Research 2012 Old Town Canoe Boats - Page 2

iboats.com Reviews Old Town Canoes: Manufacturer of Old Town Canoes and Kayaks.

Old Town, Maine(ME) is the home of Old Town Canoe Company. The Penobscot tribe lived in this area and hunted and fished here. The Penobscot River has runs of rapids, unforgiving boulders and waterfalls and the tribe built their birch bark sturdy canoes to navigate the waters. Based on the heritage of canoe building and inspired by the watercrafts the tribe had built, A.E. Wickett built the first canvas and wood canoe behind George Gray's hardware store in 1898. Wickett had a clear eye for detail and quality was a passion of his as he crafted the canoe. Soon Gray and Wickett were selling their canoes like hotcakes. After a couple of name changes Old Town Canoe Company was settled on and incorporated in 1903.

After manufacturing quality canoes for many years, Old Town built a kayak in 1940. In 1970, a national award was presented to Old Town for fiberglass boat innovation in materials used for canoes and kayaks and Old Town became the US Team exclusive manufacturer. Old Town started the use of Royalex and plastic rotomolded boats which helped to change the canoe and kayaking industry. To this day, Old Town is working to advance the canoe and kayaking tradition by material and design innovations. The past continues to inspire Old Town with classical building traditions while they look forward in design and innovative material technology.

Old Town is using a sandwiching method for the foam core with two layers of polyethylene which adds to the floatation and insulates from both cold and noise for the kayaks and on line of canoes. The stiffness produced in the sandwiching process allows for less material use and lighten the weight of the kayak. Canoe materials from fiberglass to Royalex, thermoformed polyethylene to the three layer polyethylene used in kayaks, Old Town offered both the materials of today while still offering the wood canoes handcrafted and used through the generations. Old Town's canoe lines include Recreational canoes that have square backs for motor mounting, Sporting that comes equipped with a anchor drop from the bow and fishing rod holders to the Tripping/Expeditions line providing the workhorses of wilderness canoeing, river running with rocking maximum to maneuver well the whitewater. Old Town Canoe advancing tradition.