The pleasure of riding cedar-slatted canoes simply cannot be compared to any other type of hobby. The feelings evoked by the robust and classic ship floating serenely on a body of water. One cannot help but feel nostalgic and cozy with an old world feeling.

However, since they don’t come as often as they used to, the difficulty of maintaining a ship, not to mention the efforts required to repair it, could be a huge drawback. In this age of modern convenience, people are used to getting things instantly. But if one prefers to appeal to the timeless pleasures of traditional elegance, he must invoke the more earthy elements of such crafts. Fortunately, such heritage has not been completely erased, as there are still those who chose to preserve such honorable art.

History of the Cedar Strip Canoes

The wooden canoe grew out of a long tradition of woodcraft exhibited by First Nations peoples. When early European settlers ran out of canoes made from native birch bark, their ingenuity turned to designing boats that used materials readily found in their new found land. It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention, and such is the case with the emergence of this type of canoe. What was once just a substitute material has become a standard feature in what would become a millennia-old tradition in boat building. More than a century after the original European influence of these boats, people now have designs that are light, fast, strong, but still elegant and beautiful, not to mention easy to repair, making it possible to last for generations.

Construction Knowledge: A Key to Cedar Strip Canoe Repair

Cedar slat canoes are carefully crafted with great skill and discipline. Cedar ribs are first steamed to make it flexible enough to bend over into a shape. The cedar boards are then skillfully nailed by hand to the outside of the ribs with brass tacks. This very light fastening system provides a very strong skeleton for the canoe. Once the installation of the planks is done, the form can be removed. To make them waterproof, a layer of fiberglass cloth is used as a cover, then about five layers of epoxy are spread over the hull. It is then baked to harden the materials, making them waterproof. Subsequently, the seats, covers, bench, yoke and gunwale are installed. This is also covered with at least five layers of a special type of varnish that protects against UV light degradation.

Repair and maintenance of cedar canoes

Although cedar strip canoes are generally durable, wear and tear cannot be completely avoided. Fortunately, they are easy to maintain and repair. To keep a unit in good condition, it should be stored upside down, off the ground. This would prevent it from deteriorating and therefore needing repair. If the unavoidable minor scratches do occur, they can be easily repaired with light applications of a UV protective coating available at many boat supply stores or ordered online. Meanwhile, if there are deep nicks and scratches, an epoxy resin could easily cover them up. If there is any irreparable damage, it would be best to restore the canoe, and this can easily be done by professional canoe restoration specialists.

Cedar strip canoes can serve as great works of art that can also be considered an heirloom. With proper maintenance and prompt repair, they can last for several lifetimes. To find out more about the maintenance of these boats, you just have to look for canoe repair services through the telephone book or the Internet.