Another DIY Canvas Canoe Pack

Came across another canoe blog (in Czech) which mentions a homemade canvas pack made to resemble a hybrid of the Woods Pack and Duluth versions complete with a canvas tumpline. The google translated page has some details as well as pics of this interesting take on a classic portage pack.


Homemade Canvas Pack


Another view

Historic Paddle Illustration - Samuel Hearne

After watching a recent YouTube set on the latest Ray Mears program, Northern Wilderness, I was interested in learning a bit more about Samuel Hearne. Came across this page with some info and illustrations of his journeys. A sketch documents the watercraft used by the Tlicho (Dogrib) tribe of the area. These bark canoes were built in a sort of kayak style that could portaged on the back like a pack. The illustration also has a small image of an angular shaped paddle (item F).


Northern Indian Canoe documented by Hearne
Couldn't help but think I had seen this paddle design before and after searching through my previous posts, I recognized the shape as one that Henry Schoolcraft documented in his journeys nearly a quarter-of-a-century later in a completely different area (1000s of miles away). This shape was described as a cedar paddle used by the fur trade companies. Might be an interested shape to copy - the straight sides would certainly make for quick and easy carving.


Schoolcraft's documented paddle
By the way, Mike, over at Reflections On The Outdoors Naturally wrote a recent post with all the relevant links to each episode of the Northern Wilderness series (my favourite is Episode 2). Many thanks for organizing these links!

Copper Blade Tip Protectors

A while back, a query posted on the WCHA Paddlemaking Forums led to a discussion about the use of metal blade tip protectors on old paddles. These pieces of thin copper or brass would be formed into a pattern, folded over the tip of the paddle, and then tacked or stapled into place. Graham Warren's original paddlemaking book, Making Canoe Paddles in Wood contains such a pattern and mentions making the tip by recycling a piece of "central heating pipe".

Two experienced posters displayed pics of their unwanted tips, some brass one from Rollin Thurlow and a copper one from Ross Bros Canoe Company


Brass Tip


Copper Tip
An online copy of Popular Mechanics (July, 1934) has a an article entitled, "It's Easy to Repair a Canoe". The pic on page 109 shows a metal tip pattern with instructions to nail it onto the front of the blade and clinch the nails on the back to prevent splitting.


Metal Tip Repair
The general consensus on the WCHA forums was that such paddle tip protectors actually cause more damage as the nail or staple holes permit water penetration and eventually lead to rot. For some paddle makers, the old-time aesthetic appeal is a desirable addition.

The beautiful paddles crafted by Doug Ingram at Red River Canoe recreate this appearance with modern materials. A post from his blog, Wood Be Creative shows the process of routing out the blade tip and filling in the tip with coloured epoxy set in a mold. This gets sanded down to the final appearance.

While I've got no intention of damaging the tips of my paddles with nails or staple guns, I'm intending to add a woodburned, pyrographic image of this tip design onto the Northwoods style paddle I'm working on. We'll see how it turns out.

Antique Model Paddles

A very interesting post on the Cherry Gallery's current items (March 2010) page...

Seth Steward Model Canoe Paddles
This is a pair of model canoe paddles made and painted by renowned Maine artist Seth W. Steward (1844-1927) of Monson. One paddle is decorated with a painting of a brook trout chasing a fly on the blade and a canoe on the handle. The other has a painting of a moose on the blade and a rifle on the handle. These are the longest Steward model paddles that we've seen.
Dated 1901
5.5" w, 45" long
$5,600

Paddle Naming Contest

One of the followers of my little blog, the folks at Sanborn Canoe Company, have a fun little promotion running the month of March. In an effort to come up with an inspiring name for their cedar laminated beavertail paddle, they've started naming contest. The successful submission will paddle away with one of these lightweight, laminated beauties.


Sanborn's yet un-named beavertail design
The online entry form has some extra hints and info along with the official rules that I've posted below:

1. Only valid email addresses are accepted.
2. Contest ends March 31st at Midnight.
3. The guys from Sanborn Canoe Co. will vote on our favorite name and after the winner has been notified we will post the results.
4. We will ship the paddle for free to the lower 48 US States. Anywhere else you pay normal shipping rates.
5. Tell your friends.

Good luck to everyone who tries and spread the word.