Editing Canoe

{{Short description|Light boat that is paddled}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
[[File:Mashteuiatsh 004.jpg|thumb|Birch bark canoe, Ilnu Museum in Mashteuiatsh, Quebec, Canada<ref name="Amerindian Museum of Mashteuiat">{{cite web |title=Amerindian Museum of Mashteuiat |url=https://museeilnu.ca/en/ |access-date=21 April 2024 |date=2024 |quote=Our team is composed of members from the Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation}}</ref>]]
[[File:Morris-canoe-600.jpg|thumb|right|A [[B.N. Morris Canoe Company]] wood-and-canvas canoe built approximately 1912]]
[[File:Birchbark canoe, Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor, ME IMG 2301.JPG|right|thumb|Birch bark canoe at [[Abbe Museum]] in [[Bar Harbor, Maine|Bar Harbor]], Maine]]
[[File:Native tribes of South-East Australia Fig 24 - A Kurnai bark canoe.jpg|thumb|Bark canoe in Australia, 1904]]
[[File:A family on a boat (black and white).jpg|thumb|A family riding a canoe in the Western Region of Ghana]]
A '''canoe''' is a lightweight, narrow [[watercraft|water vessel]], typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles.<ref name="Bark Canoe Construction">{{cite web |title=Bark Canoe Construction |url=https://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/aborig/watercraft/wab02eng.html |website=Canadian Museum of History |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=21 April 2024 |quote=In Canada, the most popular bark for canoe construction has come from the paper birch}}</ref>

In [[British English]], the term ''canoe'' can also refer to a [[kayak]], whereas canoes are then called [[Canadian (canoe)|Canadian]] or open canoes to distinguish them from kayaks. However, for official competition purposes, the American distinction between a kayak and a canoe is almost always adopted.<ref>[https://paddleuk.org.uk/sprint/ ''Canoe Sprint''] at Paddle UK (formerly British Canoeing). Retrieved 6 August 2024.</ref> At the Olympics, both conventions are used: under the umbrella terms Canoe Slalom and Canoe Sprint, there are separate events for canoes and kayaks.

==Culture==

Canoes were developed in cultures all over the world, including some designed for use with [[sail]]s or [[outrigger]]s. Until the mid-19th century, the canoe was an important means of transport for exploration and trade, and in some places is still used as such, sometimes with the addition of an [[outboard motor]].

Where the canoe played a key role in history, such as the [[Northern United States]], Canada, and New Zealand, it remains an important theme in [[popular culture]]. For instance, the [[birch bark]] canoe of the largely birch-based culture of the [[First Nations in Canada|First Nations of Quebec, Canada, and North America]] provided these hunting peoples with the mobility essential to this way of life.<ref name="The birch bark canoe, an exceptional reign">{{cite web |author1=Frère Marie-Victorin |title=The birch bark canoe, an exceptional reign |url=https://www.florelaurentienne.com/flore/Groupes/Spermatophytes/Angiospermes/Dicotyles/011_Betulacees/01_Betula/papyrifera.htm |website=florelaurentienne.com |access-date=21 April 2024 |pages=150 of 925 |language=fr |date=1935 |quote=Betula papyrifera Marshall. — Bouleau à papier. — Bouleau blanc, Bouleau à canot. — (Canoë birch).}}</ref>

Canoes are now [[Canoeing|widely used]] for competition — indeed, canoeing has been [[Canoeing and kayaking at the Summer Olympics|part of the Olympics]] since [[1936 Summer Olympics|1936]] — and pleasure, such as [[Canoe racing|racing]], [[whitewater canoeing|whitewater]], touring and [[Canoe camping|camping]], [[Canoe freestyle|freestyle]] and general [[recreation]].

The intended use of the canoe dictates its [[Hull (watercraft)|hull]] shape, [[Length overall|length]], and construction material. Although canoes were historically [[Dugout (boat)|dugouts]] or made of [[Bark (botany)|bark]] on a wood frame,<ref>{{cite web|title=Dugout Canoe|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/dugout-canoe|publisher=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]]|access-date=30 January 2013|archive-date=15 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115200300/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/dugout-canoe|url-status=dead}}</ref> construction materials later evolved to [[canvas]] on a wood frame, then to aluminum. Most modern canoes are made of molded plastic or [[composite material|composites]] such as [[fiberglass]], or those incorporating [[kevlar]] or [[graphite]].

