An understanding of some basic design elements will help you decide what to look for when choosing a canoe which best meets your requirements. Design elements can be subtle and quite specific, but here's a look at the basics:

Length: As a general rule, longer canoes move faster through the water. Longer hulls track better (hold their straight line course), and have greater carrying capacity. Shorter hulls tend to be more maneuverable and lighter in weight.

Beam: The width of the boat at its widest point. Wider canoes offer more stability and more room for cargo, but as the beam increases, the boat will be slower moving through the water. Narrow beam canoes are faster, but less stable.

Depth: Other things being equal, the deeper the canoe, the drier it will run in rough water. Greater depth also increases cargo space. Deeper canoes are heavier, though, and can be pushed around more easily by the wind.

Bottom Shape: The shape of the bottom has a lot to do with the stability of your canoe. There are three basic bottom shapes: Flat, Round and Vee.

Flat: This design has good stability when you first step in and paddle in calm waters (initial stability). It is not as stable in rougher water or when leaned over to one side (final stability). Good for beginners, and calm waters.

Round: May feel a little shaky when you first step in, but with experience feels most stable in most waters. High final stability, and also easier to propel through the water.

Vee: Offers a compromise between Flat and Round bottom designs. With a little practice, this design offers good all-around performance.

Sides: The angle of the canoe sides affects stability, dryness and ease of paddling. The three basic side profiles are: Flared, Straight and Tumblehome.

Flared: This design is more stable and drier because it pushes the water away from the boat. It is a little harder to paddle because you have to reach out a bit further with each stroke.

Straight: A nice compromise between flared and tumblehome, this design offers reasonable stability, dryness and ease of paddling.

Tumblehome: Because the sides curve in with this design, you don’t have to reach over as far to paddle. This design is not as stable or as dry, and requires more skill to take advantage of the design feature.

Bow Shape: Blunt, fuller bow shapes offer more buoyancy and help to shed the splashes when paddling through choppy water. They also provide a bit more room for lightweight items. Canoes with finer, thinner bow shapes cut through the water more easily.

Keel: External keels will help the canoe track better, but can also be a hazard. It can catch on obstacles in the water and upset the boat. A good hull design can offset the need for an external keel.

Rocker: This refers to the fore and aft upward curve of the keel line of the canoe. Boats with little rocker will track better because more of the hull is down in the water. More rocker lets the canoe turn more easily. For general recreational canoeing, a little rocker is a good compromise.

MATERIALS

Canoes today are made from a variety of different materials, all worthwhile yet with different advantages. Here are the most common you’ll find:

Fiberglass: These come in two main varieties - “chopper gun” and “laid-up”. The chopper gun method is less expensive, but the boat will be heavier and not as strong. Fiberglass canoes are low maintenance and medium in weight. They can be fairly easy to damage, but are also pretty easy to repair.

Aluminum: Light to medium in weight, and withstand abrasion better than plastic or wood. They can be a bit sluggish and noisy going through the water, but they are stable and can really pack a load. Low maintenance. Canoes with riveted hulls can develop leaks, the best are made of one stretched sheet.

Cedar-Strip: Light in weight and quite strong. Beautiful designs and excellent performance on the water. These canoes need care and proper storage out of the sun. Often custom made, they can be quite expensive.

Wood and Canvas: Traditional materials. Excellent handling characteristics, and pretty durable. Require periodic maintenance. Expensive because of the cost of skilled labor.

Kevlar: One of the strongest materials for its weight. Puncture and scratch resistant. Can be tricky to repair. Some manufacturers use composites of fiberglass and Kevlar which are less costly and easier to repair.

Royalex: Also called ABS, a foam-cored plastic. The most durable of all canoe materials, it can bend in half and spring back to shape. High priced, but worth it. A favorite of whitewater enthusiasts.

Polyethylene: Some poly canoes come with inner structure of aluminum, others with foam-sandwich construction. Heavier but less expensive than Royalex. Durable and abrasion-resistant.