Nova Craft Canoes
Paddle the True North
Nova Craft canoes represent a combination of tradition and innovation, reproducing classic Canadian designs (many such as the Prospector, Bob Special, PAL, Trapper are faithful to original designs from the Chestnut Canoe Company) in modern technical materials.
Folks familiar with or curious about the history of canoe development will recognize the Chestnut Canoe Company, as one of the premier original and long lasting innovators in wood and canvas canoes (1904 to 1979).
And anyone who’s opened a canoeing magazine has seen ads for Nova Craft’s Tuff Stuff. Introduced in 2015, Tuff Stuff is a proprietary composite layup that is incredibly tough while being lighter than the same boat in fiberglass. Watch the famous "Canoe Drop" video to get an idea of how Tuff this Stuff is!
Nova Craft also makes boats in fiberglass, Aramid Lite, Blue Steel and SP3 layups. Here’s a link to more info on these materials:
Below are descriptions of the Nova Craft canoes we routinely stock.
Bob Special 15: The Chestnut Canoe Company responded to the need for a lightweight canoe well suited to solo tripping and casual tandem paddling by introducing the versatile Bob Special. While the canoe is very stable due to its larger than normal width, the hull shape was optimized for performance resulting in a canoe that is remarkably fast.
Our version is based on the Chestnut original with some improvements to increase speed and sea worthiness. It is ideally suited as a tandem day-tripper yet large enough for a weekend canoe trip. It really shines when paddled solo by a competent paddler. The Bob has a unique blend of characteristics that produce a canoe novice paddlers can enjoy yet experts can savour.
Muskoka 16: The Muskoka is a traditional keeled canoe designed to provide comfort and safety for anyone looking for a canoe suitable for light recreational use. Easy weekend trips or poking around the lakes and rivers near a cottage are where this canoe will excell. The Muskoka has enough carrying capacity for a young family, yet it provides enough stability to make an outing with kids and dogs enjoyable.The traditional lines of this canoe make it a joy to paddle, but those same lines make the Muskoka a pleasure to contemplate resting on your dock as you sit in your chair and enjoy a favourite beverage while the sun sets.
Haida 17′: The classic lines of this keeled canoe hide the modern innovations incorporated into the hull design. While it looks like a traditional canoe from every angle, it has an asymmetrical hull that improves speed. The flat bottom hull provides excellent initial stability. The rocker is mostly straight along the keel raising noticeably just at the ends making it easy to track in a straight line while providing maneuverability when you need it. This is a versatile family canoe that people can grow into. Beginners will find its steadiness reassuring and as paddlers become more advanced they will appreciate the faster hull and easy glide. The Haida’s roominess and stability means it is an ideal canoe for families who want to enjoy some tripping with young children, whether for a weekend jaunt to a favourite park or a wilderness adventure lasting a couple of weeks.
Trapper 12 Solo (shown in Aramid-Lite clear): This Chestnut Canoe was originally built with the outdoorsman of the early 1900s in mind. Chestnut’s mission was to design a craft that would enable outdoorsmen to paddle small creeks as well as large lakes and be small enough to get through the then nonexistent portage trails at the same time. To meet these unique needs, The Chestnut Canoe Company brought something efficient yet maneuverable into production.
For the modern canoeist, both the primary and secondary stability of the Trapper are reassuring, though its stability does not sacrifice its speed. It has lots of space, for everything from a day of fishing to a week of tripping in the back country. It is a great canoe to use for improving your “J” stroke and can also be used with a double blade paddle. The Trapper combines the enjoyment of a stable fishing platform with the benefits of a small and light craft for portaging into small productive lakes.
Pal 16′: During its long history of building canoes, the Chestnut Canoe Company produced a range of models they called Pleasure canoes. One model proved to have such universal appeal that it became the definition of a general-purpose craft. This model began life as the Ajax but it grew to be so popular that it was renamed Pal to reflect the affection owners felt while using it.
