Contact me at: rrcp@mts.net or by phone 204.878.2524

Join in the conversation on our
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Lots of stuff goes on in this shop, located in Lorette, Manitoba.

Primarily it's the building and repair of classic wood & canvas canoes, and the making of premium canoe paddles. I also do custom boat building, composite fabrication, and special projects. A growing passion of mine is the making of classical guitars, I'll post about that, too.


I want to be able to share with my clients the progress of their commissioned work. Later I started thinking that there might be other people who are interested in what goes on inside a wooden canoe shop operated by an artist and a recovering teacher.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me by email, phone, or by post. My mailing address is:

Red River Canoe & Paddle
24249 River Rd
Lorette, Manitoba
Canada
R5K 0Z6




Tuesday 24 January 2017


Last year I built a new Cross Lake Racing Canoe which competed in the 49th annual Douglas Monias Canvas Canoe race in Cross Lake Manitoba.  The canoe performed well and was well received, as a result I have five orders for new canoes this year!  This is the first of five just about to receive its first coat of varnish.  The completed canoe is the one from last year in action.

For details, please see the Canoe Models and Pricing page.






Thursday 28 July 2016

A few photos of what I've been up to lately. 

As noted in the header, most of my update activity is happening on my Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/55012226107/

What I do like about using Facebook for updates is the ability to receive and exchange comments.  While this Blog does allow you to post comments, I usually don't get to see them making it difficult to respond.

I just completed two new canoes: an 18' NRC for the canvas canoe races in Cross Lake, and a 14' Red Fox going to Calgary. I've included a few construction photos, too.

I have begun to participate in a new marketing opportunity.  The Winnipeg Art Gallery has begun a craft exhibition called CRAFTED.  I don't go into many shows as I am usually too busy working.  The WAG show seems to be attracting a nice crowd and I do need to keep my name in the public view.



















Monday 17 February 2014


OK, time to get back at updating this website!  Its funny, but once I started to feel that I got behind in my posting, the total of the story activities that I had to catch up on started to feel overwhelming, so I just couldn't get it together to sit down and get it all done.  

I was still posting to my Red River Canoe & Paddle Facebook page

Last November I had an opportunity to drive to north west Ontario to pick up a load of White Cedar.  For canoe builders, clear White Cedar is like Gold, and when you can get some, you go get it!







Monday 18 November 2013

I just returned from a three week work session in Fort Severn Ontario.  This is my second session there this fall, so I've only been home for three of the last nine weeks!  It already feels like a dream, real while you're in it, unreal after.

I've been posting updates of our activities on my Red River Canoe & Paddle Facebook page.  I have some catching up to do in posting that work here.  I'll get around to it!  But please be patient.  If you want to get ahead of me go over to the Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/55012226107/

Tuesday 15 October 2013

I was working in northern Ontario this fall, spending three weeks on a canoe restoration project in Fort Severn.

We got one canoe, which has in canvas when I arrived, nearly finished, needing only fnal paint and varnish.  One canoe has all of its structural repairs completed, gunnels and keels for several canoes are made and ready to go, as well as planking for all remaining repairs.

Herman Miles, the young fellow that was working with me in the canoe shop in Fort Severn. He's done a lot of work overcoming personal adversity towards living better and being a better person, husband, and father this past year. I wanted to recognize his efforts and show appreciation for the improvement in our working relationship this year. I taught him paddle making last year, So I made a paddle for him.

I'll be back up through the end of October/early November.  My friend and fellow canoe guy is John Hupfield of Lost In The Woods Boatworks.



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Sometime during the summer, well mid July, actually, the humidity in my shop experienced overnight spikes and caused traumatic glue failure to the viola da gamba that I am making for my wife. 

 The instrument can be fixed, even though its a PITA to do, the trauma was to me. 

 Anyway, I've been spending a lot of time this past week getting my shop cleaned and organized for winter and I finally was able to start addressing this situation.  I think that it may have actually taken this long just to face the task, not just to make the time.

 
 
 
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Dorge's Field.

October 12, 2013.

 
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