Canoes

As seen on Handcrafted America!

First Mountain was honored to be featured on the Inspiration Networks (INSP) “Handcrafted America” that can now be seen on Amazon Prime video by clicking HERE.

We were featured in season 3.

Hand-crafted wood canoes fully customized for each client.

One of the things we love most about wood is that no two pieces of wood are identical, even if the wood is harvested from the same tree. This means that each canoe we create is truly unique. Every piece of wood that goes into the construction  is carefully hand-selected and strategically placed to achieve the perfect balance of beauty and function that makes our boats a pleasure to look at and a joy to paddle.

Our specialty is to work with our clients to customize a canoe that will be unique to our clients’ personality and taste. We take our time and work with our clients to develop the design from concept to completion and, where practical to do so, we personally deliver each craft to its owner.

Our process

Because every piece of wood we use has been carefully chosen, we’re able to avoid scarf joints (unless they are required to achieve an overall custom design).

While some makers of strip canoes use staples in the construction process to hold strips to the forms as each strip is added, we don’t do this. It often leaves unsightly holes in the hull and deck that are difficult to disguise and – in our opinion – they distract from the natural beauty of the wood.

We’ve developed a staple-less construction process that is more time-consuming, but it leaves a smooth, consistent finish with tight consistent joints. This gives our crafts a much more professional-looking finish that allows the richness of the wood to really shine through.

Our wood

The majority of the wood used in our basic design is No.1 Western Red Cedar. Cedar has a rich, varied coloration and has a great strength-to-weight ratio, which makes it ideal for strip canoe and kayak construction.

We use other woods as accent and feature strips, depending on the design and desired effect. We’ve found that Sapele, Mahogany, Walnut, Basswood, Maple are good choices – but we enjoy working with our clients to come up with unique wood and design combinations.

Would you like to know more?

We’ve included some of our most recent models in our portfolio section, but we’re always refining and updating our designs and process – and of course every craft we make is fully customized for its new owner.

Commonly-asked questions about First Mountain boats

How long does it take to make one?

Usually about 4 months, depending on the complexity of the design.

What kinds of wood do you use?

Mostly, Western Red Cedar for the body of the boats. Other woods such as walnut, maple, mahogany and others are used in the designs and inlays for different effects. We occasionally use some exotics such as sapele and purple heart. We don’t use stains – we seek to bring out the natural beauty and color of the wood. Each strip is only 1/4″ thick with a bead and cove feature that allows them to lock together.

Can I use the boats in a river?

Our canoes are best suited for lakes and deep-water streams. Like any boat they will scratch, but they’re fairly rugged since they’re covered with fiberglass and epoxy inside and out, as well as several coats of marine-grade varnish. However, they’re not intended for whitewater canoeing.

Can I hang them up as decoration? They seem too pretty to put in the water.

We love to see our boats in the water, but many, actually most, of our clients use them as decoration instead. We’ll work with you to design a suitable rack for wall hanging.

How much do they cost?

That really depends on the boat. Each one is unique, and the cost can vary greatly depending upon the complexity of the design. Please don’t be embarrassed to ask, you may be pleasantly surprised!