I have yet to build a wood canvas canoe myself. They are exceptionally beautiful to look at but currently don't fit into my business model. Several outstanding wood canvas builders whose work I admire include Jeanne Bourquin of Bourquin Boats in Ely and Alex Comb of Stewart River Boatworks in Knife River. There is no reason for me to compete with these folks. They are keeping the wood canvas canoe heritage of Joe Seliga alive and well. Joe Seliga passed in 2005. I met him once at the Mukluk Ball during the Voyager Festival up in Ely in 2004. I have a signed 1st edition of his book, The Art of the Canoe with Joe Seliga which I treasure. Inside the front cover he highlighted his sister, dad and mom on the 1906 photo.

For the 1st time builder be aware that building a wood canvas boat essentially requires you to buiild two boats. The first will be your plug or mold. This is essentially a whole canoe hull that is used to steam mold the ribs which are held in place until they cool. You will need a steam box, prime knot free bending cedar for the ribs. Once the ribs and stems are in place on the mold you are ready to build the boat by attaching the planks.

Often the form is built using wood strip construction. By the time you got done lofting the lines to create the molds, built the form so you can start bending ribs you may as well start a business building wood and canvas canoes on the side. More than one builder got their start this way.

If you don't already own it, the book by Jerry Stelmok and Rollin Thurlow titled The Wood & Canvas Canoe, A complete Guide to it's History, Construction and Maintenance is a very useful book. It includes some lines plans and offsets. The Seliga book also has a great section documenting the process in photographs.