Wood suppliers in Alberta Canada

[RickV]

Hello fellow wood canoe enthusiasts. I am a new member from central Alberta Canada. I have owned a few canoes in the past, including a Chestnut Kruger, a couple plastic thingy's shaped like canoes. I currently own a canoe which I believe was built by the Bigstone Cree First Nation in Wabasca, Alberta in the 1960's...mostly tamarack, not a work of art but lovely nonetheless. Recently I acquired a Prospector type mould and am looking for a supply of suitable canoe building wood here in western Canada. I've been able to find sources of white cedar in Ontario and the Maritimes but am hoping to find similar wood out here. Am particularly interested in rib material and planking. Appreciate your wisdom and guidance...of course the wisest quotation I read on this site could be paraphrased as "build your boat where your wood is." Dang...
Thanks everyone

 

[woodenkayakguy]

Hi rick where abouts are you?,I am in calgary and am rebuilding a peterborugh,and having the same problem.I just finished emailing larry bowers about some rib stock,he is on vancouver island but will be moving to rocky mtn house in the next few months,he is listed under suppliers on the main page,here is his link
http://www.islandnet.com/~canoes

 

[RickV]

Hi Woodkayak guy...thanks for the info. I'll have to head out to the Island in April anyway so I might just have to bring back some wood with me. If he's moving to Rocky, I hope he'll stay in the business. I'm in Camrose but get to Calgary quite often as my wife's kids/grandkids are there. Stay in touch and let me know how your canoe repair is going. The fellow I bought this mould from has some white cedar ribs and planking for sale but I don't think it's enough to do an entire canoe but he should have enough to help with your repair. Let me know if you want his contact coordinates in Edmonton.

 

[Douglas Ingram]

I've worked on a few Wabascas, and those were all planked in Red Cedar, Oak gunnels, and had maple thwarts, decks and seats. Never saw a tamarac one.

Good luck with your build.

 

[RickV]

Thanks Doug!

Thanks Doug...I know of two Wabascas but I think they were sold quite widely. It's good to know they're still out there. You wouldn't know of any white cedar suppliers in Manitoba by any chance??

 

[Douglas Ingram]

None here that have good wood. I've probably got the most of anyone locally, but I drive about 4-5 hours east to get mine.

 

[RickV]

Hi Doug, well good to know I'm not the only one who's going to have a long drive! Instead of white cedar, I'll try some suppliers on the west coast for yellow cedar. Nice boat by the way.

 

[Douglas Ingram]

That boat is an 18' Wabasca.

That dog does not look happy!

 

[RickV]

canoes and dogs

Hi Doug...well, the boat is definitely a 16...incidentally that picture was taken on North Wabasca Lake when I was working for the Bigstone Cree. Some of the folks I worked with built those boats: In fact the manager of the Band told me about planking canoes while holding mouthfuls of tacks. And the dog, well, she was my best friend for 14 years and always happy where-ever we were...she loved the water. A good dog, a good boat, blue skies...