==History==
[[File:FAHopkins Shooting Rapids.jpg|thumb|[[Frances Anne Hopkins]]: ''Shooting the Rapids (Quebec)'' (1879), Voyageur canoe]]
It is assumed that the word ''canoe'' came into English from the term 'canoa' that is used for the Caribbean dugout canoe in [[Columbus%27s_letter_on_the_first_voyage|Columbus' travelogues]] in 1493. Possibly that word 'canoa' comes from the Taino word `kanawa' that the original inhabitants of the Caribbean used for this vessel. Following its incorporation into Spanish, the term "canoa" made its way into the French language. While the French adopted a form similar to the Spanish, such as "canoë" or "canot," there is also evidence suggesting a potential influence from other indigenous languages encountered by French explorers in North America, like the French word "casnouey" adopted from the Saint-Lawrence Iroquoians language in the 1535 Jacques Cartier Relations translated in 1600 by the English geographer Richard Hackluyt.<ref>See Michel Bideaux (ed.), Jacques Cartier, Relations, Montréal, Presse de l'Université de Montréal, 1986, p. 181 </ref>
=== Dugouts ===
[[File:Dugout canoe Rennell.jpg|thumb|Dugout canoe of [[pirogue]] type in the [[Solomon Islands]]]]
{{Main|Dugout canoe}}
Many peoples have made dugout canoes throughout history, carving them out of a single piece of wood: either a whole [[Trunk (botany)|trunk]] or a slab of trunk from particularly large trees.<ref name="pojar" /><ref name="olypen">{{cite book|last=Olympic Peninsula Intertribal Cultural Advisory Committee|title=Native Peoples of the Olympic Peninsula|publisher=University of Oklahoma Press|year=2002|isbn=0-8061-3552-2|location=Norman, Oklahoma}}</ref> Dugout canoes go back to ancient times. The [[Dufuna canoe]], discovered in Nigeria, dates back to 8500–8000 BC.<ref>Gumnior, Maren; Thiemeyer, Heinrich (2003). "Holocene fluvial dynamics in the NE Nigerian Savanna". ''Quaternary International''. '''111''': 54. [[Doi (identifier)|doi]]:10.1016/s1040-6182(03)00014-4. [[S2CID (identifier)|S2CID]] 128422267.</ref> The [[Pesse canoe]], discovered in the Netherlands, dates back to 8200–7600 BC.<ref>"Oudste bootje ter wereld kon werkelijk varen". ''Leeuwarder Courant'' (in Dutch). ANP. 12 April 2001. Retrieved 4 December 2011.</ref> Excavations in [[Denmark]] reveal the use of dugouts and paddles during the [[Ertebølle culture|Ertebølle]] period, ({{Circa|5300|3950 BC}}).<ref>{{cite web|title=Dugouts and paddles|url=http://www.abc.se/~pa/publ/tybrind.htm#logboats|access-date=8 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201122509/https://www.abc.se/~pa/publ/tybrind.htm#logboats|archive-date=1 February 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Canoes played a vital role in the colonisation of the [[Pre-Columbian era|pre-Columbian]] [[Caribbean]], as they were the only means of reaching the Caribbean Islands from mainland South America.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Boomert|first=Arie|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1096240376|title=The first settlers: Lithic through Archaic times in the coastal zone and on the offshore islands of northeast South America, in: C. Hofman and A. Antczak (eds.), Early settlers of the Insular Caribbean : dearchaizing the Archaic.|others=Hofman, Corinne L., 1959–, Antczak, Andrzej T.|year=2019|isbn=978-90-8890-780-7|location=Leiden|pages=128|oclc=1096240376}}</ref> Around 3500 BC, ancient [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Amerindian]] groups colonised the first Caribbean Islands using single-hulled canoes.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Napolitano|first1=Matthew F.|last2=DiNapoli|first2=Robert J.|last3=Stone|first3=Jessica H.|last4=Levin|first4=Maureece J.|last5=Jew|first5=Nicholas P.|last6=Lane|first6=Brian G.|last7=O’Connor|first7=John T.|author8-link=Scott M. Fitzpatrick|last8=Fitzpatrick|first8=Scott M.|date=2019|title=Reevaluating human colonization of the Caribbean using chronometric hygiene and Bayesian modeling|journal=Science Advances|volume=5|issue=12|pages=eaar7806|doi=10.1126/sciadv.aar7806|pmid=31976370 |pmc=6957329 |bibcode=2019SciA....5R7806N |issn=2375-2548|doi-access=free}}</ref> Only a few pre-Columbian Caribbean canoes have been found.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Scott M.|date=2013|title=Seafaring Capabilities in the Pre-Columbian Caribbean|url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11457-013-9110-8|journal=Journal of Maritime Archaeology|language=en|volume=8|issue=1|pages=101–138|doi=10.1007/s11457-013-9110-8|bibcode=2013JMarA...8..101F |s2cid=161904559 |issn=1557-2285|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Several families of trees could have been used to construct Caribbean canoes, including woods of the [[mahogany]] family (Meliaceae) such as the [[Swietenia mahagoni|Cuban mahogany]] (''Swietenia mahagoni''), that can grow up to 30–35 m tall and the red cedar (''[[Cedrela odorata]]''), that can grow up to 60 m tall, as well as the ''[[ceiba]]'' genus (Malvacae), such as ''[[Ceiba pentandra]]'', that can reach 60–70 m in height.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Scott M.|date=2013|title=Seafaring Capabilities in the Pre-Columbian Caribbean|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11457-013-9110-8|journal=Journal of Maritime Archaeology|volume=8|issue=1|pages=101–138|doi=10.1007/s11457-013-9110-8|bibcode=2013JMarA...8..101F |s2cid=161904559 |issn=1557-2285|url-access=subscription}}</ref> It is likely that these canoes were built in a variety of sizes, ranging from fishing canoes holding just one or a few people to larger ones able to carry as many as a few dozen, and could have been used to reach the Caribbean Islands from the mainland. Reports by historical [[chronicle]]rs claim to have witnessed a canoe "containing 40 to 50 [[Island Caribs|Caribs]] [...] when it came out to trade with a visiting English ship".<ref>{{Cite book|last=McKusick, Marshall Bassford|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/79431894|title=Aboriginal canoes in the West Indies|date=1970|pages=7|oclc=79431894}}</ref>

There is still much dispute regarding the use of sails in Caribbean canoes. Some archaeologists doubt that oceanic transportation would have been possible without the use of sails, as winds and currents would have carried the canoes off course.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Callaghan|first=Richard T.|date=2001|title=Ceramic Age Seafaring and Interaction Potential in the Antilles: A Computer Simulation|url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/320012|journal=Current Anthropology|language=en|volume=42|issue=2|pages=308–313|doi=10.1086/320012|s2cid=55762164 |issn=0011-3204|url-access=subscription}}</ref> However, no evidence of a sail or a Caribbean canoe that could have made use of a sail has been found. Furthermore, no historical sources mention Caribbean canoes with sails. One possibility could be that canoes with sails were initially used in the Caribbean but later abandoned before European contact. This, however, seems unlikely, as long-distance trade continued in the Caribbean even after the prehistoric colonisation of the islands. Hence, it is likely that early Caribbean colonists made use of canoes without sails.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Keegan|first1=William|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/949669477|title=The Caribbean before Columbus|last2=Hofman|first2=Corinne|others=Hofman, Corinne L., 1959–|year=2017|isbn=978-0-19-060524-7|location=New York, NY|pages=27|oclc=949669477}}</ref>

Native American groups of the [[Pacific Northwest|north Pacific coast]] made [[dugout canoe]]s in a number of styles for different purposes, from western red cedar (''[[Thuja plicata]]'') or yellow cedar (''[[Chamaecyparis nootkatensis]]''), depending on availability.<ref name="pojar">{{cite book|last=Pojar and MacKinnon|title=Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast|publisher=Lone Pine Publishing|year=1994|isbn=1-55105-040-4|location=Vancouver, British Columbia}}</ref> Different styles were required for ocean-going vessels versus river boats, and for [[Whaling|whale-hunting]] versus [[Seal hunting|seal-hunting]] versus [[salmon]]-fishing. The [[Quinault people|Quinault]] of [[Washington (state)|Washington State]] built shovel-nose canoes with double bows, for river travel that could slide over a [[Log jam|logjam]] without needing to be [[portaging|portaged]]. The [[Kutenai people|Kootenai]] of the Canadian province of British Columbia made [[sturgeon-nosed canoe]]s from pine bark, designed to be stable in windy conditions on [[Kootenay Lake]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Nisbet|first=Jack|title=Sources of the River|publisher=Sasquatch Books|year=1994|isbn=1-57061-522-5|location=Seattle, Washington}}</ref>

In recent years, [[First Nations in Canada|First Nations]] in British Columbia and [[Washington (state)|Washington State]] have been revitalizing the ocean-going canoe tradition. Beginning in the 1980s, the [[Heiltsuk]] and [[Haida people|Haida]] were early leaders in this movement. The Paddle to [[Expo 86]] in Vancouver by the [[Heiltsuk]] and the 1989 Paddle to [[Seattle]] by multiple Native American tribes on the occasion of Washington State's centennial year were early instances of this. In 1993 a large number of canoes paddled from up and down the coast to [[Bella Bella, British Columbia|Bella Bella]] in its first canoe festival – Qatuwas.<ref>Neel, David The Great Canoes: Reviving a Northwest Coast Tradition. Douglas & McIntyre. 1995. {{ISBN|1-55054-185-4}}</ref> The revitalization continued, and [[Tribal Canoe Journeys|Tribal Journeys]] began with trips to various communities held in most years.

