Birch bark canoes were lightweight yet easily damaged in rocky rivers. The others were very heavy to move from place to place but would work better for use in larger, more rocky rivers. As time went on, people continued working to create a lightweight and strong boat to use while exploring the mountain. Essential was the necessity to transport gear and people into the outdoors for either recreation purposes, or simply to just get away from it all and relax.

     As time went on, many new improvements came from those working in the Adirondack Mountains. The canoes and the boats changed in many ways to suit the needs of the people as well as the jobs that needed to be completed. It is said that as more people came to the mountains for rest and relaxation, many changes took place with regards to hunting, fishing, hiking and other outdoor activities. Many people started to guide those people visiting from the city into the woods to fulfill their dreams. It is said that several guides would actually take the siding or other lumber from their homes to build a boat or canoe for this use. As time went on, the production of a lightweight, stable and easy to transport boat was produced. It was given the name "The Adirondack Guide Boat" mainly because of it's origin. This boat is still being fabricated today using the traditional materials and methods of wood, but are also being cast out of fiberglass. In respect, the canoe was also improve from birchbark to wood, fiberglass and aluminum. The traditional "birchbark" canoe can still be purchased today is this is what a person really desired.

     The rowboat was also used in many cases, often seen around motels on lakes for the use of their guests to avoid the charge of hiring a guide for a day. This allowed travelers to fish on their own or simply take a leisurely ride. The rowboats did undergo several different transformations as it's use became more frequent. The rowboat was known by several different names, such as the pram and the bateau (French for boat). These boats were constructed with either a flat or curved bottom, and on occasion, with a "V" bottom with 2" planking for use in the log ponds near mills and on rivers to loosen log jams.

     This is just a brief history as to the evolution of a few styles of different boats. This brief history is based on a few pieces of information that I have read in books as well as information that I have gathered from stories about the evolution of the guide boats as told to me by the "old timers of the mountains".

     The next time you are on a backwoods trout lake or pond, look along the shoreline and you might just find the remains of some "old timers" favorite wooden boat that they used for fishing that very same pond. When or if you do find one, I hope you'll be able to reflect upon the age of that boat, how much time that person spent on that boat, and how many other people use that very same boat when it's true owner wasn't around.

     If all of this peaks your interest, then give me a call or just stop by and admire the work that goes on in a small backwoods shop in the "Great Adirondack Mountains".