Nymph Canoe Family

Nymph Family of Woodstrip Canoes

The 19th century canoe builder J. Henry Rushton lead a golden age of wooden canoe making with his renowned Wee Lassie design, this amazing boat help define what could be accomplished with a little bit of cedar. Taking off from Rushton's amazing boats I wanted to follow the same ideas but adapt them to the properties and capabilities of cedar strip (AKA: woodstrip, strip built or strip-planked) construction.

Instead of just sticking to the traditional shapes and forms of the double paddle canoe I thought I could take advantage of the special properties of cedar strip boats to make a lightweight, easy to paddle minimalist boat that is easy to paddle, easy to carry and yet still rugged and beautiful.

Using cedar strip building techniques, the 10 foot long version of the Nymph can be built at under 20 pounds. The unique tumblehome allowed by strip construction allows the boat to be wide enough for good stability but narrow enough that you don't need to reach too far to get your paddle into the water. This allows a shorter paddle that is more easier to pull. This small boat is intended for small people who have trouble finding a boat that is the right size for them. Larger paddlers may want a bigger design and the 12 foot version is ideal for most people who want a super lightweight boat that can be carried easily from the car to the water even if the water is deep in the woods in a pond that is teeming with fish.

View the Nymph Family of Canoes