Wood and Canvas Canoe on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail

[50littlebirds]

I have prepared a strong grant proposal to fund six weeks of birding from a wood and canvas on the NFCT. The nature of my funding makes canoe shopping an interesting challenge. If funded the check is cut on March 1. My professional obligations limit my opportunity to travel and pick up a boat to the last week of March and the first week of April. The window is way too short to arrange for a boat to be built and folks that have boats listed now would like them to move before spring.

I have a Thurlow Cheemaun in mind. Fairly light and stable enough to pole.

Any thoughts/advice would be appreciated re: how to navigate this process and suggested hulls would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Benson Gray]

I don't ever recall a time when there were no functional wooden canoes available in the WCHA classifieds. The "folks that have boats listed now would like them to move before spring" but it is highly likely that many of these canoes will still be available next March. It took me over four years to find a buyer for the last canoe that I sold (which also happened to be 15 feet long). Your ability to be selective and negotiate aggressively may be greatly reduced with a such short time window so hopefully the cost assumptions built into your grant proposal have anticipated this limitation. If you find a canoe that you like which is available now then the seller may be willing to hold it for you until March in exchange for a reasonable deposit.

Most builders have offered a lightweight 15 foot long canoe that could meet your needs including Rollin Thurlow's Cheemaun, Old Town's fifty pound / lightweight / Trapper models, Jerry Stelmok's Willow, and many others. You may want to test as many of these as you can now to have your preferences well defined before you have to make a quick decision in March. Good luck and let us know what you decide,

Benson

 

[50littlebirds]

I hoped that that was the case. I've been prowling the classifieds here for years, but had little feel for how long it takes for boats to sell. I've made occasional inquiries and found boats sold. All of the boats mentioned above are on my radar.