Editing Canoe (section)

==Modern materials and construction==
[[File:BWCA Canoe Outing - 001.jpg|thumb|right|Aluminum canoe]]
[[File:Elm Bank canoe launch 213345 929.jpg|thumb|right|Inflatable canoe at a [[canoe launch]] on the [[Charles River]], Massachusetts]]

=== Plastic ===
[[Folding boat|Folding]] canoes usually consist of a [[PVC]] skin around an aluminum frame.[[File:A Royalex Mad River Outrage canoe on the Hudson River in the Adirondack Park, New York State..jpg|alt=A Royalex Mad River Outrage canoe on the Hudson River in the Adirondack Park, New York State.|thumb|A Royalex Mad River Outrage canoe on the Hudson River in the Adirondack Park, New York State]]
[[Inflatable boat|Inflatable]] canoes contain no rigid frame members and can be deflated, inflated, folded, and stored in bags and boxes. The more durable types consist of an abrasion-resistant nylon or [[Natural rubber|rubber]] outer shell with separate PVC air chambers for the two side tubes and the floor.<ref>James Weir, ''Discover Canoeing: A Complete Introduction to Open Canoeing'', p.17, Pesda Press, 2010, {{ISBN|1906095124}}</ref>

[[Royalex]] — a [[composite material]] comprising an outer layer of [[Polyvinyl chloride|vinyl]] and hard [[acrylonitrile butadiene styrene]] plastic (ABS) and an inner layer of ABS foam bonded by heat treatment — was another plastic alternative for canoes until 2014, when the raw composite material was discontinued by its only manufacturer.<ref name="Rosco">{{cite web |title=Royalex (RX) |url=http://www.roscocanoes.com.au/FAQ%60s/Materials%20%20Manufactoring/Royalex%20(RX)-253.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225015946/http://www.roscocanoes.com.au/FAQ%60s/Materials%20%20Manufactoring/Royalex%20%28RX%29-253.aspx |archive-date=25 February 2011 |access-date=20 November 2010}}</ref> As a canoe material, Royalex is lighter, more resistant to [[Ultraviolet|UV]] damage, and more rigid, and has greater structural memory than non-composite plastics such as [[polyethylene]]. Canoes made of Royalex were, however, more expensive than canoes made from aluminum or from [[Molding (process)|traditionally molded]] or [[Rotational molding|roto-molded]] [[polyethylene]] hulls.<ref name="Rosco" /> Royalex is heavier and less suited for high-performance paddling than fiber-reinforced composites such as [[fiberglass]], [[kevlar]], or [[graphite]].

=== Fiber reinforced composites ===
Modern canoes are generally constructed by layering a fiber material inside a "female" mold. [[Fiberglass]] is the most common material used in manufacturing canoes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canoe Materials|url=http://www.frontenac-outfitters.com/onlinetutorials.cfm?id=2|publisher=Frontenac Outfittesr|access-date=7 October 2012|archive-date=3 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603055242/http://www.frontenac-outfitters.com/onlinetutorials.cfm?id=2|url-status=dead}}</ref> Fiberglass is not expensive, can be molded to any shape, and is easy to repair.<ref name="wilderness paddler" /> [[Kevlar]] is popular with paddlers looking for a light, durable boat that will not be taken in whitewater. Fiberglass and Kevlar are strong but lack rigidity.{{cn|date=December 2024}}  [[Carbon fiber]] is used in racing canoes to create a very light, rigid construction usually combined with Kevlar for durability. Boats are built by draping the cloth in a mold, then impregnating it with a liquid [[resin]]. Optionally, a vacuum process can be used to remove excess resin to reduce weight.

A [[Gelcoat|gel coat]] on the outside gives a smoother appearance.<ref name="wilderness paddler" />

With [[stitch and glue]], [[plywood]] panels are stitched together to form a hull shape, and the seams are reinforced with fiber reinforced composites and varnished.

A cedar strip canoe is essentially a composite canoe with a cedar core. Usually fiberglass is used to reinforce the canoe since it is clear and allows a view of the cedar.

=== Aluminum ===
Before the invention of fiberglass, aluminum was the standard choice for [[whitewater canoeing]] due to its value and strength by weight.<ref name="wilderness paddler" /> This material was once more popular but is being replaced by modern lighter materials. "It is tough, durable, and will take being dragged over the bottom very well", as it has no gel or polymer outer coating which would make it subject to abrasion.  The hull does not degrade from long term exposure to sunlight, and "extremes of hot and cold do not affect the material". It can dent, is difficult to repair, is noisy, can get stuck on underwater objects, and requires buoyancy chambers to assist in keeping the canoe afloat in a capsize.<ref>{{cite web|title=Buying The Right Canoe|url=http://www.outdoorplaces.com/Features/Paddle/pickcanoe/newcanoe1.htm#aluminum|access-date=6 October 2012}}</ref>

=== Strip-built ===
[[File:Wood strip canoe 16 foot.jpg|thumb|Strip-built canoe]]
[[Strip-built]] canoes are built using thin strips of wood (typically cedar) laid over a mold to create the hull shape and then laminated with fiberglass and epoxy inside and out for strength, durability, and water resistance. The result is a ribless composite structure with fiberglass skins and wood core. The wood grain is visible on the finished canoe and can be very attractive.