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How to Carve a Canoe

Canoe building is an ancient tradition within Native American Indian tribes that has been handed down across generations. These people used canoes as a mode of transportation, and they needed a boat that was stable, strong, and able to haul supplies. It is possible to use the Native American's canoe carving methods to make your own log canoe. It will take some time and patience but in the end you will have a canoe that will be safe to take into the water.

Things You'll Need

Tree log
Axe
Tree saw
Water repellent sealer

Instructions

- 1
  Select a hardwood log. Cedar is a good option. You will want one that is at least 10 to 12 feet in length so you can carry yourself and another passenger. Examine the log and select one that has very few knots and no signs of decay. It should be a minimum of 24 inches across.
- 2
  Strip all of the bark from the tree using an axe. Take an axe or long saw and remove a strip of the log about one to two inches thick so that one side is flat. This will be the bottom of the boat and will make the boat less likely to tip over once it is in the water. If you leave the log round it could turn very easily - think of a log-rolling exhibition by lumberjacks and how easily the log turns in the water because it is round. A flat bottom will provide resistance against the water when it is pushed down upon and help prevent tipping. Use an axe or saw to shape the ends into a more sleek, pointy shape to slice through the water.
- 3
  Turn the log so the flat side is facing down. Cut a trench in the middle of the log with the axe, starting a couple of inches from one end and finishing a couple of inches short of the other. You want the trench to be about 3 inches deep and a foot wide.
- 4
  Move the log to an area out of the wind and so the flat part is still on the ground and the trench is facing up. Be sure to remove anything nearby that can burn. Start a fire in a pit or barrel. Allow the flames to burn down so you are left with hot coals. Use tongs to remove the hot coals and place them into the trench that you dug in the log.
- 5
  Fan the coals in the log so they remain very hot and let them burn out the inside of the log. As the coals burn down replace as needed. Take the axe and chip away chunks of the charred wood. This is a slow process, so be patient. If you try to go too fast you can catch the log on fire. Keep adding coals and chipping out the wood until the trench is deep enough for you to sit in but there is at least an inch thickness all the way around.
- 6
  Waterproof the inside and outside of the canoe ,as wood is very porous and will suck up water. Allow it to dry before taking it on its maiden voyage.

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