Penn Yan Composite Canoe

 

 

This canoe is quite different than other Penn Yan canoes we’ve seen in that it does not contain conventional canoe ribs. Its lines are similar to those of their Owasco model, but it was built using the Composite construction system Penn Yan employed in building most
of their other boats. Composite construction consists of an interior layer of planks set closely together and running from gunwale to gunwale, which are clinch nailed to an exterior layer of planks running longitudinally to form
a double-planked hull.

 

A layer of canvas was then applied to the exterior of the boat and treated to form a water barrier. This produced a canoe with a smooth hull interior, but also appears to have added significantly to the weight of the boat. Penn Yan catalogs we’ve reviewed do not advertise this as a construction option for canoes, which may indicate that the boat was an experimental or special order model.