[[Aboriginal Australian]] people made canoes from hollowed out [[Trunk (botany)|tree trunks]], as well as from tree bark.<ref name="Nma.gov.au">{{cite web|title=Carved wooden canoe, National Museum of Australia|url=http://www.nma.gov.au/collections-search/display?irn=7049|access-date=25 April 2013|publisher=Nma.gov.au}}</ref> The indigenous people of the [[Amazon Basin|Amazon]] commonly used [[Hymenaea]] ([[Fabaceae]]) trees.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}

=== Bark canoes ===
<!-- "Bark canoe" redirects here. See [[MOS:HIDDENLINKADVICE]]. -->

==== Australia ====
Some [[Aboriginal Australian]] peoples made bark canoes.<ref name="Nma.gov.au" /> They could be made only from the bark of certain trees (usually [[Eucalyptus camaldulensis|red gum]] or [[box gum]]) and during summer. After cutting the outline of the required size and shape, a digging stick was used to cut through the bark to the hardwood, and the bark was then slowly prised out using numerous smaller sticks. The slab of bark was held in place by branches or handwoven rope, and after separation from the tree, lowered to the ground. Small fires would then be lit on the inside of the bark to cause the bark to dry out and curl upwards, after which the ends could be pulled together and stitched with hemp and plugged with mud. It was then allowed to mature, with frequent applications of [[Animal fat|grease]] and [[ochre]]. The remaining tree was later dubbed a [[canoe tree]] by Europeans.<ref name="murray">{{cite web|title=Aboriginal canoe trees around found along the Murray River|url=http://www.murrayriver.com.au/about-the-murray/bark-canoe-trees/|access-date=18 March 2020|website=Discover Murray River}}</ref>

Because of the porosity of the bark, these bark canoes did not last too long (about two years<ref name="murray" />). They were mainly used for fishing or crossing rivers and lakes to avoid long journeys. They were usually propelled by punting with a long stick.<ref>{{cite web|date=26 November 2009|title=Did you know?: Canoe trees|url=https://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=1400|access-date=18 March 2020|website=SA Memory}}</ref> Another type of bark canoe was made out of a type of [[stringybark]] gum known as Messmate stringybark (''[[Eucalyptus obliqua]]''), pleating the bark and tying it at each end, with a framework of cross-ties and ribs. This type was known as a pleated or tied bark canoe. Bark strips could also be sewn together to make larger canoes, known as sewn bark canoes.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Couper Black|first=E.|date=December 1947|title=Canoes and Canoe Trees of Australia|journal=The Australian Journal of Anthropology|publisher=Australian Anthropological Society|volume=3|issue=12|pages=351–361|doi=10.1111/j.1835-9310.1947.tb00139.x|quote=This paper was read before Section F of the Biennial Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science, held at Adelaide in August, 1946.}}</ref>

==== Americas ====
[[File:Construction canot 1870.jpg|thumb|left|Innu building a [[birch]] bark canoe, [[Mi'kmaq]] camp, [[Matapedia Valley|Matapedia]], [[Quebec]], [[Alexander Henderson (theologian)|Alexander Henderson]], {{circa|1870}}, [[Canada]]]]
[[File:Innu making canoes near Sheshatshiu, ca. 1920.jpg|thumb|left|[[Innu]] making canoes near [[Sheshatshiu]], [[Labrador]], [[Newfoundland and Labrador]], 1920]]
Many [[indigenous peoples of the Americas]] built [[Bark (botany)|bark]] canoes. They were usually skinned with [[birch]] bark over a light wooden frame, but other types could be used if birch was scarce. At a typical length of {{convert|14|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}} and weight of {{convert|50|lb|kg|abbr=on|order=flip}}, the canoes were light enough to be [[portage]]d, yet could carry a lot of cargo, even in shallow water. Although susceptible to damage from rocks, they are easily repaired.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bark canoes|url=http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/exhibitions/aborig/watercraft/wab01eng.shtml|publisher=Canadian Museum of Civilization|access-date=8 October 2012}}</ref> Their performance qualities were soon recognized by early European [[European colonization of the Americas|settler colonials]], and canoes played a key role in the [[exploration of North America]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Our Canoeing Heritage|url=http://www.canoemuseum.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=119&Itemid=83|publisher=The [[Canadian Canoe Museum]]|access-date=8 October 2012}}</ref> with [[Samuel de Champlain]] canoeing as far as the [[Georgian Bay]] in 1615.

In 1603 a canoe was brought to [[Sir Robert Cecil]]'s [[Cecil House|house]] in London and rowed on the [[River Thames|Thames]] by [[Powhatan|Virginian Indians]] from [[Tsenacommacah]].<ref>Alden T. Vaughan, ''Transatlantic Encounters: American Indians in Britain, 1500-1776'' (Cambridge, 2006), p. 43.</ref> In 1643 [[David Pietersz. de Vries]] recorded a [[Mohawk people|Mohawk]] canoe in Dutch possession at [[Manor of Rensselaerswyck|Rensselaerswyck]] capable of transporting 225 [[bushel]]s of maize.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hodge|first=Frederick Webb|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oe0SAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA280|title=Proceedings of the Nineteenth International Congress of Americanists: Held at Washington, December 27–31, 1915|date=1917|publisher=International Congress of Americanists|pages=280|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Jameson|first=John|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j1sKi0KPTewC&pg=PA226|title=Narratives of New Netherland: 1609–1664|date=May 2009|publisher=Applewood Books|isbn=978-1-4290-1896-8|pages=226|language=en}}</ref> [[René de Bréhant de Galinée]], a French [[missionary]] who explored the [[Great Lakes]] in 1669, declared: "The convenience of these canoes is great in these waters, full of cataracts or waterfalls, and rapids through which it is impossible to take any boat. When you reach them you load canoe and baggage upon your shoulders and go overland until the navigation is good; and then you put your canoe back into the water, and embark again."<ref>{{cite book|last=Kellogg|first=Louise Phelps|title=Early Narratives of the Northwest. 1634–1699|url=https://archive.org/details/earlynarratives01kellgoog|year=1917|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/earlynarratives01kellgoog/page/n196 172]–173}}</ref> American painter, author and traveler [[George Catlin]] wrote that the bark canoe was "the most beautiful and light model of all the water crafts that ever were invented".<ref>{{cite book|last=Catlin|first=George|title=Letters and Notes on the Manners. Customs, and Conditions of the North American Indians|year=1989|edition=reprint|location=New York|page=415}}</ref>

[[File:Historic Center of Quito - World Heritage Site by UNESCO - Photo 437.jpg|thumb|These antique [[Dugout (boat)|dugout canoes]] are in the courtyard of the Old Military Hospital in the [[Historic Center of Quito]], Ecuador.]]

