Canoe Anatomy: Materials - Fiberglass
- Extremely lightweight
- High strength-to-weight ratio
- Can be formed to very fine design lines
- Moderate to moderately high cost
Canoe production in fiber-reinforced plastic dates back to the 1950s. Using this material provides the ability to form very fine lines, literally down to a knife-sharp entry if desired.
A top quality fiberglass canoe or kayak can only come from a top quality mold, and at Old Town, we pride ourselves on our ability to produce and maintain excellent quality molds. The production process begins by spraying gelcoat into a highly polished mold. After curing the gelcoat, resins and cloth layers are meticulously hand-laid into the mold. After a curing period, the mold is opened. The hull is removed, inspected, and ready for trimming.
All of our fiberglass models have different lay-ups to suit their design and/or intended use. Fiberglass canoes may have a combination of premium glass cloth, mat or woven roving. Some models use K-mat or balsa wood as core material to increase floor stiffness.
Old Town generally opts for stronger lay-ups than the norm, while maintaining comparable weight. Like the overall care and quality we put into our products, it's another measure of the craftsmanship that distinguishes Old Town canoes and kayaks.