of up to 25 gates (pairs of hanging poles). The colour of the poles indicates the direction in which the paddlers must pass through; time penalties are assessed for striking poles or missing gates. Categories are C1 (solo) and C2 (tandem), the latter for two men, and C2M (mixed) for one woman and one man. C1 boats must have a minimum weight and width of and and be not more than long. C2s must have a minimum weight and width of and , and be not more that . Rudders are prohibited. Canoes are decked and propelled by single-bladed paddles, and the competitor must kneel.
In ICF
wildwater canoeing athletes paddle a course of class III to IV whitewater (using the
International Scale of River Difficulty), passing over waves, holes and rocks of a natural riverbed in events lasting either 20–30 minutes ("Classic" races) or 2–3 minutes ("Sprint" races). Categories are C1 and C2, for both women and men. C1s must have a minimum weight and width of and , and a maximum length of . C2s must have a minimum weight and width of and , and a maximum length of . Rudders are prohibited. The canoes are decked boats which must be propelled by single bladed paddles and inside which the paddler kneels.
Marathon
Marathons are long-distance races which may include
portage
Portage or portaging (Canada: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a ...
s. Under ICF rules minimum canoe weight is for C1 and C2 respectively. Other rules can vary by race, for example in the Classique Internationale de Canots de la
Mauricie
Mauricie () is a traditional and current administrative region of Quebec. La Mauricie National Park is contained within the region, making it a prime tourist location. The region has a land area of 35,860.05 km² (13,845.64 sq mi) and a popu ...
athletes race in C2s, with a maximum length of , minimum width of at from the bottom of the centre of the craft, minimum height of at the bow and at the centre and stern. The
Texas Water Safari, at , includes an open class, the only rule being the vessel must be
human-powered, and although novel setups have been tried, the fastest so far has been the six-man canoe.
Touring
A "touring" or "tripping" canoe is a boat for traveling on lakes and or rivers with capacity for
camping gear. Tripping canoes such as the
Chestnut
The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.
The unrelat ...
Prospector and
Old Town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
Tripper derivates are touring canoes for
wilderness
Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural), are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally re ...
trips. They are typically made of heavier and tougher materials and designed with the ability to carry large amounts of gear while being maneuverable enough for rivers with some
whitewater. Prospector is now a generic name for derivates of the
Chestnut
The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.
The unrelat ...
model, a popular type of wilderness tripping canoe marked by a shallow arch hull with a relatively large amount of rocker, giving a nice balance for wilderness tripping over lakes and rivers with some
rapids
Rapids are sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient, causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence.
Rapids are hydrological features between a ''run'' (a smoothly flowing part of a stream) and a ''cascade''. ...
.
A touring canoe is sometimes covered with a greatly extended deck, forming a "cockpit" for the paddlers. A cockpit has the advantage that the gunwales can be made lower and narrower so the paddler can reach the water more easily.
Freestyle
A canoe specialized for
whitewater play and tricks. Most are identical to short, flat-bottomed
kayak
A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word ''qajaq'' ().
The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each se ...
playboats except for internal outfitting. The paddler kneels and uses a single-blade canoe paddle. Playboating is a discipline of whitewater canoeing where the paddler performs various technical moves in one place (a playspot), as opposed to downriver where the objective is to travel the length of a section of river (although whitewater canoeists will often stop and play en route). Specialized canoes known as playboats can be used.
Square-stern canoe
A square-stern canoe is an asymmetrical canoe with a squared-off
stern
The stern is the back or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Ori ...
for the mounting of an
outboard motor, and is meant for lake travel or fishing. Since mounting a
rudder on the square stern is very easy, such canoes often are adapted for
sailing.
Canoe launches
A canoe launch is a place for launching canoes, similar to a
boat launch which is often for launching larger watercraft. Canoe launches are frequently on
river banks or
beaches. Canoe launches may be designated on
maps of places such as
parks
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...
or
nature reserves.
Gallery
Image:PaulKane-HuntingFish-ROM.jpg, Paul Kane (1810–1871): ''Spearing Salmon By Torchlight'', oil painting
Image:Pf026012.jpg, Ojibwe women in canoe on Leech Lake, Bromley 1896
Image:Kerala backwater 20080218-11.jpg, Canoe in Kerala, India, 2008
Image:Women Rowing - My Tho - Vietnam.JPG, Canoe in Vietnam in the Mekong delta
The Mekong Delta ( vi, Đồng bằng Sông Cửu Long, lit=Nine Dragon River Delta or simply vi, Đồng Bằng Sông Mê Kông, lit=Mekong River Delta, label=none), also known as the Western Region ( vi, Miền Tây, links=no) or South-weste ...
, 2009
File:Beach boys.jpg, packed canoes at the beach
File:At sea.jpg, Canoe At sea
See also
*
Umiak
*
Outrigger
*
Waka (canoe)
*
Adirondack guideboat – resembles a canoe
*
Canoe paddle strokes
*
Canadian Canoe Museum
*
Kennebec Boat and Canoe Company
The Kennebec Boat and Canoe Company was located in Waterville, Maine. Established in 1909 by George F. Terry, the company manufactured wooden canoes and boats until 1941.
History
The Kennebec Boat and canoe Company was founded by former railro ...
*
E.H. Gerrish Canoe Company
*
Thompson Brothers Boat Manufacturing Company
The Thompson Brothers Boat Manufacturing Company of Peshtigo, Wisconsin was a manufacturer of pleasure boats and canoes. Founded by brothers Peter and Christ Thompson in 1904, the company became prominent in the field and built boats for nearly ...
*
Carleton Canoe Company
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Canoeing and kayaking equipment
Human-powered watercraft