ABOUT
Through trial and many errors later I developed a system to use Western Red Cedar rather than the normal eastern white cedar for ribs and planking to produce a very pretty canvas covered 14' canoe.
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Due to the slightly rolled sides, this canoe is extremely stable and very maneuverable whether on river or lake.
The key to the construction is the steaming of the red cedar ribs to a much higher temperature than is required for the conventional white cedar stock.
Red cedar is a denser and more brittle product than white cedar but expands less when moistened resulting in smaller gaps between planks when dry.
The end result is a more uniform product which is also very pleasing to the eye.
Much of my time is spent restoring canoes brought west with owners relocating to this part of Canada.
This requires white cedar which I have sourced at one lumber yard in Edmonton owned by Gary Chann. Yellow cedar from B.C. is also an acceptable replacement for Eastern White.
Northwoods Canoe in Atkinson Maine is another source of white cedar as well as my goto for brass stem bands, brass tracks, ring nails and canvas filler.
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