Canoes were produced by several Finger Lakes builders, including Bowdish & Co., Skaneateles Boat & Canoe Co., and the Penn Yan Boat Company. They were built in a wide variety of lengths and shapes, to serve various recreational needs. Some were set up for sailing, or could be altered for that purpose. Others came with a transom to accommodate a small outboard motor. Still others were designed for easy lifting by one person, and could be transported on top of a car.

We define a rowboat as a boat originally built to be powered primarily by oars. Most of the rowboats in the Museum’s Collection were built in small boatshops. Each builder developed his own design, incorporating features he believed would best serve the needs of his local customers. Boats typically ranged in length from 11 ½ - 16 feet, and were fitted out with cedar, pine or cypress planks fastened to steam-bent white oak ribs with clinch nails. These boats are usually round bottomed, decked fore and aft, with fine entry lines and low freeboard. In recent years they have become known locally as “troutboats”. They are generally a delight to row.

The Row Outboard category is used to designate boats built to be powered by an outboard motor, while capable of being rowed when necessary. Typically used for fishing or all-around recreation, these boats were built in large numbers by both production builders (Thompson and Penn Yan), and smaller shops. Relatively inexpensive to purchase and easy to handle, they enabled the working man and his family to take to the water.

The Outboard Runabout category comprises boats built to be powered by an outboard motor, and equipped with a steering wheel. Typically larger than the Row O/B variety, most were built by the large volume builders (Penn Yan and Thompson).

The Inboard category contains boats that are powered by an inboard engine. Typically more expensive to build than an outboard-driven boat, these generally represent the “high-end” of the boating spectrum.

The Finger Lakes offer marvelous opportunities for sailing. A wide variety of sailboats was produced by many firms in the Finger Lakes region. Several of the larger builders offered one-design boats such as the Comet and Lightning, while others produced sailboats of their own design.