2026 Assembly - Watercraft of New York

[Rob Stevens]

In case you hadn't heard yet,...

Save the Dates
July 14-19th, 2026

Plan to attend Assembly of the
Wooden Canoe Heritage Association

The WCHA was founded in 1979 as a non-profit membership organization devoted to preserving, studying, building, restoring, and using wooden canoes, and to disseminating information about canoeing heritage throughout the world.

Theme: Watercraft of New York

More info to follow: https://www.woodencanoe.org/

Location: Paul Smith’s College, Paul Smith’s, New York
https://www.paulsmiths.edu/

A variety of WCHA videos are archived on the YouTube channel.
Slideshow of Assembly 2025;

 

[Rob Stevens]

Borrowed thread drift;
Plenty of time to finish relevant restorations & research, dust 'em off and shine 'em up for display:
Rushton, St. Lawrence Boatworks & Skiff, etc., Penn Yan, Durand, Linkcanoe, Skaneateles Boat and Canoe Company,..
and our very own, Dan Miller (Dragonfly Canoe), Jack McGrievey (RIP), Pat Smith (West Hollow), Lew Markle (Lew's Canoes), John Visser (Housatonic Canoe),..

Plus a few other Finger Lakes area builders such as; https://www.flbm.org/boatbuilders
Check out, "Wood & Water; Canoes in New York State"; https://buffalomaritimecenter.org/museum/

And Adirondack guideboats,...

Who else built (or builds) wooden boats in New York?

Dan Miller chimed in with a few more historic ones;
Bowdish and Co.; Bowdish Manufacturing Co.
Durand Manufacturing Co.
Nickerson (guideboat-built canoes)
Skaneateles Boat and Canoe Company
* St. Lawrence River Skiff, Canoe and Steam Launch Co.
* Spalding St. Lawrence Boat Co.
* St Lawrence Boat Works
Thompson Brothers (factory in Cortland, NY)
Mortimer Threehouse
* Wilbur & Wheelock

These are other builders, but surviving boats are few and far between:
Fraser Hollow Spar and Boat Co.
M.C. Freeman Boat Co.
Fulton Pleasure Boat Co.
Wm. Jarvis
Fletcher Joyner
Geo. Ruggles
Clyde B. Simson
Sprague
Waters & Sons (paper boats, Troy, NY)
* Watertown Boat and Canoe Co.

Adjuncts:
* Atwood Brothers (folding centerboards)
Wm Childs & Co. (Radix folding centerboards)

Dan is planning an Assembly presentation covering some of these St. Lawrence River builders, those from Clayton & Ogdensburg, including A. Bain & Co., St. Lawrence River Skiff, Canoe, and Steam Launch Co., Wilbur & Wheelock, Spalding St. Lawrence Boat Company, and St. Lawrence Boat Works.

 

[MIpaddlr]

The Buffalo Maritime Center has opened a modest sized, but very well presented, display about canoes in New York. It covers everything from birchbark to composites, and includes a rather interesting exhibit showing the phases of construction of a wood and canvas canoe. A Sairy Gamp replica, built by Geoffrey Burke is included in the display. Perhaps they may be interested in participating in the Assembly.

 

[John Sand]

Neither were canoes, but my first two boats were built on Long Island NY. An 11' sailing dinghy built by me, and a 20' Pennant Sloop built in College Point. Dad's first two boats were canoes built at home on Long Island. All are gone now.

 

[Benson Gray]

The New York builders have also produced a variety of interesting catalogs in addition to their wonderful watercraft.

Benson