The handcrafted cedar canvas classic is a work of art created by Doug Long. Doug builds only a few canoes each year with the goal of building the finest canoes possible.
![[Photo - Hand-crafted Longwood Canoe]](canoes/longwood.jpg "[Photo - Hand-crafted Longwood Canoe]")
The construction of cedar canvas canoes represents, for Doug, a perfect combination of his life-long love of wood, woodworking and the outdoors. In building his canoes, he uses the best materials he can find and his best woodworking skills (even where it doesn't show) to create beautiful, but rugged, canoes which will provide a lifetime of service and pleasure. In finishing each canoe, his goal is to make it pleasing to the touch and to the eye. The person who buys a cedar canvas canoe today, when there are so many alternative materials, does so primarily for reasons of aesthetics - for the unmatchable beauty and paddling characteristics of a wooden canoe.
Presently Longwood offers two canoe models; the "OSPREY", a 16 foot modified Prospector which can accommodate major tripping loads and the "PINTAIL", a 15 foot recreational or light tripping model which excels when paddled solo. While the forms on which these canoes are built dictate the hull shapes, a degree of customization is possible in the selection of woods for gunwales, decks, thwarts and seats. A keel, carrying yoke and hand caned seats are available options; Colour is the buyer's choice. If desired, a canoe can be personalized with the buyer's name or other identification engraved into the thwart or stern deck.
Each of Doug's canoes is built using traditional methods and the best materials available. Most of the wood used is locally grown and sawn.
All ribs and planks are of eastern white cedar which is not only traditional but is acknowledged to be the best wood for these components. White ash is usually used for gunwales but cherry or other suitable woods can be selected for visual effect. Trim wood is usually cherry but others can be used if desired.
The inner surface of the planking, the outer surface of the ribs and all other concealed surfaces are varnished before installation to eliminate hidden, raw wood which would be prone to absorb moisture. Prior to canvassing, the sanded hull is given a coat of an oil/preservative mixture to seal and preserve the wood. After installation, the canvas is treated with a preservative and then filled with a traditional silica-rich filler. The cured filler is over coated with three or more finish coats of paint; with each coat being wet sanded before the next to achieve maximum smoothness. The paint used is a marine enamel imported from Holland. All exposed wood receives four coats of marine varnish from the same Dutch manufacturer. All fasteners are of either brass or bronze (where they show) or stainless steel (where concealed). The superior strength of stainless steel allows Doug to achieve stronger and tighter joints in critical areas.
Contact us today for more information about these works of art that are a joy to paddle.
Click on any manufacturers name for more details.