Hellman canoes are built to provide a lifetime of fun and adventure.
Each canoe is custom built in the Kootenays to include your special requests, with a workmanship guarantee.
Most Hellman Canoes can be built in either Duralite, Kevlar®, or Duratuff.
A few models have restrictions due to size and/or shape, please refer to our Quick Comparison to see which canoes are available in your desired material.
Read more about the materials below, as each has different properties to suit your needs.
EFFECTIVE SYSTEMS
CORE MAT RIBS AND FOAM CORE
Our core-mat ribs and core material are fundamental to the structure of our boats. With the use of these stiffening systems, we offer stiff yet very resilient canoe hulls. Our canoes are able to withstand tremendous abuse without cracking.
THE TOUGH FLEXIBLE ECOPOXY RESIN SYSTEM
Since July of 2010, Hellman canoes are built using Ecopoxy resin. This technologically advanced resin in not only stronger than petroleum based epoxy resins but it is ecologically friendly. Ecopoxy resin is made from natural plant based oils including peanut oil, canola oil and soya oil. It has a better tensile strength, better resilience and better resistance to heat distortion.
Besides being tougher, it is none toxic; there are no harmful solvents being put out into the atmosphere during building. We have also developed a new Ecopoxy Gel-Coat, using the same resin. This new gel-coat is both flexible and hard. Ecopoxy gel-coat is extremely abrasion resistant and can be bent into a one inch radius. Ecopoxy gel-coat compliments our canoes because if the hull flexes the gel-coat won’t break. We at Hellman Canoes are building the toughest, lightest and most environmentally friendly canoe in the world.
STURDY MATERIALS
DURALITE/ECOPOXY
Duralite is a durable lightweight composite. Duralite construction includes a blend of special synthetic fabrics combined with our robust ecopoxy resin.
KEVLAR®/ECOPOXY
Kevlar is a robust, lightweight synthetic fabric extensively used in the aerospace industry and also employed in the manufacturing of bulletproof vests. It is lighter and more durable than fiberglass.
DURATUFF/ECOPOXY
Duratuff is exceptionally tough, surpassing even Royalex in durability. If you require a boat capable of withstanding extreme abuse, then Duratuff is the best choice for you.
ECOPOXY/RESIN
Hellman canoes are all constructed with ecopoxy resin and gel-coats. This environmentally friendly, plant-based, non-toxic resin is superior in strength and resilience compared to petroleum-based resin systems. The resin system is just as crucial as the choice of cloth, and our proven combinations will easily withstand the rigors of extended use.