From Tree To Canoe: Full Length Anniversary Edition - Dugout Canoe Build

[@squeehurendu5259]

Did not know they stored them in the water, thank you for posting as always!

[@bori_borii]

Yeah,I e never heard of that. Not even from indigenous tribes

[@chrish4439]

​@@bori_borii it really should only be done for longer term storage

[@debluetailfly]

There is a dugout on display in Benton, AR. It was found underwater near the town. Once it was dug out of the mud and recovered, it was stored in a pond until conservators could stabilize it. No telling how many years it had been there.

[@kaecake9575]

Amazing

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

So the dugout was dug out.

[@noahmercy-mann4323]

Very cool! While a Micosukee friend down in Florida described the process, it is still awesome to see it in living color. His tribe favored cypress, which is perfect...since those things grow in the water, they tend not to waterlog or rot for a long time. He said some of them lasted multiple generations. Construction was the same; fire and axes.

[@joshuacourtney3916]

Cypress is also a very light wood, which would also make it quick on the water. My folks have a bunch of bald cypress where they live. I'm very tempted to make a dugout now.

[@noahmercy-mann4323]

@@joshuacourtney3916 please check the legality of cutting one down on their property. Based on some laws, if they are in a wetland, they cannot be cut depending on whether or not they are above or below the high water mark. If you are able to get one done, I'd love to see the result...and I bet I'm not the only one! 👍

[@hello-ef4bn]

@@noahmercy-mann4323 it's their property... their tree. they can do what they want with it.

[@DianeBianchi_MnWx]

Never thought I would be fascinated by a canoe build, but like always Townsends videos never cease to amaze.

[@nordicson2835]

Hope you collected all the chips for your hearth. You worked hard making them at least they can help cook you food , make your tea and keep you warm.

[@BigHorseFilm]

I really enjoyed these videos when the first came out. I had dipped in and out of the channel and I was super impressed with the cinematography on this series and the great complimenting soundtrack. Nothing was over used or forced. Glad to see a full length version. Hope you are all well.

[@peterott9162]

That was so awesome guys! I imagine it was such a surreal experience and filled you all with a great love and gratitude knowing that you guys built this canoe and actually used it. This was such a joy for me to watch!! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Truly an amazing channel with extraordinary people with such a deep profound love of our ancestors!!!!!!! Thank you all again.

[@johnphillips4708]

Man these videos sure make me miss Indiana, haven’t been for years and years, but maybe it’s time. 👍🏻

[@alaskansummertime]

Time to use what my Cherokee grandfather would have called fiberglass patch.

[@joshuacourtney3916]

What did he use? A mixture of pine pitch and something else?

[@alaskansummertime]

@@joshuacourtney3916 Its a joke bro. Fiberglass patch is bought at Home Depot. Cherokees did not have home depot. Hence the joke.

[@joshuacourtney3916]

@@alaskansummertime cool bro

[@LikelyToBeEatenByAGrue]

A friend of mine is a professor at the University of Wisconsin. They've been helping and consulting on the preservation of a 3000 year old dugout canoe brought up from a lake. It's one of the oldest found in the region. Pretty awesome stuff

[@dennism5565]

Jon's tenacity to forge ahead when problems arise is commendable. Just as in the days of past, there was little excuse for not completing what needed to be done.

[@FirstnameLastname-ew9qm]

The lads didn't appear too enthusiasti lol. Smoke break. Interesting to see how slowly the log burned down. Quite a task for you and team John, good job sir.

[@kimfleury]

I enjoyed the installments way back when, and really enjoyed this reprised compilation. Since the series was first uploaded some years ago, I've begun following a channel called Working Horses with Jim. He lumbers with draft horses. Probably the main reason he hauls lumber with draft horses is that he can access places that machines can't. He can go into heavily forested land, maybe at most having to cut a trail just wide enough for the horses and cart, whereas machines would need wider trails with more disruption to the forest. It's got me wondering if draft horses could have hauled that log section out of the pit? That would be interesting to see! But it'll remain an unanswered question. Fun to wonder about, anyway.

[@trippcox2641]

🙏This is a monumental program. I can’t thank you enough for going through this build. This is priceless.🙌

[@kiltymacbagpipe]

I worked as a historical interpreter at a fur trade living history site and paddled a large birch bark canoe on several occasions. It took on water and became significantly heavier when we took it back to the canoe shed on the shoulder of four guys.

[@louel9272]

Now I'm really glad we have bamboo in the tropics, making a raft seems so much easier! Immense work you guys put in there really awesome video!

[@nicholasmorre7371]

This is awesome. Thank you for venerating American history and culture. Many people these days would have us believe our history is wicked and our culture doesn't exist.

[@entrepreneursfinest]

I bet ya'll had some good blisters after that was done! Awesome project. We have a dug-out in the local museum that my great great uncle made back in the 20's or 30's and it was used as a working boat on the river by my grandmother and others when they were growing up.

