Nova Craft Canoes - Made in London, Ontario

The Chestnut Prospector has probably been described more often in text than any other canoe, it’s just that popular. Our version of this venerable craft is faithful to the original. Since 1984, we’ve gone out of our way to continue the tradition so future generations of paddlers can enjoy this icon of Canadian history.

If you want a canoe that will handle a month’s worth of supplies to head out on a wilderness adventure, this canoe is for you. In the Prospector 17’ you’ll find all the great characteristics that have made this canoe a paddling legend in places like the Yukon and Canadian Arctic. With lots of volume to keep you and your gear dry in whitewater or waves it still tracks well with good hull speed on flatwater. Our durable materials and classic Prospector lines make the P17 the ultimate wilderness extended tripping canoe.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight
Fiberglass: 70lb / 31.8kg
TuffStuff: 60lb / 27.2kg
TuffStuff Expedition: 65lb / 29.5kg
Aramid Lite: 48lb / 21.8kg
Blue Steel: 52lb / 23.6kg
Weights are based on year-long production averages and may vary.

Learn more about our materials here.

Dimensions
Length: 17′ / 518cm
Width: 36″ / 91.4cm
Center Depth: 15″ / 38.1cm
End Depth: 23″ / 58.4cm
Rocker: 2.5″ / 6.4cm
Capacity: 1200lb / 544kg

· Symmetrical Hull
· Shallow Arch Bottom
· Moderate Rocker
· Available with or without shoe keel in some materials. Weights listed above are for no-keel versions.

See Our Options Section

The Chestnut Prospector has probably been described more often in text than any other canoe, it’s just that popular. Our version of this venerable craft is faithful to the original. Since 1984, we’ve gone out of our way to continue the tradition so future generations of paddlers can enjoy this icon of Canadian history.

The Workhorse of the Canadian north, our Prospector 16’ feels most at home loaded with gear on a remote wilderness lake or river. While it is best suited for river tripping, it remains versatile enough to be a good all round canoe. With experience, the self-righting aspects of the shallow arch hull will become apparent and confidence levels will soar. Whats more, it provides a very dry ride in big waves and whitewater. It is simply the best all round wilderness tripping canoe available.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight
Fiberglass: 66lb / 29.9kg
TuffStuff: 56lb / 25.4kg
TuffStuff Expedition: 62lb / 28.1kg
Aramid Lite: 45lb / 20.4kg
Blue Steel: 48lb / 21.8kg
Weights are based on year-long production averages and may vary.

Learn more about our materials here.

Dimensions
Length: 16′ / 488cm
Width: 36″ / 91.4cm
Center Depth: 15″ / 38.1cm
End Depth: 23″ / 58.4cm
Rocker: 2.5″ / 6.4cm
Capacity: 1000lb / 454kg

· Symmetrical Hull
· Shallow Arch Bottom
· Moderate Rocker
· Available with or without shoe keel in some materials. Weights listed above are for no-keel versions.

See Our Options Section

The Prospector 15′ is a scaled-down version of our larger Prospectors that’s faithful to the original lines in every way. You get all the great handling features that make the Prospector a paddling legend, in a package that’s a bit smaller and more responsive. The P15 is an ideal choice for paddlers who want a tripping boat but don’t need the extra volume. Its extra responsiveness also makes the P15 a fun tandem play boat.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight
Fiberglass: 62lb / 28.1kg
TuffStuff: 54lb / 24.5kg
TuffStuff Expedition: 58lb / 26.3kg
Aramid Lite: 42lb / 19.1kg
Blue Steel: 45lb / 20.4kg
Weights are based on year-long production averages and may vary.

Learn more about our materials here.

Dimensions
Length: 15′ / 457cm
Width: 36″ / 91.4cm
Center Depth: 15″ / 38.1cm
End Depth: 23″ / 58.4cm
Rocker: 2.5″ / 6.4cm
Capacity: 850lb / 386kg

· Symmetrical Hull
· Shallow Arch Bottom
· Moderate Rocker

· Available with or without a shoe keel in some materials. Weights listed above are for no-keel versions.

See Our Options Section

Our Fox 14 is an ideal choice for solo paddlers looking for independent adventures on flatwater lakes and lazy rivers.  Its shorter length and minimal rocker give this canoe a good balance of tracking and turning characteristics.  At 14’ the Fox is the perfect size for a relaxing evening paddle around the lake but still large enough to fit enough gear for a week-long trip into the backcountry. The narrow width makes this a faster, efficient design helping you cover distance with ease and its shallower depth catches less wind.  This narrower design also accommodates soloists who prefer cruising around using a kayak paddle.  Slight tumblehome on the sides helps for easier paddle strokes and the shallow arch bottom gives the paddler a stable feel but still allows for leaning the boat over to paddle Canadian-style.  Of course the Fox’s small size and light weight make it easy to get on and off the car by yourself. The Fox 14 will get solo paddlers into the tranquility of nature with a beautiful balance of ease and performance.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight
Fiberglass: 50lb / 22.7kg
TuffStuff: 42lb / 19.1kg
TuffStuff Expedition: 48lb / 21.8kg
Aramid Lite: 34lb / 15.4kg
Blue Steel: 37lb / 16.8kg
Weights are based on year-long production averages and may vary.

Learn more about our materials here.

Dimensions
Length: 14′ / 427cm
Width: 32″ / 81.3cm
Center Depth: 13″ / 33cm
End Depth: 19″ / 48.3cm
Rocker: Minimal
Capacity: 550lb / 249kg

· Symmetrical Hull
· Shallow Arch Bottom
· Slight Tumblehome

This Chestnut Canoe was originally built with the outdoorsman of the early 1900s in mind. Chestnut’s mission was to design a craft that would enable outdoorsmen to paddle small creeks as well as large lakes and be small enough to get through the then nonexistent portage trails at the same time. To meet these unique needs, The Chestnut Canoe Company brought something efficient yet maneuverable into production.

For the modern canoeist, both the primary and secondary stability of the Trapper are reassuring, though its stability does not sacrifice its speed. It has lots of space, for everything from a day of fishing to a week of tripping in the back country. It is a great canoe to use for improving your “J” stroke and can also be used with a double blade paddle. The Trapper combines the enjoyment of a stable fishing platform with the benefits of a small and light craft for portaging into small productive lakes.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight
Fiberglass: 45lb / 20.4kg
TuffStuff: 38lb / 17.2kg
TuffStuff Expedition: 42lb / 19.1kg
Aramid Lite: 30lb / 13.6kg
Blue Steel: 32lb / 14.5kg

Learn more about our materials here.

Dimensions 
Length: 12′ / 366cm
Width: 34″ / 86.4cm
Center Depth: 13” / 33cm
End Depth: 18″ / 45.7cm
Capacity: 490lb / 222kg
Weights are based on year-long production averages and may vary.

· Symmetrical Hull
· Shallow Arch Bottom
· Slight Rocker

See Our Options Section

PAL 16’

During its long history of building canoes, the Chestnut Canoe Company produced a range of models they called Pleasure canoes. One model proved to have such universal appeal that it became the definition of a general-purpose craft. This model began life as the Ajax but it grew to be so popular that it was renamed Pal to reflect the affection owners felt while using it.

Nova Craft has painstakingly reproduced the lines of the original Pal to provide today’s paddlers with the opportunity to own one of the best general-purpose traditional canoes ever made. It’s a great choice for paddlers who want a canoe that does it all well. Nicely suited for flatwater trips or short outings for sightseeing or fishing, the Pal handles rough water well and feels comfortable in windy conditions. Indeed, it’s a pleasure to paddle either tandem or solo. Once you paddle one you’ll know why owners call it “My Pal”.

Lovingly made in London, Ontario, Canada.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight
TuffStuff: 52lb / 23.6kg
TuffStuff Expedition: 58lb / 26.3kg
Aramid Lite: 42lb / 19.05kg
Blue Steel: 47lb / 21.3kg

Weights are based on year-long production averages and may vary.
Learn more about our materials here.

Dimensions
Length: 16’ / 488cm
Width: 34″ / 86.4cm
Center Depth: 13” / 33cm
End Depth: 20″ / 50.8cm
Rocker: Minimal
Capacity: 800lb / 363kg

· Symmetrical Hull
· Shallow Arch Bottom
· Slight Rocker with Raised Ends

See Our Options Section

BOB SPECIAL 15′

The Chestnut Canoe Company responded to the need for a lightweight canoe well suited to solo tripping and casual tandem paddling by introducing the versatile Bob Special. While the canoe was very stable due to its larger than normal width, the hull shape was optimized for performance resulting in a canoe that was remarkably fast.

Our version is based on the Chestnut original with some improvements to increase speed and sea worthiness. It is ideally suited as a tandem day-tripper yet large enough for a weekend canoe trip. It really shines when paddled solo by a competent paddler. The Bob has a unique blend of characteristics that produce a canoe novice paddlers can enjoy yet experts can savour.

Lovingly made in London, Ontario.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weight 
Fiberglass: 58lb / 26.3kg
TuffStuff: 50lb / 22.7kg
TuffStuff Expedition: 56lb / 25.4kg
Aramid Lite: 40lb / 18.1kg
Blue Steel: 45lb / 20.4kg

Learn more about our materials here.

Dimensions 
Length: 15′ / 457cm
Width: 35″ / 88.9cm
Center Depth: 14” / 35.6cm
End Depth: 21″ / 53.3cm
Capacity: 800lb / 363kg
Weights are based on year-long production averages and may vary.

· Symmetrical hull
· Shallow arch bottom
· Slight rocker with raised ends
· Available with or without a shoe keel in some materials. Weights listed above are for no-keel versions.

See Our Options Section