Phone: 1-
Fax: 1-
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Fletcher Canoes is for Sale
Paul Fletcher designed both the Fletcher’s Fancy and the Bill Mason “Heavy Duty” Special.
Thelma Cameron has been building these amazing canoes since 1997.
In 1986 Paul Fletcher realized a lifelong dream: to build the “perfect” canoe. Thus,
Fletcher Canoes was born. Now, after producing some 200 canoes, the molds and jigs
and machinery are for sale. The present builder, Thelma Cameron, niece of Paul Fletcher,
would like to retire and pursue her other passion, art. The 17½’ Bill Mason ‘Heavy
Duty’ Special, endorsed by Canada’s paddling guru, and the 15’ Fletcher’s Fancy have
proven to be beautiful, reliable, much loved canoes, built with quality workmanship
(workwomanship) from locally-
The original Fletcher Canoes, built by Paul Fletcher on Lake Lebarge, were fashioned after the beautiful lines of indigenous canoes. In 1991 the canoe business was moved to Atikokan Ontario, near Quetico Provincial Park in the heart of canoe country where Randy and Michael Cameron began building the canoes with Michael becoming the primary builder and Randy helping as needed as well as doing rebuilds. In 1997, Michael taught his mother, Thelma, to build and she has remained the builder to the present day. She has paid particular attention to the finishing detail as noticed by Paul Fletcher who commented, “My dear, you’re doing an amazing job. Your canoes are so precise and beautifully finished. I am happy to leave them in your capable hands”.
Along with the well known name Fletcher Canoes, the business has unique molds designed and built by Paul Fletcher. Each mold comes apart in sections allowing the whole shell of the canoe, decks, stems, gunwales and all planking to be completed on the mold and then the mold to be removed from the canoe. The mold tilts on its frame allowing ease of building without bending over. As you plank toward the gunwales, you tilt the mold for easy reach. All the necessary machinery and jigs is included in the sale.
Tools included in the sale are:
- General heavy duty bandsaw
- Busy Bee 15” planer with three sets of blades
- Busy Bee small bandsaw
- Busy Bee drill press/milling machine
- shaper and several bits
- Busy Bee table saw
- Miter saw and stand
- Two roller tables
- Handmade steamer and boiler box
- Dust collection system
- Eagle compressor
- Various hand tools necessary for building the canoes
- Enough white cedar and 20’ long white ash to build five canoes
- Brass tacks and ring nails, canvas, filler, brass stem bands and stainless steel carriage bolts for five canoes.
- A supply of caning material.
Also included is teaching how to build these unique canoes. One of each model will be built which will be the first canoes to be sold by the new builder. To facilitate the move of the business there is an 18’ tandem trailer for sale.
The fletchercanoes.com domain name will also be transferred to the new owner.
If this sounds like a perfect fit for you, contact Thelma at 807-