Types Of Canoe Materials

Canoeing is a popular method to get around on the water. The ancient Spanish canoe construction involved logs, animal skin, and tree bark. This construction process has improved with time, and the modern canoe features a wide variety of materials.

This article about the types of canoe materials will help you better understand them.

What is a Canoe Made of?

The early canoe is wood-based and dates back as far as 8000 B.C. However, in the postmodern era, we find various canoe materials ranging from fiberglass to aluminum and even wood!

Popular types of canoe materials are fiberglass composites, royalex, Kevlar, wood, aluminum, and polyethylene. The efficiency, speed, durability, weight, and purpose of a canoe rely on its type of construction material.

Facts & Figures Regarding the Canoe Materials

Fiberglass Composites

A combination of resin and fiber is composite. Among these composites, the one that stands out is “Fiberglass.” Fiberglass itself is brittle. However, when it is put together with strategically cut fabric and resin layers, it becomes “Fiberglass Composites.”

The most significant advantage of using fiberglass composite is its lightweight presence and rigid strength. Once finished, the canoe ends up with a better shape and clear entry line. Therefore, it rides smoothly and quietly on the water.

Even though fiberglass composites are more robust than fiberglass, a canoe made of fiberglass composites is still less durable than the other canoe.

PROS:

High speed
Efficient
Rigid
Lightweight
Sharp entry & exit lines

CONS:

Less durable
Often requires maintenance

VERDICT:

The best type of lightweight material for a high-speed, energy-efficient canoe.

Royalex

Royalex is another excellent composite material for a canoe. It features a rigid ABS core covered with ABS substrate and vinyl skin. In a nutshell, royalex is a plastic sandwich with vinyl layers that offers outstanding rigidity.

This type of material is excellent for a durable canoe that can perform in rough water. Royalex is heavier than fiberglass composites, kevlar but lighter than polyethylene. As such, canoes with royalex sports and average weight and quiet ride.

It is most suitable for a whitewater canoe due to the high buoyancy of the material. This buoyancy comes from the expanding, contracting of the material with the change in heat level. However, this also results in cold cracks on the canoe when exposed to a frigid environment.

PROS:

Superior durability
Rigid
High buoyancy
Efficient

CONS:

Susceptible to cold cracking
Difficult to repair

VERDICT:

Durable type of canoe material with high buoyancy and efficiency.

Kevlar

With a tensile strength measuring about 3,620 megapascals, kevlar is one of the sturdiest fibers. This incredible strength comes from fibers woven at a microscopic level. Furthermore, it is 20% lighter than fiberglass and is more robust!

Kevlar is another lightweight type of canoe material with excellent durability. The fabric is often with graphite or fiberglass to boost its sturdiness. It is a bit expensive, but it effectively lowers canoe weight without sacrificing hull strength.

This type of material is suitable for a flatwater canoe. Good kevlar composites can withstand some damage. In addition, it is efficient, and the low weight makes frequent portage easy to handle.

PROS:

Lightweight
Durable
Excellent performance in flatwater
Easy portage

CONS:

Expensive

VERDICT:

The perfect type of material for a flatwater canoe with low weight for easy portage.

Wood

Nothing beats wood on water. So if you want to make your piece of history, then wood is the most suitable canoe material for you.

Wood is costly, high-maintenance, and weighs more. However, a wood canoe generally features a traditional design and crafting technique. Few other canoe materials can come close to wood when it’s a question of aesthetics.

For a canoe material, wood lasts for a long time. It is UV resistant. Therefore, a wood canoe usually stays intact for generations.

Canvas-covered wood or cedar strip requires regular maintenance. However, if maintained well, wood gives an impeccable performance. A wood canoe weighs more than most composites, but it still has an above-average speed in the water.

PROS:

Visually pleasing
Sturdy
Versatile
High-performance
Long-lasting

CONS:

Expensive
Heavy
High-maintenance

VERDICT:

Wood is the oldest type of canoe material which is still strong in this day and age.

Aluminum

Once considered the most advanced canoe material, aluminum has moved down the list due to the technological revolution. However, it remains low maintenance and durable option for a canoe.

Aluminum is a common metallic element in the Earth’s crust. Still, it is expensive as a canoe material. The reason behind its high cost is its legendary durability.

As it is a heavy type of material, a canoe with aluminum is slow on the water. It echoes every paddle stroke and is noisy itself. Fortunately, it’s a bit lighter than wood and is resistant to UV rays. Plus, it requires very little maintenance.

Heat or cold significantly affect aluminum. Summer weather can heat it to an uncomfortable level, and winter can turn the hull cold.

It is an excellent material for a recreational canoe. Leaving the aluminum canoe under a tree or vegetation would hardy damage it. However, aluminum tends to stick to rocks instead of sliding off, so it is best not to use it in rocky water.

PROS:

Extreme durability
Low maintenance
UV resistant

CONS:

Slow
Heavy

VERDICT:

One of the sturdiest types of canoe material as long as you are not paddling in rocky rivers.

Polyethylene

Among the plastic-type canoe materials, polyethylene stands out as a tough, lightweight thermoplastic. It is the polymerization of ethane. Polyethylene is the best budget canoe material.

It is heavier than royalex and lacks rigidity. Also, polyethylene is low maintenance but repairing it isn’t easy. It is susceptible to the sun’s rays and can hardly maintain its shape.

Polyethylene is suitable for mass production. A canoe featuring polyethylene is excellent for recreational paddling. Moreover, it has a decent durability.

The outstanding advantage of this type of material is its cost-effectiveness.

PROS:

Affordable
Durable
Low maintenance

CONS:

Heavy
Lacks stiffness

VERDICT:

Polyethylene is affordable and is best for recreational canoes.

Tips to Choosing the Best Canoe Material

Choosing a canoe material can be a bit tricky. Fortunately, there are some tips to make the process easy.

For a race or trip in lakewater, kevlar, fiberglass composites are well suited. These are a bit pricey and have less durability, but they come in performance-related shapes and have low maintenance.

If it is a tank in water that you want, then aluminum is there for you. It is heavy, slow, and noisy, but it can withstand almost any obstacles in your way, except rocks. However, be warned, as it is hard to repair.

For an average canoe material, royalex is an excellent option. It is highly buoyant and has good durability. Just take care not to bring it in cold water as it can crack easily.

If you want to paddle in flat water, you can go with any plastic-type canoe material. But for whitewater, you would wish to have polyethylene. It is budget-friendly, and you won’t need to do maintenance often.

Conclusion

Canoe materials are crucial for canoe construction. The type of canoe material decides whether the canoe is suitable for whitewater or flatwater. In addition, it also affects the weight and portage of the watercraft.

What is useless to one is priceless to another, and the canoe materials are no exception. They all carry their strengths and weaknesses, which makes each one unique.

Sources:

What is a Canoe Made of?

Facts & Figures Regarding the Canoe Materials

Fiberglass Composites

PROS:

CONS:

VERDICT:

Royalex

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CONS:

VERDICT:

Kevlar

PROS:

CONS:

VERDICT:

Wood

PROS:

CONS:

VERDICT:

Aluminum

PROS:

CONS:

VERDICT:

Polyethylene

PROS:

CONS:

VERDICT:

Tips to Choosing the Best Canoe Material

Conclusion

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