Francois' Birchbark canoes

14 footer Algonquin canoe

2012-01-13T14:07:00.000-08:00

This is a 14 footer made for a customer in Vancouver, built in 2011.

test

2012-01-12T12:53:00.000-08:00

hello

Birchbark canoe model for sale

2010-11-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

Malecite 1/3 scale model for sale, it is 6 feet long, 12 inches wide. It includes a scale model paddle, salmon spear and moose call. Extensive winter bark etching on side pannels and deck flap. Price : 1800$

algonquin birchbark canoe

2010-09-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

My last birch bark canoe built with apprentice and owner Louis David. It is 15 feet and 4 inches long, 33 inches wide and 13 inches deep. With the canoe, he is going to paddle the fur trade road from Lake Winnipeg to Artic Ocean!

Algonkin old style canoe

2010-03-31T17:41:00.000-07:00

the finished canoe

bent ribs inside the canoe, algonkin style

ribs being placed in order of size waiting to be bend

side pannel sewing , inwale and outwale pegging

inwale shaping

High ends , Attikameg style or tête de boules

bending the bark around the frame

frame on the bark roll

This is an algonkin old style canoe ordered from a customer in Quebec city. It has high ends, slightly flared sides and overlapped planking inside. It is a 13 footer, the bark is from New Brunswick,

birchbark container

2010-01-06T11:26:00.001-08:00

Malecite Birchbark baskets made in 2009. Double curved design and animals ( moose mainly)

Birchbark Moose call

2009-09-11T14:00:00.001-07:00

2 birchbark moose calls I made for a customer in Nova Scotia

Birchbark Basket

2009-09-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

The finished birchbark basket with the completed lid.

malecite Native Paddles

2009-09-10T09:25:00.000-07:00

Here are 2 Malecite paddles I have made recently. One is in Rock maple, the other in eastern cedar. Both have traditionnal chip carving designs on the blade and on the grip.

Malecite Birchbark canoe 16 feet

2009-05-08T15:42:00.000-07:00

building steps of a model birchbark canoe

2009-04-10T17:04:00.000-07:00

The finished canoe

Step 1: Preparing building frame, cedar sheating and ribs

Step 2: Gathering a suitable piece of bark ( winter bark in this case)

Step 3: Weighing down the building frame onto the bark on the building bed

Step 4: goring and folding the bark around the building frame

Step 5: Pegging inwale and outwale to the right heigth

Step 6: Bending ribs

Step 7: Cutting and sewing the ends

Step 7 : sewing the gunwales with spruce roots

Step 8: Ribbing and planking the canoe

Malecite Model paddle

2009-04-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

This is a 1/3 chipped carved malecite paddle I made recently for a customer, it will go with a 1/3 model Malecite canoe. 24 inches long, sugar maple wood.

Birch Bark Moose call

2009-04-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

Here is a highly decorated moose call I made for a customer. Winter bark scraping with malecite volutes, fiddle heads and double curved designs. Spruce root lashing and sewing.

Winter birchbark

2009-02-25T17:22:00.000-08:00

Winter bark peeling

Winter bark is birch bark that is gathered earlier than Summer bark. The winter bark is harvested in my region from of May until beginning of June. On the other hand, summer bark can be peeled from mid June to August. The winter bark has a dark brown skin called cambium on which it is possible to scrape designs. It is more difficult to peel than summer bark that is why I use a piece of teflon to take off the bark carefully. Summer bark peels really easily but has a clear golden color on which it is not possible to carve.

Detail of winter bark designs on the side pannel of a malecite style canoe. The brown layer is scrapped off leaving the clear natural color underneath.

Edwin Tappan Adney

2009-02-24T15:36:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Edwin Tappan Adney, the art of birchbark canoe building didn't get lost. He compiled very precise and technical information about bark boats construction. His notes and plans have been published in Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America . It is the only very accurate reference about birchbark canoes. If you want to know more about Adney: http://www.siterrific.com/Adney/

Contact me

2009-02-23T12:54:00.000-08:00

You can contact me to have any information about my birchbark canoes including prices, building tips or any special demand.

François Rothan

email me at:
franz_rothan@yahoo.com

Crooked Knives

2009-02-22T16:36:00.000-08:00

I have been making crooked knives with which I worked on many canoes. Unfortunately, I lost my blade supplier and I need to find somebody else who is able to do them. I tried for a couple of blades until I nearly had an accident during the filing process of the blade: never again!

Here is a fantastic site to discover beautiful ancient crooked knives and many information about them: http://www.mocotauganthebook.com/

Malecite paddle

2009-02-21T19:51:00.000-08:00

This is my first Malecite ceremony paddle I made in 2006. The chiped carved designs are inspired by a museum paddle from New Brunswick. 6 feet long, 5 inches wide, Sugar maple wood. Here is a really good site about traditionnal paddles. Many good information available and amazing museum pictures. Murat is a really good paddle maker!

http://paddlemaking.blogspot.com/

Model Birchbark Canoes

2009-02-20T08:50:00.000-08:00

Malecite Birchbark canoe 1/3 scale

Malecite style 12 ft 1/3 scale model with extensive winter bark etching

Fur trade birchbark canoe model

North Canoe fur trade model

Malecite style 1/3 scale model

Winter bark etching and sewing details

Malecite style 1/3 scale model

Building birchbark canoes in a smaller scale respecting all the proportions and details is a good challenge. I build usually 1/3 scale models, it makes it a little easier for the small root lashing and sewing. Building models helps me to prevent mistakes and errors and understand some building features during the real size canoe construction.

Malecite Birchbark canoes

2009-02-18T17:51:00.000-08:00

Malecite style birchbark canoe 14 ft

Malecite style 16 ft

Inside view of the ribs and edge to edge taper planking

Malecite style 15 ft

Malecite style 16 ft

Here are some of my Malecite style Birchbark canoes. The Malecite were considered as the finest canoe builders among the Native Nations. They pushed the birchbark canoe building technique to its best. Long thin ends, tumblehome building, edge to edge planking and extensive winter bark etching are the characteristics of the Malecite birchbark canoes.

Algonquin Style Birchbark Canoes

2009-02-18T16:39:00.000-08:00

Algonquin style 13 ft
Algonquin style 12 ft
Algonquin style 12 ft

Algonquin style 13 ft

Here are some of my Algonquin Style Birchbark canoes. Algonquin birchbark canoes have distinctive features which include overlapped planking, slightly flared sides, straight stem pieces, and quick uprise of the ends. Algonquin style canoes have beautiful sheer and are often decorated with winter bark etching. The designs represent mostly animals which have a great importance in the Algonquin culture.

Building an Algonquin style birchbark canoe video

2009-02-18T11:21:00.000-08:00

This video features all the building steps of an Algonquin Birchbark canoe: