| Today canoe construction has moved away from the | | | | Aluminum Alloy Canoes |
| traditional materials such as wood and aluminum | | | | Canoes constructed of aluminum alloy are lighter in |
| towards more modern synthetic materials such as | | | | weight and tougher than purely aluminum and a few |
| polyethylene and Kevlar impregnated with fiberglass. | | | | are even lighter than polyethylene. Still, ensure that you |
| Different materials each have their advantages and | | | | ascertain the weight of an aluminum canoe as they |
| disadvantages and which one is best for your new | | | | may vary noticeably. |
| canoe will depend a great deal on where you will be | | | | Polyethylene Canoes |
| using it, how you intend to transport it to the water and | | | | Polyethylene is light and bendable, is robust and is the |
| what storage facilities you have. We've put together | | | | most prevalent materials used in canoe construction. |
| this guide on two materials used in canoe construction, | | | | It's relatively easy to patch and inexpensive although it |
| aluminum and polyester, to help you make a good | | | | is vulnerable to damage from jagged edges like |
| choice when buying a new canoe. | | | | branches, rocks etc. However, it's plasticity does |
| Canoe Construction with Aluminum and Aluminum | | | | present a problem so measures need to be used in |
| Alloy | | | | order to make the canoe more rigid. One method is |
| Aluminum Canoes | | | | the use of aluminum to give it a rigid framework and |
| Aluminum was, until the last few years, the most | | | | this is the the construction method used in canoes |
| popular option for material to use for canoe | | | | manufactured by Coleman and marketed under the |
| construction but it has recently been supplanted by | | | | name Ram-X. |
| polyethylene. Even though aluminum is very tough and | | | | An alternative means of providing rigidity is to use a |
| hard-wearing, and is among the lighter metals, it is a | | | | thick layer of polyethylene foam interspersed between |
| good deal heavier than polyethylene. It is able to | | | | two layers of polyethylene. This is how Old Town |
| endure being dragged on the bottom and does not | | | | make their canoes and is called CrossLink 3. The |
| degrade when exposed to the sun as polyethylene | | | | foam core ensures natural buoyancy and this type of |
| can be. Canoes made from aluminum do need | | | | construction can better endure abrasion damage than |
| chambers for buoyancy and they can be difficult to | | | | pure polyethylene. |
| control especially for unskilled paddlers. Additionally | | | | Polyethylene does have some disadvantages |
| they are often heavy to carry on your back and dent | | | | unfortunately. It isn't very buoyant so the majority of |
| if struck with plenty of force. Mending damage is also | | | | canoes that are made from polyethylene require |
| not easy and cannot be completely covered up. | | | | buoyancy chambers. This material is very vulnerable to |
| Where to Use an Aluminum Canoe? | | | | abrasion damage and this is the most widespread |
| For level rivers and lakes and casual use a canoe | | | | reason a canoe is irreparably damaged. Canoes |
| made from aluminum will be ideal, especially if you do | | | | manufactured from polyethylene are generally fairly |
| not have to carry it very far on your own. If you don't | | | | cheap and you can save some money by opting for a |
| have room for storage inside, a canoe constructed | | | | model you can assemble yourself. |
| from aluminum is clearly be a much better choice than | | | | Where Could You Use a Polyethylene Canoe? |
| polyethylene since it will not suffer damage from the | | | | For smooth rivers and water without large rocks, a |
| sun's rays or deteriorate from the environment. | | | | polyethylene canoe made with an aluminum frame |
| Places Not to Use your Aluminum Canoe | | | | such as is used in the Coleman canoes will probably |
| Aluminum canoes are not appropriate for white water | | | | be the best choice. For more extreme conditions a |
| canoeing or for water with many sharp rocks and are | | | | Crosslink 3 construction is more suitable as it will be |
| not recommended to be used when you will be on an | | | | more durable and can survive abrasion damage and |
| extended trip and may need to carry your canoe. | | | | sharp edges much better. |