Nova Craft has painstakingly reproduced the lines of the original Pal to provide today’s paddlers with the opportunity to own one of the best general-purpose traditional canoes ever made. It’s a great choice for paddlers who want a canoe that does it all well. Nicely suited for flatwater trips or short outings for sightseeing or fishing, the Pal handles rough water well and feels comfortable in windy conditions. Indeed, it’s a pleasure to paddle either tandem or solo. Once you paddle one you’ll know why owners call it “My Pal”.
Cronje 17’ (shown in two tone): The Chestnut Canoe Company designed the Cronje to be a fast, reliable canoe for people who have a destination in mind. The design is rich in history and is a very able performer. Our reproduction of this venerable canoe retains both the paddling characteristics and the tradition of the original.
The Cronje is ideally suited to paddlers who want to challenge big, open water by covering distance with ease. Fast lines and excellent tracking make it a joy to use. Cargo capacity isn’t compromised for speed and the canoe handles well both with a load and empty. Its lower profile means less wind drag on the water and lower weight on the portage trail. The Cronje is most at home in landscapes with large open lakes like the famed Boundary Waters or Algonquin Park.
The Fox 14 Solo: is an ideal choice for solo paddlers looking for independent adventures. its shorter length and slight rocker give this canoe a good balance of tracking and turning characteristics. At 14’ the Fox is the perfect size for a relaxing evening paddle around the lake but still large enough to fit enough gear for a week-long trip into the backcountry. The narrow width makes this a faster, efficient design helping you cover distance with ease and its shallower depth catches less wind. This narrower design also accommodates soloists who prefer cruising around using a kayak paddle. Slight tumblehome on the sides helps for easier paddle strokes and the shallow arch bottom gives the paddler a stable feel but still allows for leaning the boat over to paddle Canadian-style. Of course the Fox’s small size and light weight make it easy to get on and off the car by yourself. The Fox 14 will get solo paddlers into the tranquility of nature with a beautiful balance of ease and performance.
The Prospector 16 (shown in yellow): The Chestnut Prospector has probably been described more often in text than any other canoe, it’s just that popular. Our version of this venerable craft is faithful to the original. The Workhorse of the Canadian north, our Prospector 16’ feels most at home loaded with gear on a remote wilderness lake or river. While it is best suited for river tripping, it remains versatile enough to be a good all round canoe. With experience, the self-righting aspects of the shallow arch hull will become apparent and confidence levels will soar. Whats more, it provides a very dry ride in big waves and whitewater. It is simply the best all round wilderness tripping canoe available.
The Prospector 15′ (shown in oxblood) is a scaled-down version of our larger Prospectors that’s faithful to the original lines in every way. You get all the great handling features that make the Prospector a paddling legend, in a package that’s a bit smaller and more responsive. The P15 is an ideal choice for paddlers who want a tripping boat but don’t need the extra volume. Its extra responsiveness also makes the P15 a fun tandem play boat.
Prospector 17 (shown in red): If you want a canoe that will handle a month’s worth of supplies to head out on a wilderness adventure, this canoe is for you. In the Prospector 17’ you’ll find all the great characteristics that have made this canoe a paddling legend in places like the Yukon and Canadian Arctic. With lots of volume to keep you and your gear dry in whitewater or waves it still tracks well with good hull speed on flatwater. Our durable materials and classic Prospector lines make the P17 the ultimate wilderness extended tripping canoe.
Prospector 18 (Special Order): The cargo capacity of the Prospector 18’ model can only be described as massive. The Prospector lines produce a canoe that feels deceptively light and responsive, but there’s tons of space to pack in a load of supplies for any expedition with room left over to toss in the kitchen sink. The P18 is a big boat with straighter tracking than our shorter Prospectors. It’s perfect for the wilderness traveler intent on expedition style adventures or a large family wanting to travel in one canoe.