What Types Of Canoe Are There?

Canoes have been used by man for various purposes since ancient times with the Polynesians having traveled thousands of miles in the Pacific Ocean in their specially built voyager canoes; several cultures with a maritime tradition like the Maori also were adept at building canoes that were utilized for traveling as also for battle purposes.

In modern times canoes are mainly of two types based on the number of persons that can travel in them; the single person canoe also known as the kayak is a popular close decked boat mainly used in adventure sports while the regular canoe also known as the C-boat or Canadian canoe is generally about 20 ft long and can seat two people at a time.

Another yardstick for the classification of canoes is the material used like whether it is made from natural or synthetic material. Some of the types of canoes are the traditional wooden canoes which are easy to maneuver though fragile as compared to modern ones, canvas ones which again need extra maintenance and the new age aluminum canoes or the fiberglass ones which though clumsy to maneuver are inexpensive and highly durable. Royalex and Kevlar canoes are considered to be the best among the different types being light as well as easy to navigate.