| The joys of riding cedar strip canoes simply cannot | | | | make it flexible enough to bend over a form. Cedar |
| be compared to any other kind of pastime. The | | | | planks are then skillfully nailed by hand to the outer |
| feelings evoked by the sturdy, classic boat floating | | | | part of the ribs using brass tacks. This very |
| serenely on a body of water. One can't help but feel | | | | lightweight system of fastening provides a very |
| nostalgic and cozy with such an old world feeling. | | | | strong skeleton for the canoe. Once the installation |
| However since they are not coming by as commonly | | | | of planks is done, the form can then be removed. To |
| as they used to, the difficulty of maintaining a boat, | | | | make them waterproof, a layer of fiberglass cloth is |
| not to mention the efforts needed to repair one, | | | | used as a covering, then around five coats of epoxy |
| could come quite an inconvenience. In this age of | | | | is spread over the hull. It is then baked to harden the |
| modern convenience, people are used to getting | | | | materials, making them watertight. Afterwards, the |
| things instantly. But if one prefers to call upon | | | | seats, decks, thwart, yoke, and gunwales are then |
| timeless pleasures of traditional elegance, one needs | | | | installed. This is also covered with at least five coats |
| to invoke the more earthy elements of such crafts. | | | | of a special type of varnish that protects against |
| Luckily, such heritage has not been totally erased as | | | | Ultraviolet light degradation. |
| there are still those who chose to preserve such an | | | | Cedar Strip Canoe Repair and Maintenance |
| honorable art. | | | | Though cedar strip canoes are generally durable, |
| History of Cedar Strip Canoes | | | | wear and tear cannot be avoided totally. Fortunately |
| The wooden canoe emerged by means of a long | | | | it is easy to maintain and repair them. To maintain a |
| history of woodcraft skill tradition exhibited by the | | | | unit in great shape, it should be stored upside-down, |
| people of the first nations. When the early European | | | | away from the ground. This would prevent it from |
| settlers ran out of canoes made of native birch bark, | | | | deteriorating, and therefore needing repair. If the |
| their resourcefulness opted then to design boats that | | | | inevitable minor scratches are acquired, they can |
| used materials readily found in their new found land. | | | | easily be repaired with light applications of a UV |
| It has been said that necessity is the mother of | | | | protecting coat that you can get in many boat supply |
| invention, and such is true about the emergence of | | | | stores or you can order online. Meanwhile, if there |
| this types of canoes. What was once just a | | | | are gouges and deep scratches, an epoxy resin could |
| substitute material has become a standard feature in | | | | easily cover them. If there is some irreparable |
| what would become an age-old tradition in boat | | | | damage, it would be best to have the canoe |
| making. More than a century from that original | | | | restored, and this can easily be done by professional |
| European influence of these boats, people now have | | | | canoe restoration specialists. |
| designs that are light, fast, sturdy, but still elegant | | | | Cedar strip canoes can serve as great pieces of art |
| and beautiful, not to mention easy to repair, making it | | | | that can also be considered as heirloom. With proper |
| possible to last for generations. | | | | maintenance and immediate repair, they can be made |
| Knowledge of Construction - a Key to Cedar Strip | | | | to last several lifetimes. To know more about |
| Canoe Repair | | | | maintaining these watercrafts, one only need to look |
| Cedar strip canoes are carefully crafted with great | | | | for canoe repair services through the phone directory |
| skill and discipline. Cedar ribs are first steamed to | | | | or the internet. |