Boating Law Facts

The most common canoe construction materials at the present time are aluminum, aluminum alloy, Kevlar and polyethylene. Polyethylene is becoming more and more common for new canoe construction since it is bendable, lightweight and cheaper than aluminum.

Aluminum Canoe Construction

Aluminum was, until recently, the most popular choice of material to use for canoe construction but it has now been overtaken by polyethylene. Although aluminum is extremely strong and long-lasting, and is among the lighter metals, it is a good deal heavier than polyethylene. It is able to stand up to being dragged on rough river beds and will not be damaged by exposure to the sun’s rays as polyethylene can be.  Aluminum canoes do need buoyancy chambers and they may possibly be hard to maneuver particularly for unskilled canoeists. Also they are often heavy to portage and dent when struck with enough force. The repair holes is also not easy and cannot be completely covered up.

Suitable Places to Use an Aluminum Canoe?

For calm water and recreational use an aluminum canoe will be perfect, especially if you do not need to carry it any distance on your own. If you don’t have room for storage inside, this type of canoe is clearly be a more suitable option than polyethylene because it will not be damaged by the sun’s rays or be adversely affected by the environment.

Places Not to Use your Aluminum Canoe

Aluminum canoes aren’t suitable for white water or for water with lots of rocks and should not be used when you will be on a long trip and would need to carry the canoe.

Aluminum Alloy Canoes

Canoes constructed of aluminum alloy are usually lighter weight and more durable than all aluminum and a number may be even lighter than polyethylene. Still, ensure that you are aware of the actual weight of an aluminum canoe you are thinking of buying as they may vary significantly.

Polyethylene Canoes

Polyethylene is lightweight and bendable, is robust and is one of the most popular materials used in canoes today. It’s quite easy to repair and cheap although it is subject to damage from sharp edges like branches, rocks etc. However, it’s flexibility does present a problem so measures must be used in order to ensure the canoe is rigid. One way is the use of aluminum to give it an inflexible skeleton and this is the type of construction seen in canoes made by Coleman and trademarked as Ram-X.

An alternative method of providing rigidity is by means of a thick layer of polyethylene foam interspersed between two layers of material. This is the method used by Old Town in their canoes under the trademark CrossLink 3. The foam ensures buoyancy and it is better able to stand up to damage from abrasion than polyethylene alone.

Polyethylene does have some disadvantages however. It is not buoyant so most of the canoes made from polyethylene need buoyancy chambers. This material is also very vulnerable to abrasion damage and this is the most common reason a canoe is irreparably damaged. Canoes manufactured from polyethylene are normally not too expensive and you might pay less by choosing a self-assembly model.

Where Could You Use a Polyethylene Canoe?

For flat rivers and water where there are no large, jagged rocks, a polyethylene canoe constructed with an aluminum framework such as is used in the Coleman canoes would be an excellent choice. For rougher water a Crosslink 3 construction would be a better choice as it will have increased durability and strength and can withstand abrasion and jagged edges better.

For more information and some good deals visit Cheap Canoes for Sale or Canoe Construction

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