Or, how to choose the hull design that best suits your paddling needs. More than the material used in the construction of your canoe, the shape of the hull determines how it will perform under different paddling conditions. First, let's look at the different parts of the canoe.
Hull design is a continuous series of compromises.
For instance, if you would like to improve seaworthiness and increase carrying capacity of your canoe, raise the sheer line. That can really be a problem on windy days. Let's look at some more of the ways that hull design can influence the performance of your canoe. A lot of the graphics on this page were stolen from the WE NO NAH catalog and web site. A link to this fine web site will be found on Heritage Canoes Links Page.