The first explorer to cross the North American continent, [[Alexander Mackenzie (explorer)|Alexander Mackenzie]], used canoes extensively, as did [[David Thompson (explorer)|David Thompson]] and the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]].

In the [[North American fur trade]], the [[Hudson's Bay Company]]'s [[voyageurs]] used three types of canoe:<ref>{{cite web|title=The Canoe|url=http://www2.hbc.com/hbcheritage/history/transportation/canoe/|publisher=The Hudson's Bay Company|access-date=6 October 2012|archive-date=5 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105164822/http://www2.hbc.com/hbcheritage/history/transportation/canoe/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* The [[rabaska]] (French: ''canot du maître,'' from the surname of Louise Le Maître, an artisan in the Province of Quebec,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rabaska |url=https://www.definitions.net/definition/rabaska#google_vignette |access-date=May 9, 2024 |website=Definitions}}</ref> though the term would literally mean "master canoe" otherwise) — also referred to as the "Montreal canoe"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hudson's Bay Company |url=https://www.hbcheritage.ca/things/technology/the-canoe |access-date=May 9, 2024 |website=HBC Heritage}}</ref> — was designed for the long haul from the [[St. Lawrence River]] to western [[Lake Superior]]. Its dimensions were length, approximately {{convert|35|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}}; beam, {{convert|4|to|6|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}}; and height, about {{convert|30|in|cm|abbr=on|order=flip}}. It could carry 60 packs weighing {{convert|90|lb|kg|abbr=on|order=flip}}, and {{convert|2000|lb|kg|abbr=on|order=flip}} of provisions. With a crew of eight or ten paddling or rowing, they could make three knots over calm waters. Four to six men could portage it, bottom up. [[Henry Schoolcraft]] declared it "altogether one of the most eligible modes of conveyance that can be employed upon the lakes". [[Archibald McDonald]] of the Hudson's Bay Company wrote: "I never heard of such a canoe being wrecked, or upset, or swamped ... they swam like ducks."<ref name=pdf>{{cite web|title=Portage Trails in Minnesota, 1630s–1870s|url={{NRHP url|id=64500288}}|publisher=United States Department of the Interior National Park Service|access-date=20 November 2012}}</ref>
* The ''{{not a typo|canot}} du nord'' (French: "canoe of the north"), a craft specially made and adapted for speedy travel, was the workhorse of the fur trade transportation system. About half the size of the rabaska, it could carry about 35 packs weighing {{convert|90|lb|kg|abbr=on|order=flip}} and was manned by four to eight men. It could in turn be carried by two men and was portaged in the upright position.<ref name="pdf"/>
* The express canoe (French: "{{not a typo|canot}} léger," light canoe) was about {{convert|15|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}} long and was used to carry people, reports, and news.
[[File:Birch Bark Canoe Making.jpg|thumb|right|Birch bark canoe making in Newfoundland, Canada]]

The birch bark canoe was used in a {{convert|6500|km|adj=on}} supply route from [[Montreal]] to the Pacific Ocean and the [[Mackenzie River]], and continued to be used up to the end of the 19th century.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canoeing|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/canoeing|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020135249/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/canoeing|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 October 2012|publisher=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]]|access-date=8 October 2012}}</ref>

The [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|indigenous peoples]] of eastern Canada and the northeast United States made canoes using the bark of the [[Betula papyrifera|paper birch]], which was harvested in early spring by stripping off the bark in one piece, using wooden wedges. Next, the two ends ([[Bow (ship)|stem]] and [[stern]]) were sewn together and made watertight with the [[Pitch (resin)|pitch]] of [[Abies balsamea|balsam fir]]. The ribs of the canoe, called ''verons'' in [[Canadian French]], were made of [[Thuja occidentalis|white cedar]], and the hull, ribs, and thwarts were fastened using [[watap]], a binding usually made from the [[root]]s of various species of [[conifers]], such as the [[Picea glauca|white spruce]], [[Picea mariana|black spruce]], or [[Thuja occidentalis|cedar]], and [[caulked]] with [[Pitch (resin)|pitch]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Margry|first=Pierre|title=Decouvertes et etablissements des francais dans I'ouest et dans le sud de I'Amerique Septentrionale (1614–1754). 6 vols.|year=1876–1886|location=Paris}}</ref><ref>{{Cite video|url=http://www.library.arizona.edu/help/how/find/films/indian/e.html|title=Earl's Canoe: A Traditional Ojibwe Craft|date=1999|people=Tom Vennum, Charles Weber, Earl Nyholm (Director)|publisher=Smithsonian Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies|access-date=3 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130104164108/http://www.library.arizona.edu/help/how/find/films/indian/e.html|archive-date=4 January 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Skin canoes ===
Skin canoes are constructed using animal skins stretched over a framework. Examples include the [[kayak]] and [[umiak]].

=== Modern canoes ===
[[File:Canvas-stretching.jpg|thumb|upright|Stretching canvas on a canoe]]

In 19th-century North America, the birch-on-frame construction technique evolved into the wood-and-canvas canoes made by fastening an external waterproofed [[canvas]] shell to planks and ribs by [[Boat building|boat builders]] such as [[Old Town Canoe]], [[E.M. White Canoe Company|E. M. White Canoe]], [[Peterborough Canoe Company]] and at the [[Chestnut Canoe Company]]<ref>{{cite web|title=A Venerable Chestnut|url=http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/collection/canoes7.cfm|publisher=Canada Science and Technology Museum|access-date=8 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002041411/http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/collection/canoes7.cfm|archive-date=2 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> in [[New Brunswick]]. Though similar to bark canoes in the use of [[Frame (nautical)|ribs]], and a waterproof covering, the construction method is different, being built by bending ribs over a solid mold. Once removed from the mold, the decks, [[thwart]]s and [[seat]]s are installed, and canvas is stretched tightly over the hull. The canvas is then treated with a combination of [[varnish]]es and [[paint]]s to render it more durable and [[Waterproofing|watertight]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Wood and Canvas Canoe|url=http://forums.wcha.org/knowledgebase/Wood+Canoe+Basics:The+Wood+and+Canvas+Canoe|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213011606/http://forums.wcha.org/knowledgebase/Wood+Canoe+Basics:The+Wood+and+Canvas+Canoe|archive-date=13 December 2013|access-date=26 October 2012|publisher=Wooden Canoe Heritage Association}}</ref>
[[File:Commodore Carl Smith, foto c. 1915.jpg|thumb|right|Canoe designer and promoter [[Carl Smith (canoeing)|Carl Smith]], {{circa}} 1915]]
Although canoes were once primarily a means of transport, with industrialization they became popular as [[recreation]]al or sporting watercraft. [[John MacGregor (sportsman)|John MacGregor]] popularized canoeing through his books, founding the [[Royal Canoe Club]] in London in 1866 and the [[American Canoe Association]] in 1880. The [[Canadian Canoe Association]] was founded in 1900 and the [[British Canoe Union]] in 1936. In Sweden, naval officer [[Carl Smith (canoeing)|Carl Smith]] was both an enthusiastic promoter of canoeing and a designer of canoes, some experimental, at the end of the 19th century.<ref name=sjohist>{{cite web |url= https://digitaltmuseum.se/0211814539697/riddare-av-paddeln-kanotismens-forsta-decennier-i-sverige|title= Riddare av paddeln: kanotismens första decennier i Sverige|last= Jonas|first= Hedberg|date= 2024|website= Digitalt Museum|publisher= [[Maritime Museum (Stockholm)]]|access-date= 23 October 2024}}</ref>

