Heirloom Builds: Cedar Strip Canoe

The cedar strip canoe build is an influential piece of the Saw & Mill Company story.

Back in 1994, my dad built his first cedar strip canoe. The canoe build in my parents workshop was a fond memory and one that stoked a fire to create. Heated by a small pot belly stove, the workshop was the quintessential spot for the canoe build. Over many months, my dad pieced together his canoe one strip at a time with knowledge he gained from books and the lore of his father's passed down knowledge. 

A Boat for Adventure:

The canoe my father built took us in the boundary waters of northern Minnesota, rivers of Wisconsin and our favorite fishing holes in Illinois. 

A Reflection About the Build and the Company:

 The Saw & Mill Co. cedar strip canoe is a full encompassing picture into our company. The canoe like the company is not perfect. When I attached the first cedar strip to the form it wasn't pretty. Our first year of being in business wasn't either. Enduring and learning from mistakes was a part of every stage of the canoe build. The canoe looks pretty in pictures and is a blessing to have but will show the scars of an imperfect build and will carry the scars from adventures taken

 

 

More to Come.. 

Cutting Cedar Strips and Building the Frame

Sand Storm

First Coat