7-Hollowing Out the Canoe - NW Coast Indian Canoe Project

Executive Productions-Seattle produced a series of 11 videos for the Jayhawk Institute describing how to make a traditional Northwest Coast Indian Canoe from a cedar tree or log.
The Canoe Legacy Project provides insights into both traditional and modern techniques of how to shape, carve and steam (spread) the cedar log into an elegant seaworthy canoe. A Salish style canoe, typically used on the quiet waters of The Salish Sea (incl. Puget Sound) was chosen for the project.
Hollowing out the canoe is probably the most demanding task in the canoe carving process because of the amount of material to be removed, difficult working positions and precision required. A chain saw helps to get started but a few weeks using a variety of hand tools by experienced carvers is still required. No wonder Lewis and Clark marveled at the detailed workmanship compared to the crude log dugouts they made.
The NW Coast Canoe Video series is supported and partially funded by the Suquamish, The Port Gamble S'Klallam and the Puyallup Tribes. The Suquamish Museum has a 300 year-old Salish Style Canoe on display, in addition to many other Salish cultural art and artifacts.
suquamishmuseum...
For more information on the JayHawk Institute and how you can help, go to:
jayhawkinstitut...
For more information about our work, contact Rich Deline, 206-780-2500 www.execproduct...

[@moreda3]

Thank you for the informative video and the very spiritual music.

[@doda26]

Thank you for this very interesting video.

[@Dstrukt2k2]

Can see where you guys decided to switch from a gas powered saw to electric, good idea ;-) in that covered area. Carbon monoxide poisoning, two stroke exhaust is extremely dangerous.

[@epsvideos]

They used stone adzes until steel became available. It worked but steel was better. Burning out the interior was a common practice for many early cultures making dugout canoes

[@mishawakapost2681]

So, the castaways on "Gilligan's Island" couldn't have used this to get from their island to the nearest inhabited one?

[@epsvideos]

You need wood that can be carved to "carve" a canoe. The setting for Gilligan's island had palm trees which are not good canoe trees.

[@squamishfish]

Mishawaka it is ok you can get Stranded on Vancouver island or any of the San Juans and Gulf islands and make this Canoe

[@b1laxson]

If I get stranded on Vancouver island I'd stay there. :-P

[@dustinLenn]

@ Executive Productions-Seattle do youguys have a video of stretching the sides of the canoe?

[@epsvideos]

Sorry, but missed your question. Yes, check out the entire series of steps including "stretching"

[@mickjenner6697]

Indian canoe ? How did they do this without steel tools ? I'm sorry that burning thing just don't seem right

[@geneseale9651]

Was wondering about the weight after it was finished and dimensions

[@epsvideos]

The finished canoe weighs around 500 pounds and is 26 feet long. See the other videos in the series for more details on dimensions...particularly, 4-Scale Model and Dimensions and 9-Spreading the Canoe

[@nickkopschaninow6561]

what does putting pegs in do?

[@epsvideos]

It determines the desired hull thicknes

[@gavinhosler5503]

Yea, so if u don't have pegs u don't know how deep one must dig before breaking through so with pegs one can see how thick the hull is....