[[Sprint canoe]] was a [[demonstration sport]] at the [[1924 Paris Olympics]] and became an Olympic discipline at the [[Canoeing at the 1936 Summer Olympics|1936 Berlin Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Canoe / kayak sprint equipment and history|url=http://www.olympic.org/canoe-kayak-sprint-equipment-and-history?tab=History|publisher=olympic.org|access-date=29 September 2012}}</ref> When the [[International Canoe Federation]] was formed in 1946, it became the umbrella organization of all national canoe organizations worldwide.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}

==Hull design==
[[File:Parts of Canoe.svg|thumb|right|1 [[Bow (ship)|Bow]], 2 [[Stern]], 3 [[Hull (watercraft)|Hull]], 4 [[Seat]], 5 [[Thwart]], 6 [[Gunwale]], 7 [[Deck (ship)|Deck]], 8 [[Shoulder pole|Yoke]]]]
[[Image:1998-10-tema-canoe.jpg|thumb|right|Prospector canoe showing rocker at the stern]]
[[Hull (watercraft)|Hull]] design must meet different, often conflicting, requirements for speed, carrying capacity, maneuverability, and stability.<ref name=aca>{{cite book|title=Canoeing : outdoor adventures|year=2008|publisher=Human Kinetics|location=Champaign, IL|isbn=978-0-7360-6715-7|url=https://archive.org/details/canoeingoutdoora00oyen}}</ref> The canoe's [[hull speed]] can be calculated using the principles of [[ship resistance and propulsion]].

* Length: although this is often stated by manufacturers as the [[Length overall|overall length of the boat]], what counts in performance terms is the [[Waterline length|length]] of the [[waterline]], and more specifically its value relative to the [[Displacement (ship)|displacement]] (the amount of water [[Displacement (fluid)|displaced]] by the boat) of the canoe, which is equal to the total weight of the boat and its contents because a floating body displaces its own weight in water. When a canoe is paddled through water, effort is required to push all the displaced water out of the way. Canoes are [[displacement hull]]s: the longer the waterline relative to its displacement, the faster it can be paddled. Among general [[#Touring and camping|touring canoeists]], {{convert|17|ft|2|abbr=on|order=flip}} is a popular length, providing a good compromise between capacity and cruising speed.<ref name="wilderness paddler">{{cite book|last=Davidson, James & John Rugge|title=The Complete Wilderness Paddler|year=1985|publisher=Vintage|isbn=0-394-71153-X|pages=[https://archive.org/details/completewilderne00davi_0/page/38 38–39]|url=https://archive.org/details/completewilderne00davi_0/page/38}}</ref> Too large a canoe will simply mean extra work paddling at cruising speed.
*[[Beam (nautical)|Width (beam)]]: a wider boat provides more stability at the expense of speed. A canoe cuts through the water like a wedge, and a shorter boat needs a narrower beam to reduce the angle of the wedge cutting through the water.<ref name="wilderness paddler" /> Canoe manufacturers typically provide three beam measurements: the gunwale (the measurement at the top of the hull), the waterline (the measurement at the point where the surface of the water meets the hull when it is empty), and the widest point. Another variation of the waterline beam measurement is called ''4" waterline'', where the displacement is taken into account. This measurement is done at the waterline level when the maximum load is applied to the canoe.<ref>{{cite web |title=Canoe Design |date=21 January 2017 |url=http://canoeing.com/canoes/canoe-design/ |publisher=Canoe.com |access-date=3 September 2020}}</ref> Some canoe races use the 4" waterline beam measurement as the standard for their regulations.<ref>{{cite book |title=Competition Rules Canoe and Kayak Specifications Sanctioned Race Sponsor Requirements |date=13 January 2019 |publisher=United States Canoe Association |url=http://www.uscanoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/USCA_Competition_Rules_2019.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201003143925/http://www.uscanoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/USCA_Competition_Rules_2019.pdf |archive-date=2020-10-03 |url-status=live |access-date=3 September 2020}}</ref> In races, the measurement is done by measuring the widest point at 4" (10&nbsp;cm) from the bottom of the canoe.<ref>{{cite book |title=38th Annual Run of the Charles |date=2020 |publisher=Charles River Watershed Association |page=5 |url=https://www.crwa.org/uploads/1/2/6/7/126781580/full_race_book_2.24.20.pdf |access-date=14 September 2020 |archive-date=3 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201003060653/https://www.crwa.org/uploads/1/2/6/7/126781580/full_race_book_2.24.20.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>  
* [[Freeboard (nautical)|Freeboard]]: a higher-sided boat stays drier in rough water. The disadvantage of high sides is extra weight and extra [[windage]].<ref name="wilderness paddler" /> Increased windage adversely affects speed and steering control in crosswinds.
* [[Ship stability|Stability]] and immersed bottom shape: the hull can be optimized for [[initial stability]] (the boat feels steady when it sits flat on the water) or final stability (resistance to rolling and capsizing). A flatter-bottomed hull has higher initial stability, versus a rounder or V-shaped hull in cross-section has high final stability.<ref name="GORP">{{cite web|title=How to Choose a Canoe: A Primer on Modern Canoe Design|url=http://www.gorp.com/weekend-guide/travel-ta-canoeing-paddling-sidwcmdev_055570.html|publisher=GORP|access-date=7 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018051102/http://www.gorp.com/weekend-guide/travel-ta-canoeing-paddling-sidwcmdev_055570.html|archive-date=18 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The fastest flat water non-racing canoes have sharp V-bottoms to cut through the water, but they are difficult to turn and have a deeper [[Draft (hull)|draft]], which makes them less suitable for shallows. Flat-bottomed canoes are most popular among recreational canoeists. At the cost of speed, they have a shallow draft and more cargo space, and they turn better. The reason a flat bottom canoe has lower final stability is that the hull must wrap a sharper angle between the bottom and the sides, compared to a more round-bottomed boat.<ref name="wilderness paddler" />
* [[Keel]]: an external keel makes a canoe track (hold its course) better and can stiffen a floppy bottom, but it can get stuck on rocks and decrease stability in [[rapids]].<ref name="GORP" />
* Profile, the shape of the canoe's sides. Sides that [[Flare (ship)|flare]] out above the waterline deflect water but require the paddler to reach out over the side of the canoe more. Sides that do the reverse, so that the gunwale width is less than the maximum width, the canoe is said to have [[tumblehome]].  Tumblehome improves final stability.
* Rocker: viewed from the side of the canoe, rocker is the amount of curve in the hull in relation to the water, much like the curve of a banana. The full length of the hull is in the water, so it tracks well and has good speed. As rocker increases, so does the ease of turning but at the cost of tracking.<ref name="madriver">{{cite web|title=The Hull Truth|url=http://www.quintanna.com/mtnsports/madrivercanoe/2002/design.html|publisher=Mad River Canoe|access-date=7 October 2012}}</ref> Some Native American birch-bark canoes were characterized by extreme rocker.<ref name="wilderness paddler" /> 
* Hull [[symmetry]]: viewed from above, a symmetrical hull has its widest point at the center of the hull and both ends are identical. An asymmetrical hull typically has the widest section aft of centerline, creating a longer bow and improving speed.<ref name="madriver" />

