This canoe was given to us by a neighbour a few years ago. He is too old to use it and his kids don't want it. He is very happy it is valued again. It is a cedar strip he got when he was working at Sears many, many years ago. It was mispriced and he scooped it up. It needed a lot of work when we got it and has spent months in a local paddle maker's shop being restored by the two of them. Kevin was itching to get his heritage canoe in the water. This is it's inaugural trip. He was so excited to get it he forfeited the downpayment for the new vehicle he wants to pay for the repairs.
And here we go!
About halfway through our paddle we hit a submerged rock going through a swift and heard a crunch. So it has been christened. Then it got dinged being put back on the canoe trailer. Kevin spent several hours Sunday repairing it.
In case anybody is interested this brings our watercraft fleet to 7 (not counting the loaners and the unusable). We have the 3 red canoes shown here, 1 white tripping canoe, Kevin's bluish whitewater canoe, Connor's red whitewater kayak (and sometimes Dalton's whitewater kayak), an extra kayak and 2 kayaks and a canoe on sawhorses waiting for repairs. We also have one he picked up to find a home for from someone who doesn't want it and a mold to make your own.
Can you guess what we tell people who are coming to visit?