I am forced to wonder about the sometimes ignominious position of the canoe in our society. I think it must be related to two issues. One, for man people, the canoe is associated with summer camp, which is a rather ridiculous situation in and of itself, at least from an adult perspective. And two, thanks to "America's Funnies Home Videos," we have probably seen more people fall out of canoes than out of any other type of boat. Yes, the general view of canoes, at least in my estimation, is that they are rather clumsy boats, difficult to manage and easy to tip over. However, to those who actually know how to pilot them, canoes are a source of great enjoyment and pride.

Canoes, of course, were invented long before either summer camp or inane television shows. These boats were used by a variety of ancient peoples, and the oldest known canoe still in existence is approximately 10,000 years old. Although these boats have been improved upon since prehistoric times, the design remains essentially the same. A canoe is a small, narrow boat, usually with a pointed bow and stern. It is usually open on top and powered by a human with a single-blade or double-blade paddle. Depending on the size of the canoe, more than one person may fit into it. Some canoes use small motors or sails for power, but these will not be covered here.

Early canoes were made of natural materials, and some modern boats are still constructed thusly. A dugout canoe is one made by simply hollowing out a tree trunk. This type of canoe has been used by native peoples all over the world, and it is still used by some today. Alternatively, some canoes of natural materials are made from tree bark sewn with tree roots and sealed with resin. Finally wood strip, or strip-built, canoes are made by securing narrow, flexible strips of wood edge to edge around temporary forms. These strips are glued together and coated with an overlay of fiberglass cloth to create a waterproof hull. The end result is a lightweight, string and often beautiful canoe.

Modern canoes utilize a variety of materials, some of which are natural and some of which are man-made. Wood-and-canvas canoes, interestingly, evolved directly from the tree bark technique of construction. These boats are made by fastening an external waterproofed canvas shell to a wooden hull. Aluminum canoes, developed close to the end of World War II, have the advantage of being lighter and stronger than those made of wood. However, aluminum canoes require flotation blocks on both ends in order to remain afloat, and they are quite noisy, making them unsuitable for viewing wildlife.

Synthetic canoes are often made of fiberglass, Kevlar or carbon fiber composites. These boats are light, strong, maneuverable and easy to carry. Although they can be rather expensive, both Kevlar and carbon fiber are more durable than many other materials used to make canoes; and while fiberglass cracks easily, it is also easy to repair. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polyethylene are also used in composite-constructed canoes. Both are particularly suitable for boats used in whitewater situations, being resilient and difficult to puncture.