==Modern materials and construction==
[[File:BWCA Canoe Outing - 001.jpg|thumb|right|Aluminum canoe]]
[[File:Elm Bank canoe launch 213345 929.jpg|thumb|right|Inflatable canoe at a [[canoe launch]] on the [[Charles River]], Massachusetts]]

=== Plastic ===
[[Folding boat|Folding]] canoes usually consist of a [[PVC]] skin around an aluminum frame.[[File:A Royalex Mad River Outrage canoe on the Hudson River in the Adirondack Park, New York State..jpg|alt=A Royalex Mad River Outrage canoe on the Hudson River in the Adirondack Park, New York State.|thumb|A Royalex Mad River Outrage canoe on the Hudson River in the Adirondack Park, New York State]]
[[Inflatable boat|Inflatable]] canoes contain no rigid frame members and can be deflated, inflated, folded, and stored in bags and boxes. The more durable types consist of an abrasion-resistant nylon or [[Natural rubber|rubber]] outer shell with separate PVC air chambers for the two side tubes and the floor.<ref>James Weir, ''Discover Canoeing: A Complete Introduction to Open Canoeing'', p.17, Pesda Press, 2010, {{ISBN|1906095124}}</ref>

[[Royalex]] — a [[composite material]] comprising an outer layer of [[Polyvinyl chloride|vinyl]] and hard [[acrylonitrile butadiene styrene]] plastic (ABS) and an inner layer of ABS foam bonded by heat treatment — was another plastic alternative for canoes until 2014, when the raw composite material was discontinued by its only manufacturer.<ref name="Rosco">{{cite web |title=Royalex (RX) |url=http://www.roscocanoes.com.au/FAQ%60s/Materials%20%20Manufactoring/Royalex%20(RX)-253.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225015946/http://www.roscocanoes.com.au/FAQ%60s/Materials%20%20Manufactoring/Royalex%20%28RX%29-253.aspx |archive-date=25 February 2011 |access-date=20 November 2010}}</ref> As a canoe material, Royalex is lighter, more resistant to [[Ultraviolet|UV]] damage, and more rigid, and has greater structural memory than non-composite plastics such as [[polyethylene]]. Canoes made of Royalex were, however, more expensive than canoes made from aluminum or from [[Molding (process)|traditionally molded]] or [[Rotational molding|roto-molded]] [[polyethylene]] hulls.<ref name="Rosco" /> Royalex is heavier and less suited for high-performance paddling than fiber-reinforced composites such as [[fiberglass]], [[kevlar]], or [[graphite]].

=== Fiber reinforced composites ===
Modern canoes are generally constructed by layering a fiber material inside a "female" mold. [[Fiberglass]] is the most common material used in manufacturing canoes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canoe Materials|url=http://www.frontenac-outfitters.com/onlinetutorials.cfm?id=2|publisher=Frontenac Outfittesr|access-date=7 October 2012|archive-date=3 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603055242/http://www.frontenac-outfitters.com/onlinetutorials.cfm?id=2|url-status=dead}}</ref> Fiberglass is not expensive, can be molded to any shape, and is easy to repair.<ref name="wilderness paddler" /> [[Kevlar]] is popular with paddlers looking for a light, durable boat that will not be taken in whitewater. Fiberglass and Kevlar are strong but lack rigidity.{{cn|date=December 2024}}  [[Carbon fiber]] is used in racing canoes to create a very light, rigid construction usually combined with Kevlar for durability. Boats are built by draping the cloth in a mold, then impregnating it with a liquid [[resin]]. Optionally, a vacuum process can be used to remove excess resin to reduce weight.

A [[Gelcoat|gel coat]] on the outside gives a smoother appearance.<ref name="wilderness paddler" />

With [[stitch and glue]], [[plywood]] panels are stitched together to form a hull shape, and the seams are reinforced with fiber reinforced composites and varnished.

A cedar strip canoe is essentially a composite canoe with a cedar core. Usually fiberglass is used to reinforce the canoe since it is clear and allows a view of the cedar.

=== Aluminum ===
Before the invention of fiberglass, aluminum was the standard choice for [[whitewater canoeing]] due to its value and strength by weight.<ref name="wilderness paddler" /> This material was once more popular but is being replaced by modern lighter materials. "It is tough, durable, and will take being dragged over the bottom very well", as it has no gel or polymer outer coating which would make it subject to abrasion.  The hull does not degrade from long term exposure to sunlight, and "extremes of hot and cold do not affect the material". It can dent, is difficult to repair, is noisy, can get stuck on underwater objects, and requires buoyancy chambers to assist in keeping the canoe afloat in a capsize.<ref>{{cite web|title=Buying The Right Canoe|url=http://www.outdoorplaces.com/Features/Paddle/pickcanoe/newcanoe1.htm#aluminum|access-date=6 October 2012}}</ref>

=== Strip-built ===
[[File:Wood strip canoe 16 foot.jpg|thumb|Strip-built canoe]]
[[Strip-built]] canoes are built using thin strips of wood (typically cedar) laid over a mold to create the hull shape and then laminated with fiberglass and epoxy inside and out for strength, durability, and water resistance. The result is a ribless composite structure with fiberglass skins and wood core. The wood grain is visible on the finished canoe and can be very attractive.

