Atikamekw solo canoe
A striking solo canoe
The 350 cm long, or short, Atikamekw is an elegant solo canoe with high rising bow and stern. With its moderate rocker it’s a very maneuverable canoe. It easily finds its way into smaller waterways and wetlands. The shallow arched hull makes him surprisingly stable to the experience solo canoeist.
Price: € 3220
Get out there
The Atikamekw solo canoe is very light (23 kg) and easy to carry during portages and to and from the car. The outside of the hull is laminated with kevlar which makes the canoe very impact resistant. This canoe is suited for whitewater. With the Atikamekw in your shed there is no reason not to go out!
Dimensions
Length: 350 cm
Width: 73 cm
Depth: 34 cm
Bow Height: 60 cm
Weight: 23 kg
Properties
Sides: Straight
Bottom: Shallow Arch
Rocker: Moderate
Capacity: 150 kg
People of the Bark
The Atikamekw were sedentary farmers in what is now Quebec. They supplemented their rations with hunting and fishing. They purpose built small very agile hunting canoes. They have been recognized for their skill in crafting birch canoes, decorated with beautiful designs. These skills were always transmitted from generation to generation so that even today they are still practiced. They were given the nickname people of the bark.
Fur-trade canoes
The Hudson’s Bay company employed the Atikamekw in the construction of large fur-trade canoes. Their own hunting canoes were small, ranging from 240 cm to 360 cm and very similar to the Abenaki canoes. The longer fur-trade canoes could be up to 11 m long. These were deployed on the great lakes and could carry hundreds of kilos of cargo.
Technology
Kevlar provides impact resistance
Our Atikamekw is built with western red cedar and laminated with kevlar and epoxy (the inside with glass fabric). The laminate ensures that the wood is sandwiched and never comes into contact with water. In addition, it provides extreme stiffness which makes the canoe very efficient to be paddled. The kevlar on the outside makes the canoe impact resistant and therefore suitable for rocky rivers. Kevlar is also used to make bulletproof vests. The canoe is finished with very wear-resistant two-component epoxy paint.
Solid ash for the outfitting
The gunwales, seats, decks and the yoke are made of ash. Ash is hard, very flexible and relatively light. Because the ash parts of the canoe suffer the most they are coated with double boiled linseed oil to keep them flexible and in good shape. The outwales are screwed on to make replacement easy. All screws and bolts are stainless steel.
Canoe maintenance
Our canoes are very strong and stiff. Normal wear will occur when used normally. We recommend checking the canoe regularly and retouch any scratches in the paint. In the unlikely event the epoxy laminate gets damaged, it should be repaired within reasonable time to prevent water seeping into the wood. The gunwales should be oiled three to four times a year.