Builing a model at the Georgetown Wooden Boat Show
A life long paddler and sailor I have always been fascinated with the canoe for its simple beauty and function. The only uniquely North American watercraft, the birchbark canoe was admired by the early European settlers who quickly adopted it for exploration of the wilderness. Soon settlers began build their own canoes using wood working skills in the European tradition. My first work with Bob was on a birchbark canoe to be use in the original Keep America Beautiful campaign featuring the noted actor Iron Eyes Cody. Intrigued with developing a unique wooden canoe for the Carolinas Bob began collecting and I restoring what is now the largest canoe and canoe collection in the Southeast. Studying existing boats in museums and literature. We based my "Bobs Special" on the research by Edwin Tappen Adney who in the late nineteenth century began to record and model native american canoes. His work was compiled and published by the Smithsonian Institution and his models are now in the collection of the Mariners Museum in Virgina. The one that caught our eye was the beautifully shaped Abenaki canoes. Sweeping sheer line, rockered ends and with a distinctive sharp entry made possible by the V shaped "broken" ribs. Unlike the more modern manufactured Maine style canoes the native craft had bent ribs that were closely spaced and varied in width from wide strong ones in the middle on the canoe to fine light ones in the ends. This construction is both very rugged and pleasing to the eye.
Our rugged southern mountain's rivers demand a stronger construction than the more common Maine style canoe. The stronger framing of the native american boat is ideal. However the canvas covering of traditional wooden canoes is heavy and prone to rot in our demanding environment. I cover my wooden canoes with Kevlar cloth for light weight and durability. The boat is trimmed with a choice of furniture grade hardwoods and finished with lashings reminiscent of the original birchbark canoes.
Happy with our river canoe we looked to offer a fine lined canoe for our lakes. In the Collection there is a slim 1881 canoe developed in Peterborough Canada by European builders. This "Heralds Patent" canoe named for the unique construction method is a wooden canoe built of two layers of cedar nailed together forming a light weight, all wood boat . I use modern epoxy glue in lieu of nails making a lighter stronger canoe. Not to be confused with fiberglass covered "cedar strippers" this is boat is all varnished wood.
I build three canoe models ideal for accenting a room, office or commercial space. The largest is a 9' half scale model of the Even Gerrish Guides canoe. Gerrish is the original builder of the canvas sheathed wooden canoe. His boats were known for their fine handling and faithfulness to the original native american design. Distinctive are the covered gunwales and decorative lashings. This model is based on one of the oldest canoes in the Timberlake Collection, a ca.1890 18' guides canoe. Next in size is a 5'6" reproduction of a Kennebec 1920s "salesmans model", display models made by Company craftsman for dealer display. These models are a bit stylized, accentuating the sweeping sheer and curved ends. They were painted in brightly colored designs. Yours can be ordered in many period patterns. The original is probably the most valuable piece in the Collection as Kennnebec company documents show that only 50 were built. The smallest is my 4' quarter scale salesman's model of my 'Bob's Special' Abenaki. It works well in small spaces.
Rounding off my offering is a full sized reproduction of ta 14' Rangeley Lake Rowboat found in the collection at Mystic Seaport Museum. Double ended like a canoe but much heftier and better suited for large lakes like High Rock. I build this boat with a Kevlar/fiberglass composite hull for durability and fully frame and trim it in wood like the original. You have to look twice to realize that it not a wooden boat. The laminated composite hull allows the boat to be kept tied to a dock lakeside ready for that impromptu evening row.
All my boats are an original. Each are built to order. I will work with you to use color and trim to create a one of a kind. Being a one man shop limits the number available each year. Orders are taken to fill only one building season running from September to June. Each summer am off sailing our sloop Lyra with my family.
Give me a call, email or make an appointment to drop by the shop if you are in North Carolina to discuss a custom boat for you.
CONTACT 336 798 1338 email: corkyscanoes@gmail.com
Our rugged southern mountain's rivers demand a stronger construction than the more common Maine style canoe. The stronger framing of the native american boat is ideal. However the canvas covering of traditional wooden canoes is heavy and prone to rot in our demanding environment. I cover my wooden canoes with Kevlar cloth for light weight and durability. The boat is trimmed with a choice of furniture grade hardwoods and finished with lashings reminiscent of the original birchbark canoes.
Happy with our river canoe we looked to offer a fine lined canoe for our lakes. In the Collection there is a slim 1881 canoe developed in Peterborough Canada by European builders. This "Heralds Patent" canoe named for the unique construction method is a wooden canoe built of two layers of cedar nailed together forming a light weight, all wood boat . I use modern epoxy glue in lieu of nails making a lighter stronger canoe. Not to be confused with fiberglass covered "cedar strippers" this is boat is all varnished wood.
I build three canoe models ideal for accenting a room, office or commercial space. The largest is a 9' half scale model of the Even Gerrish Guides canoe. Gerrish is the original builder of the canvas sheathed wooden canoe. His boats were known for their fine handling and faithfulness to the original native american design. Distinctive are the covered gunwales and decorative lashings. This model is based on one of the oldest canoes in the Timberlake Collection, a ca.1890 18' guides canoe. Next in size is a 5'6" reproduction of a Kennebec 1920s "salesmans model", display models made by Company craftsman for dealer display. These models are a bit stylized, accentuating the sweeping sheer and curved ends. They were painted in brightly colored designs. Yours can be ordered in many period patterns. The original is probably the most valuable piece in the Collection as Kennnebec company documents show that only 50 were built. The smallest is my 4' quarter scale salesman's model of my 'Bob's Special' Abenaki. It works well in small spaces.
Rounding off my offering is a full sized reproduction of ta 14' Rangeley Lake Rowboat found in the collection at Mystic Seaport Museum. Double ended like a canoe but much heftier and better suited for large lakes like High Rock. I build this boat with a Kevlar/fiberglass composite hull for durability and fully frame and trim it in wood like the original. You have to look twice to realize that it not a wooden boat. The laminated composite hull allows the boat to be kept tied to a dock lakeside ready for that impromptu evening row.
All my boats are an original. Each are built to order. I will work with you to use color and trim to create a one of a kind. Being a one man shop limits the number available each year. Orders are taken to fill only one building season running from September to June. Each summer am off sailing our sloop Lyra with my family.
Give me a call, email or make an appointment to drop by the shop if you are in North Carolina to discuss a custom boat for you.
CONTACT 336 798 1338 email: corkyscanoes@gmail.com