==Canoes in culture==
[[File:La Chasse-galerie (1906).jpg|left|thumb|[[Henri Julien]]:''La Chasse-galerie'', oil painting 1906]]
In Canada, the canoe has been a theme in history and folklore, and is a symbol of [[Canadian identity]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Canoe|url=http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/nwc/history/12.htm|publisher=McGill University|access-date=16 October 2012}}</ref> From 1935 to 1986 the [[Voyageur dollar]] depicted  a canoe containing a voyageur (French-Canadian fur trader), and an Indigenous man, on the reverse.

The [[Chasse-galerie]] is a [[French-Canadian]] tale of voyageurs who, after a night of heavy drinking on New Year's Eve at a remote timber camp want to visit their sweethearts some 100 [[League (unit)|leagues]] (about 400&nbsp;km) away. Since they have to be back in time for work the next morning they make a pact with the [[devil]]. Their canoe will fly through the air, on condition that they not mention God's name or touch the cross of any [[Steeple|church steeple]] as they fly by in the canoe. One version of this fable ends with the [[coup de grâce]] when, still high in the sky, the voyageurs complete the hazardous journey but the canoe overturns, so the devil can honour the pact to deliver the voyageurs and still claim their souls.

In [[John Steinbeck]]'s novella ''[[The Pearl (novel)|The Pearl]],'' set in Mexico, the main character's canoe is a means of making a living that has been passed down for generations and represents a link to cultural tradition.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Pearl: Themes, Motifs, & Symbols|url=http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/pearl/themes.html|publisher=Spark Notes|access-date=16 October 2012}}</ref>

The [[Māori people|Māori]], [[indigenous people|indigenous]] [[Polynesians|Polynesian people]], arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe (called [[Waka (canoe)|waka]]) voyages. Canoe traditions are important to the identity of Māori. [[Whakapapa]] (genealogical links) back to the crew of founding canoes served to establish the origins of tribes, and defined tribal boundaries and relationships.<ref>{{cite web|title=Story: Canoe traditions|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/canoe-traditions/|publisher=The Encyclopedia of New Zealand|access-date=16 October 2012}}</ref>

==Types of canoes==
Modern canoe types are usually categorized by the intended use. Many modern canoe designs are hybrids (a combination of two or more designs, meant for multiple uses). The purpose of the canoe will also often determine the materials used. Most canoes are designed for either one person (solo) or two people ([[tandem]]), but some are designed for more than two people.

[[Image:Women C-2.jpg|right|thumb|Women's C2]]

===Sprint===
{{Main|Sprint canoe|Canoe sprint}} 
[[Sprint canoe]] is also known as flatwater racing. The paddler [[Kneeling|kneels]] on one knee and uses a single-blade [[paddle]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Canoe sprint|url=http://www.canoeicf.com/icf/Aboutoursport/Canoe-Sprint.html|publisher=International Canoe Federation|access-date=22 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008234648/http://www.canoeicf.com/icf/Aboutoursport/Canoe-Sprint.html|archive-date=8 October 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since canoes have no [[rudder]], they must be steered by the athlete's [[paddle]] using a [[Canoe paddle strokes#jstroke|J-stroke]]. Canoes may be entirely open or be partly covered. The minimum length of the opening on a C1 is {{convert|280|cm|abbr=on}}. Boats are long and streamlined with a narrow [[beam (nautical)|beam]], which makes them very unstable.  A C4 can be up to {{convert|9|m|abbr=on}} long and weigh {{convert|30|kg|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canoe Sprint Overview|url=http://www.canoeicf.com/icf/London2012/Canoe-Sprint-Section/Canoe-Sprint-Overview.html|publisher=International Canoe Federation|access-date=22 November 2012|archive-date=15 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815181838/http://www.canoeicf.com/icf/London2012/Canoe-Sprint-Section/Canoe-Sprint-Overview.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[International Canoe Federation]] (ICF) classifications include C1 (solo), C2 (crew of two), and C4 (crew of four). Race distances at the [[2012 Olympic Games]] were 200 and 1000 meters.

===Slalom and wildwater===
{{Main|Canoe slalom|Wildwater canoeing}}

[[File:Dickerson-C1a.jpg|thumb|left|Whitewater slalom canoe]]
In ICF [[whitewater slalom]], paddlers negotiate their way down {{convert|300|m|abbr=on}} of [[whitewater]] [[rapids]] through a series of up to 25 gates (pairs of hanging poles). The colour of the poles indicates the direction in which the paddlers must pass through; time penalties are assessed for striking poles or missing gates. Categories are C1 (solo) and C2 (tandem), the latter for two men, and C2M (mixed) for one woman and one man.<ref>{{cite web|title=About Canoe Slalom|url=http://canoeicf.com/icf/Aboutoursport/Canoe-Slalom/More-on-Canoe-Slalom.html|publisher=International Canoe Federation|access-date=22 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107021327/http://canoeicf.com/icf/Aboutoursport/Canoe-Slalom/More-on-Canoe-Slalom.html|archive-date=7 November 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> C1 boats must have a minimum weight and width of {{convert|10|kg|abbr=on}} and {{convert|0.65|m|abbr=on}} and be not more than {{convert|3.5|m|abbr=on}} long. C2s must have a minimum weight and width of {{convert|15|kg|abbr=on}} and {{convert|0.75|m|abbr=on}}, and be not more than {{convert|4.1|m|abbr=on}}. Rudders are prohibited. Canoes are decked and propelled by single-bladed paddles, and the competitor must kneel.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rules for Canoe Slalom|url=http://www.canoeicf.com/dms/icf/documents/Rules-and-Statutes/2011-Rules/ICF-Canoe-Slalom-Rules-2011/ICF%20Canoe%20Slalom%202011.pdf|publisher=International Canoe Federation|access-date=22 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320083528/http://www.canoeicf.com/dms/icf/documents/Rules-and-Statutes/2011-Rules/ICF-Canoe-Slalom-Rules-2011/ICF%20Canoe%20Slalom%202011.pdf|archive-date=20 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In ICF [[wildwater canoeing]], athletes paddle a course of class III to IV whitewater (using the [[International Scale of River Difficulty]]), passing over waves, holes and rocks of a natural riverbed in events lasting either 20–30 minutes ("Classic" races) or 2–3 minutes ("Sprint" races). Categories are C1 and C2 for both women and men. C1s must have a minimum weight and width of {{convert|12|kg|abbr=on}} and {{convert|0.7|m|abbr=on}}, and a maximum length of {{convert|4.3|m|abbr=on}}. C2s must have a minimum weight and width of {{convert|18|kg|abbr=on}} and {{convert|0.8|m}}, and a maximum length of {{convert|5|m}}. Rudders are prohibited. The canoes are decked boats which must be propelled by single bladed paddles, with the paddler kneeling inside.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wildwater Competition rules 2011|url=http://www.canoeicf.com/dms/icf/documents/Rules-and-Statutes/2011-Rules/ICF-Wildwater-Canoeing-Rules-2011/Wildwater%20Canoeing%20Rules%202011.pdf|publisher=International Canoe Federation|access-date=22 November 2012}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===Marathon===
{{Main|Canoe marathon}}
[[Canoe marathon|Marathons]] are long-distance races which may include [[portage]]s. Under ICF rules, minimum canoe weight is {{convert|10|and|14|kg|abbr=on}} for C1 and C2, respectively. Other rules can vary by race. For example, athletes in the Classique Internationale de Canots de la [[Mauricie]] race in C2s, with a maximum length of {{convert|18|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on|order=flip}}, minimum width of {{convert|27|in|cm|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} at {{convert|3|in|cm|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} from the bottom of the centre of the craft, minimum height of {{convert|15|in|cm|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} at the bow and {{convert|10|in|cm|abbr=on|order=flip}} at the centre and stern.<ref>{{cite web|title=La Classique Internationale de Canots de la Mauricie: Rules and Regulations|url=http://www.classiquedecanots.com/en/la-classique/rules-and-regulations|access-date=30 November 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119092952/http://www.classiquedecanots.com/en/la-classique/rules-and-regulations|archive-date=19 January 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Texas Water Safari]], at {{convert|262|mi|km|abbr=on|order=flip}}, includes an open class, the only rule being the vessel must be [[Human-powered watercraft|human-powered]]. Although novel setups have been tried, the fastest so far has been the six-man canoe.<ref>{{cite web|title=Texas Water Safari: History|url=http://www.texaswatersafari.org/history/|access-date=30 November 2012}}</ref>

