Frequently Asked Questions
At Muskoka Canoe Works, we take pride in crafting traditional cedar canvas canoes and finely detailed wooden décor. Whether you're a seasoned paddler, a collector, or just starting your journey into the world of wooden canoes, you likely have questions about durability, maintenance, storage, and more.
This FAQ section covers some of the most common inquiries we receive about our canoes, furniture, and décor. If you don’t find what you're looking for, feel free to contact us—we’re always happy to chat about wooden boats and craftsmanship!
How durable is a cedar canvas canoe?
A cedar canvas canoe is surprisingly durable, capable of handling significant use in various water conditions. The flexible nature of the canvas and wood allows the vessel to absorb impacts without sustaining major damage. With regular maintenance and proper storage, the integrity of the wood, canvas and protective finishes will last a very long time. Due to the way these canoes are constructed, if required, all components can be repaired or replaced allowing the canoe to remain serviceable for 100s of years.
What kind of ongoing maintenance does a wood canoe require?
All canoes, regardless of the material they are made of, require routine maintenance to ensure that they remain in good condition. To protect your investment and ensure that it remains serviceable for a long time, inspect regularly (at least once a year) for signs of damages incurred from regular use. Abrasions and scratches are to be expected and superficial ones are not a concern. Any that are deep enough to expose the weave of the fabric or bare wood need to be touched up immediately to prevent water from penetrating the natural materials which will cause them to discolor and rot. It never hurts to gently sand and reapply a coat of paint or varnish on occasion to keep the finishes in good condition.
Its also a good idea at the beginning of each season to look over the canoe and tighten any hardware that may have loosened. You will also want to check that all seat, thwart and yolk supports are in good condition and that the seat material is not worn thin or showing signs of breakage.
Does my wooden canoe need to be stored inside? What is the best way to store a wood canoe?
The UV rays of the sun will degrade the finishes over time and constant moisture will rot the natural materials. For these reasons, when not in use, your canoe should be stored out of the sun in a dry area. You will want to ensure that the canoe is elevated above the ground and allowed to rest upside down on its gunwales. This will allow for any water to drain out of the canoe, and adequate airflow will help dry the boat and prevent moisture from getting trapped against the hull.
How long does it take to build a canoe?
The amount of time it takes to build a traditional cedar (rib & plank) canvas canoe varies from builder to builder, with factors such as experience and emphasis on finishes having the biggest influence. We average 150 hours to build our canoes, with some taking a little longer with customizations such as half ribs or intricate finishing details such as custom paint.
How long does it take to restore a canoe?
There are too many variables to give a simple answer, but an extensive restoration can take as much time as building a new canoe from scratch, sometimes longer.
What is a wanigan?
A wanigan is a wooden box, designed to fit inside a canoe to carry supplies such as food and equipment while canoeing. These were made popular by the early fur traders, loggers and explorers. The word ‘wanigan’ comes from the Ojibwa word “wannikaan’ meaning storage pit. While some still enjoy using these boxes, most people opt for more modern options that are lighter in weight and more comfortable to carry over portages.
Our wanigans are constructed with a lot more intricate detail and finishes than those used in the early days. They are intended to be a decorative storage chest that pays tribute to the craft of traditional canoe building. While our standard model is intended for indoor use, we can build them specific for the outdoors by request.
How long does it take to build your canoe décor and furniture?
The time required to build our items ranges from 20 – 100 hours, depending on size and complexity. Our most popular items take the following:
- Wanigan: 20-25 hours
- Coffee Table: 40 hours
- Canoe Shelf: 100 hours
What is my canoe worth?
Ultimately what your canoe is worth is what someone is willing to pay for it, but there are some key factors that will affect its value, such as condition, and manufacturer.
A wooden or wood/canvas canoe in good, usable condition is likely worth $1000 - $2500. A canoe with a known, identifiable manufacturer will go on the higher end, than one of an unknown or lesser-known manufacturer. A rare model in good to excellent condition will bring more, up to $3000- $5000+. These high-end canoes must be in showroom condition, and you must have evidence or documentation of their age and pedigree. You also need to find the right buyer of course, and this can often take many months or years.
Canoes in poor condition can be found for free or up to $500. It is important to know that repairs and restorations can be very costly. A professional restoration will run from $1200 for a simple canvas job, to $4000 for a full "make it like new" restoration with repair or replacement of ribs, planking, decks, seats, strip and refinish of the interior, and cover with new canvas, filler and paint. Many restoration tasks can be done by a competent woodworker or handyman at a fraction of what you would pay for a professional restoration, however without shop equipment and a good place to work, serious restorations can be more trouble than they are worth.
As mentioned, your canoe is ultimately worth what someone will pay, and that will be weighed by how long you are willing to wait. I have held $500 canoes for several years, and sold $2500 canoes in a week, but the opposite is also true. If selling quickly is your goal, keep the price low, as most people are not willing to spend more money based on its “potential worth”.
Why are your products priced on the higher end?
All our canoes, furniture and décor pieces are handcrafted from raw materials, and finished to the highest standards using premium products. It has taken 1000’s of hours to learn and develop the skills required to produce items of such a high quality as well as a significant investment to have the space and equipment required for our work. We have chosen to price our items based on the actual time and materials to produce each one, out of our shop in New Brunswick Canada.
How do I identify the manufacturer of my canoe?
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to identify the manufacturer of a canoe, especially if the canoe in question has been repaired or restored, as some identifying features may have been removed or worn away with time. Some of the larger manufacturers identified their canoes with manufacturers labels, stamps and serial numbers, but many did not.
The first thing to look for is a manufacturer’s label, plaque or stamp, typically found on the deck of the canoe. The other thing you will want to look for is a serial number stamped into the wooden stem at either end of the canoe, but can sometimes be found on the decks, seat blocks or on thwart tags. These are the easiest ways to identify the canoe by cross referencing with historical records.
Other things to look for are unique design features like the profile of the canoe, the style of deck and gunwales, rib size and spacing, and hardware used. The physical dimensions of the canoe may help to narrow down who may have built the canoe in question or what model specifically you have.
Two great resources to help you with identifying a canoe are:
The Wooden Canoe Heritage Association: www.wcha.org
The Dragonfly Canoe Works Wood Canoe Identification Guide: https://www.dragonflycanoe.com/
