Standard Features
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.
Available Features
Available Features
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
THE FLEXIBLE RIB SYSTEM
The stiffening system we use for the ribs will stand up to several years of outfitters abuse. This hardy system incorporates the use of four layers of cloth covering a corematt base. This flexible rib system combined with our tough flexible epoxy resin results in a very resilient hull. In our test, we flexed these ribs up to 300 times with no sign of damage.
Since 1999, all Hellman canoes are fitted with our new Laminated Rib-core. These ribs are laminated between the layers in the hull providing a Stiffer, stronger and lighter layup.
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
A Duralite hull is cost effective compared with a Kevlar® hull. A Duralite construction includes a mixture of special synthetic composite cloth combined with our tough flexible epoxy resin. The bow and stern are reinforced with Flexite® cloth.
KEVLAR®/EPOXY
Kevlar® is a strong and lightweight synthetic cloth that is used extensively in the aero-space industry and also used in bulletproof vests. It is more durable and lighter than fibreglass and many other materials on the market. What most people don’t realize is that the resin system is just as important as the choice of cloth which goes into a canoe. A Kevlar® canoe built with an inferior resin system does not hold up well, whereas, our proven combination will easily withstand the rigors of extended use.
DURATUFF
This layup is extremely tough. It is a five layer laminate designed to take a real beating. It is 8lbs heavier than Duralite and costs a bit more, but if you intend to really hammer your boat than this is the canoe for you.