===Touring===
{{See also|Canoe camping}}
A "touring" or "tripping" canoe is a boat for traveling on lakes and rivers with capacity for [[camping]] gear. Tripping canoes, such as the [[Chestnut Canoe Company|Chestnut]] Prospector and [[Old Town Canoe|Old Town]] Tripper derivates, are touring canoes for [[wilderness]] trips. They are typically made of heavier and tougher materials and designed with the ability to carry large amounts of gear while being maneuverable enough for rivers with some [[whitewater]]. Prospector is now a generic name for derivates of the [[Chestnut Canoe Company|Chestnut]] model, a popular type of wilderness tripping canoe. The Prospector is marked by a shallow arch hull with a relatively large amount of rocker, giving optimal balance for wilderness tripping over lakes and rivers with some [[rapids]].

A touring canoe is sometimes covered with a greatly extended deck, forming a "cockpit" for the paddlers. A cockpit has the advantage that the gunwales can be made lower and narrower so the paddler can reach the water more easily.

===Freestyle===
[[File:C1 Playboat.jpg|thumb|right|Playboating decked canoe]]
A freestyle canoe is specialized for [[whitewater]] play and tricks. Most are identical to short, flat-bottomed [[kayak]] playboats except for their internal outfitting. The paddler kneels and uses a single-blade canoe paddle. Playboating is a discipline of whitewater canoeing where the paddler performs various technical moves in one place (a playspot), as opposed to downriver where the objective is to travel the length of a section of river (although whitewater canoeists will often stop and play en route). Specialized canoes known as playboats can be used.

===Square-stern canoe===
A square-stern canoe is an asymmetrical canoe with a squared-off [[stern]] for the mounting of an [[outboard motor]], and is meant for lake travel or fishing.  Since mounting a [[rudder]] on the square stern is very easy, such canoes often are adapted for [[sailing]].

==Canoe launches==
A canoe launch is a place for launching canoes, similar to a [[boat launch]] which is often for launching larger watercraft. Canoe launches are frequently on [[river banks]] or [[beaches]]. Canoe launches may be designated on [[maps]] of places such as [[parks]] or [[nature reserves]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/on/pukaskwa/visit/services/canoe|title=Canoe launch – Pukaskwa National Park|last=Parks Canada Agency|first=Government of Canada|date=8 January 2018|website=www.pc.gc.ca|access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/ct-ptb-dunes-kayak-launch-st-0821-20190820-zqdzsqvr75c4bcupgqwsjbrxmy-story.html|title=New kayak, canoe launch on Little Calumet River adds to recreation opportunities|last=Gonzalez|first=Michael|website=chicagotribune.com|date=20 August 2019 |access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.argus-press.com/article_b514e0ef-6558-5ecd-857c-f06434eea1c9.html|title=Friends of Shiawassee say canoe launch is now open|website=The Argus-Press|date=30 August 2019 |language=en|access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rbg.ca/paddle|title=Paddle – Royal Botanical Gardens|website=Royal Botanical Gardens|access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.manitoulin.ca/wiiky-outdoor-education-class-builds-launches-30-ft-canoe/|title=Wiikwemkoong outdoor education class builds, launches 30 ft. canoe|last=Schlote|first=Warren|date=19 June 2019|website=Manitoulin Expositor|language=en-CA|access-date=3 September 2019|archive-date=3 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903151955/https://www.manitoulin.ca/wiiky-outdoor-education-class-builds-launches-30-ft-canoe/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

{{clear}}

==Photo gallery==
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Image:“Canoe Manned by Voyageurs Passing a Waterfall” by Frances Anne Hopkins « Voyageurs en canot passant devant une cascade » par Frances Anne Hopkins (41994620880).jpg|  [[Frances Anne Hopkins]] (1838–1919): Canoe Manned by Voyageurs Passing a Waterfall
Image:PaulKane-HuntingFish-ROM.jpg|[[Paul Kane]] (1810–1871): ''Spearing Salmon By Torchlight'', oil painting
Image:Pf026012.jpg|[[Ojibwe]] women in canoe on [[Leech Lake]], Bromley,  1896
Image:Kerala backwater 20080218-11.jpg|Canoe in [[Kerala]], India, 2008
Image:Women Rowing - My Tho - Vietnam.JPG|Canoe in Vietnam in the [[Mekong delta|Mekong Delta]], 2009
File:Beach boys.jpg|Packed canoes at the beach
File:At sea.jpg|Canoe at sea
File:Scanoeprofile.JPG|Square back canoe with a small outboard motor
</gallery>

==See also==
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* [[Umiak]]
* [[Outrigger]]
* [[Waka (canoe)]]
* [[Adirondack guideboat]] – resembles a canoe
* [[Canoe paddle strokes]]
* [[Canadian Canoe Museum]]
* [[Kennebec Boat and Canoe Company]]
* [[E.H. Gerrish Canoe Company]]
* [[Thompson Brothers Boat Manufacturing Company]]
* [[Carleton Canoe Company]]
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==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline}}
{{EB1911 poster|Canoe}}

{{Canoeing and kayaking}}
{{Human-powered vehicles}}
{{Prehistoric technology}}
{{Water sports}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canoes| ]]
[[Category:Canoeing and kayaking equipment]]
[[Category:Human-powered watercraft]]