We now have a monthly e-newsletter. Each month there will be a new tip on the construction and care of the birchbark canoe plus anything else which is newsworthy. Send in your requests and we may include it in our newsletter. Click here to SUBSCRIBE. Also check out News and Stuff. Here we have additional news as to what is happening in the world of bark canoes. Call us at 509-327-7902 or e-mail us at barkcanoe@earthlink.net

As mentioned above each newsletter contains a "building tip" section. Below are links to these tips.

Building Full Size Canoes
Measurements: How to Create the Canoe You Envision   
Design   
The Building Platform   
Trimming Stem Pieces   
Finding Birch Bark   
Miscellaneous Tips  
Building Bed versus Building Platform   
Laying Out the Bark   
Carving  
Bending Ribs  
Canoe Building Time-line  
Acquiring Materials  
Stem Pieces  
More on Design  
Supersize Me! Measurements for a 26ft fur trade "North Canoe  
How to Clean Up Old Wood  

Building Miniature Canoes
Building Miniature Canoes by John Lindman  

The following tips on miniatures are written by Ted Behne
Scale Model Birchbark Canoes: Real Only Small  
Creating the 1/4 Scale Building Platform  
Making the Gunwale Frame  
Making Thwarts and Installing Them  
Preparing Roots for Lashings  
Making Ribs  
Splitting Cedar  
Making Sheathing  
Unrolling and Raising the Bark Part One  
Unrolling and Raising the Bark Part Two  

FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How long does a birchbark canoe last?

2. Can they really be paddled like any other canoe?

3. Is special care required?

4. What do I do if something breaks?

5. Do these canoes leak?

6. Can an old canoe be restored?

7. Will they rot?

8. What should I look for in buying a birchbark canoe?

9. Are used canoes for sale?

1. How long does a birchbark canoe last?

Answer: With proper care they can last a lifetime. If they are exposed to extreme weather they will break down more quickly. Hot sun will bleach the bark. A new canoe will be yellow or orange in color. In time it will fade to a tan color. Eventually it will become white like the outside bark on the tree. Canoes in museums which are stored under flourencent lights will fade just as if they were in the sun. Extreme dry conditions can dry the bark.

2. Can they really be paddled like any other canoe?

Answer: Of course. Native, traders and explorers used them the way we use cars.

3. Is special care required?

Answer: The better you care for your canoe the younger it will look and longer it will last. If stored in a garage on a rack that spreads the weight of the canoe evenly is best. After use and before storing it, hose it down, inside and out. Hose down your canoe before transporting it. Bark when wet is much more resilient. When dry it is brittle.

4. What do I do if something breaks?

Answer: The canoe can be fixed using the same basic techniques applied to make it. We feature books and videos on canoe construction as well as two annual classes. Contact us with your problem and we will be glad to guide you.

5. Do these canoes leak?

Answer: Sorry to say but yes they can. They can be sealed so that they don't and in fact they shouldn't. However, the bark can dry out, the pitch can run or break off and then they need to be resealed.

6. Can an old canoe be restored?

Answer: Absolutely. I have taken two canoes completely apart and re-did them a couple of times each. You can take an old canoe and virtually make it new again. I have seen museum pieces that I would like to get ahold of and get back out on the water. If you have one in sad shape, let us know and we can guide you in what to do or where to take it.

7. What should I look for in buying a birchbark canoe?

Answer: The quality of the bark; the number of pieces of bark used in the construction; the quality of lashing; the craftsmanship in the wood work - it is saw or split, is it carved and is it smooth and even; and the quality of assembly - are all features uniform and symetrical. When you look at the canoes in museums done by natives you typically will see this quality coming through.

9. Are used canoes for sale?

Answer: Yes. See Consignment Canoes If you have one for sale drop us a line. Send us photos and a description. Check with us from time to time as they come available.

10. Where can I get Tech Tips from old e-mail newsletters?

Answer: Click here

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