
| Unique Designs: Our kayaks replicate the designs of the native people of Alaska and Siberia. These kayaks best their Greenland brethren in speed, usable storage and ability to handle any seas. The low profile bow and stern and longer effective waterline provide superior tracking in windy conditions. The extra bow volume above the waterline makes them particularly well-suited for rough conditions while maintaining a narrow profile in calm water. Their sole disadvantage is the complexity of the build but our experiences show the advantages to be well worth the effort. Our canoes are modeled after the Birch bark and canvas canoes so important to the exploration of the New World. We offer a select set of designs, from the intimate 12 foot design to the 18 foot workhorse. Cedar-strip canoes and kayaks are stronger than equivalent designs using composite materials such as fiberglass, kevlar and carbon fiber. They also tend to be 10% lighter than carbon fiber hulls and 15% to 20% lighter than fiberglass! That savings becomes significant when loading up after a hard paddle. Sometimes we hear from those who ask if we can build from their patterns. Of course we can! Please call for a quote*. Note that each craft is built to order, from your choice of styles, dimensions and woods. We build from hand-selected Mahagony, Cedar, Cherry, Ash, Walnut and a host of exotic hardwoods to create the look you want. We don't do nails (or staples): We use a variety of techniques so as not to create the rows of holes left by more common wood strip construction processes. We don't want holes in our canoes or kayaks, and we won't put them in yours. *We are glad to build any design so long as the designer has given permission to use the pattern. Plans are generally sold with license to build a single boat. If the plans are available for sale, we will order the plans from the designer to insure they are properly compensated for their work. |