The most popular canoe construction materials today are aluminum, aluminum alloy, Kevlar and polyethylene. Polyethylene is becoming increasingly common for new canoe construction because it is flexible, light and cheaper than other materials.
Aluminum Canoe Construction
Aluminum has been, until recently, the most common choice of material to use for canoe construction but it has now been overtaken by polyethylene. Although aluminum is extremely tough and long-lasting, and is one of the lighter metals, it is a lot heavier than polyethylene. It will endure dragging on rough river beds and does not degrade when exposed to the sun as polyethylene can be. Aluminum canoes always need chambers for buoyancy and they can often be hard to control especially for inexperienced canoeists. In addition they are often heavy to carry and buckle if knocked with enough force. The repair holes is also hard and the canoe will never look the same again!
Where to Use Your Aluminum Canoe?
For calm water and casual use a canoe made from aluminum can be ideal, especially if you do not need to transport it any distance yourself. If you have no inside storage, a canoe constructed from aluminum is probably be a much better choice than polyethylene as it will not be damaged by the sun's rays or suffer deterioration from the weather.
Where Not to Use your Aluminum Canoe
Aluminum canoes are not really suitable for white water or for water that have many rocks and should not be used when you will be on an extended trip and need to carry the canoe.
Aluminum Alloy Canoe Construction
Canoes made of aluminum alloy are lighter weight and more durable than only aluminum and some are even lighter than polyethylene. However, ensure that you find out the actual weight of any aluminum canoes as they often vary considerably.
Polyethylene Canoes
Polyethylene is very light and flexible, is hard-wearing and is one of the most common canoe construction material. It's comparatively straightforward to repair and low-cost though it is vulnerable to damage from sharp edges such as branches, rocks etc. However, it's elasticity does give rise to problems so actions have to be taken to make the canoe more rigid. One method is the use of aluminum to give it a rigid framework and this is the method used in canoes designed by Coleman and marketed under the name Ram-X.
An alternative way to provide some rigidity is by means of a substantial layer of foam between two layers of polyethylene. This is the method used by Old Town in their canoes under the trademark CrossLink 3. The core of foam ensures buoyancy and it is better able to stand up to damage from abrasion than pure polyethylene.
Polyethylene is not always ideal though. It is not buoyant so most polyethylene canoes need buoyancy chambers. It is extremely vulnerable to damage by abrasion which is the most frequent cause for a canoe being irreparably damaged. Canoes manufactured from polyethylene are generally low priced and you might be able to save more money by opting for a self-assembly model.
Where Should You Use a Polyethylene Canoe?
For calm water and water without large rocks, a polyethylene canoe constructed with a rigid skeleton such as is used in Coleman canoes will probably be the best option. For more extreme conditions a Crosslink 3 construction is recommended as it will be more durable and can stand up to abrasion damage and jagged edges much better.
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