Water moves me. It conceals and reveals. The most obvious objects when submerged mere feet below its surface can remain indefinitely obscured from discovery. Yet, when mountains obstruct travel, a river becomes a highway; mile after mile revealing new scenes, new life, and new experiences. There exists nothing so vital, so helpful, so serviceable, yet so dangerous and mysterious as water. It can kill you. The troubled waves of a perfect storm or the vehement suction of a whitewater hydraulic can claim all but a name on a monument. For centuries humans have risked life and limb to achieve every form of progress and to tame the wilderness by conquering these liquid avenues. It’s truly living to feel the risk and reward of being on the water. And I know of no watercraft that epitomizes that vitality better than a canoe. There’s just something about these elegant craft that embodies the intrinsic spirit of adventure that comes with such connectivity with the water.

Warning! Studies suggest that buying a canoe may lead to buying more canoes…

Canoes are the oldest boats to be discovered by archaeologists. Centuries-old dugout canoes still wash up from time to time, and examples estimated to be over 8,000 years old have been found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The most traditional boats in the pacific islands, Hawaii, and South America are canoes, often seen with floats stanchioned a few feet to the side for stabilization. Amazingly, these meek vessels were used to travel hundreds and even thousands of miles across sometimes open oceans.

Natives in North America developed canoes utilizing a light, wooden frame under a waterproof skin of birch bark or tightly stretched skins. Fur traders adopted this design and with it expanded the map of the New World. The turning of the 19th into the 20th century saw canvas and/or thinly-milled wood replace birch bark. Of course, the industrial revolution and “space age” ushered in an explosion of new materials and construction methods: aluminum, fiberglass, and plastics. Even canoes constructed from traditional materials like wood and canvas benefited from innovations in sealers, epoxies, and fasteners all delivering greater strength and lighter weight. Today, ultralight models crafted from kevlar-infused polymers and carbon fiber are the featherweight champions, tipping the scales at a paltry 35-45 lbs., but still delivering a knockout punch of 850-1,000 lbs. carrying capacity.

This centuries-long, historical longevity heralds the canoe’s existence as perhaps mankind’s most practical watercraft sporting an unrivaled combination of affordability, simplicity, mobility, efficiency, utility, and stealth.

It’s not impossible to find canoes in the $20,000-$100,000 range (although these are better classified as works of art than day-to-day craft), but even a brand-new, highly technical canoe built from the most state-of-the-art materials can be purchased in the $5,000 range. If you’re like me, and you don’t have extra $5k’s laying around, no problem. Hop on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, and you can easily find excellent used canoes for $250-$900.

Canoes get you on the water for less $$$ than any other craft because of their simplicity and durability. These aspects go hand-in-hand. There’s not much to a canoe. It’s basically a hull and a seat or two. That’s it. There’s no motor to break down, no carpet to rot, no electrical system to fail, and no upholstery to rip. Canoes don’t require trailers which infamously bequeath their owners with wiring woes, flat tires, and bad wheel bearings.

Because of this simplicity and their light weight, canoes can carry you where few other vessels can. A person can easily hoist his/her canoe from a car top and simply pace it in the water; no boat ramp required. You can paddle freely in three inches of water without fear of destroying a propeller on submerged obstacles. You never run out of gas; the battery never goes dead; and you never get caught in the doldrums.

Such mobility can only be matched by kayaks. However, the edge kayaks have in maneuverability is far surpassed by canoes’ hauling ability. There’s a time and place for living off ultralight, freeze-dried meals and scant gear, but the added space canoes afford is downright luxurious in comparison. On canoe trips, I can bring an entire cooler filled with juicy steaks and fresh produce. When hunting from a canoe, you can return home with an entire deer or other big game. I dare you to try that in a kayak! And perhaps the greatest blessing bestowed by canoes’ added space is the presence of your canine companion. What’s a trip in the outdoors without a dog?

So, what is it about canoes? No vessel does everything; You’ll probably have to portage around some obstacles more easily handled in a kayak, and I’m not planning to take a canoe deep sea fishing 30 miles offshore. These small, shapely boats require some familiarity and talent, but that’s part of their art.

All things considered, canoes possess an unparalleled vibe. When you dip your paddle in the cool, clear October waters of a mountain river, surrounded by fire-tipped timber, with nothing but miles of the unknown before your bow, you float suspended in more than just a boat. You participate in the elegant stealth inherent in these vessels. Just look at a canoe. The curves and contours of its lines poetize centuries of history. Your connection to the water is like a grand symphony of grit and beauty composed by hundreds of millions of miles traveled by the most daring explorers to expand the edges of the known world. Canoes conduct a refined deliverance from the mundane clamor of a motor-driven world. Get in a canoe, and let the water move you too.