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Aluminum Canoes

One of the advantages to using aluminum canoes is their low cost. Brand new they are less than a thousand dollars while a used one can be as low as $200. This lower cost encourages many people to take up the sport of canoeing. Another advantage aluminum has over wood and plastic is durability. They can be stored outside all year round without fear of warping, melting or corroding. This also makes them very durable in the water.

Aluminum canoes are also very light. They can easily be carries long distances, whether it is from the cabin to the lake or from one river to another or just around an imposing obstacle. Aluminum is also very easy to maintain, almost none is needed at all as opposed to a wooden or canvas canoe which needs constant maintenance to remain in good condition.

Disadvantages to aluminum canoes are their temperature conductivity. On a sunny day the metal will get very hot, and likewise in cold water the canoe can get very chilly. They are also very loud and shiny, not good for observing wildlife. Since aluminum is a softer metal it has a tendency to stick to rocks that graze the underside of the canoe requiring rocking, sometimes even walking, in shallow water. Aluminum also sinks, so unless the front and back are filled with buoys the canoe will quickly sink when capsized.

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