Great Northern Craft

Canoe and Kayak Kits and Custom Boatbuilding

Mailing Address:
Suite 433, 1641 Lonsdale Ave.
North Vancouver, BC V7M 2J5
Office phone/fax: (604) 253 3743
Shop phone: (604) 812 4949
E-mail: gncbc@aol.com


Who Are We?
Great Northern Craft (GNC) is a family run business with 18 years of boat building experience in wood, aluminum and steel construction. We are pleased to work with our customers in providing all of the necessary materials for building their own strip planked canoes, kayaks and dinghies.

Our mission at GNC is to produce the highest quality components for the amateur and professional builder alike. It is our aim to specialize in the long, hard-to-get materials for canoe and kayak construction, the acquisition of which forms the most difficult task for any boat builder in North America.

With that in mind, our "kits" are geared primarily to these long components, though we will produce all the necessary items to complete any model on a custom basis. GNC takes great pride in our canoe and kayak kits. We are able to obtain the best selection of Western Red Cedar from various mills along the costal range of British Columbia. We are able to offer all of our planking in full lengths up to 20'. This allows customers to build their boats with the greatest ease possible.


What Do We Do?
In addition to Western Red Cedar, GNC provides accent planking in Yellow Cedar and dark Red Cedar in two standard widths (1/2" or 7/8") in either square edged or bead and cove. We also provide stem, keel and gunwale stock in full length White Ash and Cherry, up to 20'.


A Note About Quality
The Cedar used to make our planking stock is all cut from tight-grain, old growth Western Red Cedar and Yellow Cedar. It averages in age between 250 and 600 years give or take and as such it is to be highly valued for the resource that it is. Through its utilization in building these beautiful and functional watercraft that will last for generations and which are spread over all parts of North America and beyond, is testament to this resources' enduring quality.

All of the materials that go into a kit at GNC are hand selected and inspected to be free from knots and other structural defects. This applies to all planking and trim components alike. The machining of the bead and cove detail on our planking is achieved in a single-pass operation to ensure the most consistent and uniform product possible.


Pricing & Shipping Information - click here for more information

Canoe Kit Materials
How to Order Kit Materials: At Great Northern Craft each canoe/kayak kit is a custom order. The enclosed price list shows the individual components available and their prices based per linear foot. Contact us directly by e-mail, phone or fax for a specific quote but the following information will help you to estimate your materials kit cost.


Wooden Canoe Components:
Most canoes require 5 or 6 basic components: Planking, Accent Planking, Inside Stems, Outside Stems, and Gunwales. A Keel is recommended for ALL models for improved bottom protection.


How Much Do You Need?
Planking: Typically between 60 and 70 pcs. of full-length planking, one foot longer than the overall length of the design for your canoe.

Accent planking: As much as you want to use to "personalize" your canoe's appearance.

Inside Stems: 2 required for most models.

Outside Stems: 2 required.

Gunwales: 4 pcs. of gunwale stock, 1 foot longer than the design of the canoe.

Keel: 1 pc. recommended, can be 1 foot shorter than the design of the canoe.


Kayak Kit Materials
Wooden Kayak Components:Most Bear Mtn. kayaks employ 5 or 6 basic components: Planking, Accent Planking, Inside Stems, Outside Stems, Sheer Clamp and Sheer Guard. Other designs may vary slightly.

Amounts Required:
Planking: Similar to canoes, it normally takes about 60 to 70 full-length planks.

Accent Planking: Enough to personalize your kayak for your tastes.

Inside Stems: 2 required.

Outside Stems: 2 required.

Sheer Clamp: 2 pcs. needed for all Bear Mtn. Designs, 1 foot longer than the design length of your kayak.

Sheer Guard: 2 pcs. needed, 1 foot longer than the length of your kayak.

Epoxy/Fibreglass Materials: For our Canadian customers we offer a full line of West System Epoxy Supplies at very competitive prices. Contact us for a direct quote.

At Great Northern Craft, we work with Ted Moores, Bear Mountain Boat Shop to produce kit materials to meet the specifications for all Bear Mtn. Designs. We highly recommend their designs but we will produce materials for any design so feel free to contact us for a quote for materials for whatever small boat project you are dreaming of building.