Riviera hand built canoes & kayaks
Skin-on-frame boat building began about 10,000 years ago in Asia. Most nations have their own design; in the north it was seal skin on kayaks and canoes, in Canada it was birch bark for the skin and the Irish had the Curragh and we in Britain have the coracle mainly used in Wales today. There is even a Tibetan type coracle called a bull boat
There are many types of skin-on-frame crafts. Kayaks are bespoke to fit the person that they are intended for as each person has different measurements, arm span, width of hips, etc. In the construction of these crafts there is no adhesive used. Wooden dowel and string are utilised so that the boat absorbs the impact of the waves therefore making it more flexible.
A skin-on-frame boat is very similar in construction to a planked hull but constructed the opposite way round.
We at Riviera hand-built canoes build a variety of skin-on-frame and planked boats. We are traditional boat builders and have been established for over 10 years. During the last 18 months we have toured Europe to study other cultures skin-on-frame construction. We have a vast wealth of knowledge in our craft building and each one is unique to the customer. This does not mean you could not paddle another skin-on-frame boat but one specifically designed for you would sit better in the water.
We use mainly Cedar and Douglas Fir for the gunwales and Ash or Oak for the ribs.
The waiting time from measurement to collection is around 6-8 weeks. Once the boat is skinned we can paint it to a colour of your choice to seal the weave in the fabric or you can take it away and add the final colour yourself.
Another good advantage skin on frame has over plastic is if the skin ever gets damaged, all you do is replace the skin and paint it again. A plastic or fibre glass canoe can be repaired with epoxy resin and glass fibre matting but it is a lot of messy and harmful work if not carried out properly. If epoxy resin is not left to cure for the right length of time it is toxic when sanded down. If you use canvas for the skin and acrylic paint it is a environmentally friendly green machine.
The planked canoes we build are around 18ft long and 3ft wide amidships (the middle). We have built them out of cedar and even English oak that was 17ft long and quite heavy. When you order a canoe or kayak and have given your measurements for the craft you can order a paddle at the same time made in the same way by your own measurements: twin blade with feathered or straight blades or a single paddle. We use oil not varnish as it saves on blisters and this is more than a plastic canoe, it is a part of you and if looked after can last a life time (a birch bark canoe has being found in Cornwall that it reputed to be over 250 years old). Anyone one with a interest in canoes will be impressed at the manoeuvrability of these craft.