[@potpie1987]

Loving these long format ‘complete’ videos! ❤

[@steveowens398]

I'd forgotten how amazing the video was for this build, especially the first few burns on the log and shots of the finished boat moving on the water. The folks that hollowed this out are just plain amazing - Superman's got nothing on this bunch!

[@davehand8622]

Bought Cresswells journal on the back of this. Incredible read. Not my genre of choice but now most certainly is. Living this man's life over a hundred years on. Thank you so much for such a fascinating journey. I'd be incredibly grateful if you have more recommendations in a similar vein.

[@natmorse-noland9133]

Divers found a 3000-year-old canoe at the bottom of a lake outside Madison, WI recently! It's really so remarkable how ancient this technology is.

[@j.yossarian6852]

Did it float?

[@harrydh213]

The ancient Egyptians among others, were literally sailing 15,000 years ago

[@harrydh213]

*5000

[@objective_psychology]

3000 is nothing, dugout canoes go back to the paleolithic

[@arjovenzia]

There are few things as fine as mucking about in boats. Archeological digs; boats. A few keen lads n stuff that floats n ropes. Boats. Multi billionaires. Boats.

[@arf2847]

What an awesome tv episode! Great idea to film how to do stuff like cooking, building houses, making canoes!

[@karaamundson3964]

Didn't people in the 18th C have sturdy gloves? Seeing you scrape out all those rough chips made me wince all day, John! What an amazing job starting with a huge log and finishing with water transportation. Great post, really love the heavy building posts you put up. 18th C living was no birthday party

[@maxmccullough8548]

They had tough hands.

[@sophiathedandilioness]

Fantastic stuff, as always! Love how it turned out (which is absolutely GORGEOUS 🌟)

[@dj-kq4fz]

Thanks Aaron, I know you put a lot of time into these!

[@sassy6292]

The Vikings sunk their boats to preserve them as well. This is an ancient practice indeed. Fascinating!

[@dwaynewladyka577]

I think these canoe episodes are excellent. Thanks for sharing this. It's awesome. Cheers!

[@rosemcguinn5301]

Hi Dwayne. And it's great seeing them all in one awesome video, too!

[@dwaynewladyka577]

@@rosemcguinn5301 Very true. I love this channel, because I learn so much. Cheers, Rose!

[@jessegreywolf]

reading about this process and seeing it done are two different things entirely! WOW

[@the_eternal_student]

with the job being as particular as it is, it is amazing the natives still had plenty of trees to spare.

[@hiselbii5326]

Canoes don't really look that fancy, so I never thought making one was so much work. Thank you for putting in all the time and hard labour :)

[@Soundwavesghost]

Amazing to see it all in one long go. It was a great project and I think the first set of videos which drew me into the channel.

[@garyv2498]

There's been some recent finds of old canoes up here in Wisconsin. I think the last one I heard about might have been 3000 years old. Amazing.

[@earlshaner4441]

Good afternoon from Syracuse NY everyone thank you for sharing this living history videos with me

[@terry902]

I got to try out a native dugout canoe in Panama, it was quite stable and easy to paddle. I love this compilation. Thanks, Townsends! 🛶🥰👍

[@mikedonovan4768]

This was quite therapeutic to watch. A lot of hard work there, well done guys ! 👍

[@andrewlast1535]

This is so cool. Several fairly old dugouts have been recovered in Lake Mendota in Madison, WI. The first one they found was aged at 3,000 years old. They are linked to the Ho-Chunk people who still live in the area. A few of their effigy mounds still exist around the lakes.

[@hpcrewsmith22]

Watching these videos reminds me of watching This Old House at my grandparents’ house as I drifted off to sleep in the middle of the day. Just safe and happy.

[@MANC2311]

Reminds you how much Townsends puts into showing the labor of 18th century life.

[@JManthegamerdude]

This deserves waaaay more views

[@eviljujuguy801]

It's cool to see you on KZbin Eric, I used to hang out with you at Matt's in Cromwell, miss ya bud

[@tragikk03]

I fish the same areas of Virginia/DC/MD areas in a modern Wilderness Systems Radar 115 pedal drive kayak, but it's really not all that different from these log canoes. The general shape of fishing kayaks (the ones that prioritize stability over hydrodynamics) has returned to this general silhouette

[@gregsturgeon6497]

I take my hat off to you and your crew. That's incredible

[@Nathaniel-Heavyfoot]

Keep up your guy's great efforts! Much appreciated on our end. 🙏🏻

[@toms.1773]

Omg man…that looks SUPER laborious!!Wow. I can’t imagine doing that. Very impressive guys.

[@adreabrooks11]

I loved watching this series when it first aired. It only just now occurs to me: you guys should have saved all that wood-ash for making lye. Could have opened your own line of Townsends Pioneer Soap. -_^

[@pattibealer]

My arms ached just watching you guys do that! I can't even imagine how you guys felt each evening, and for the rest of the week!

[@sovbo101]

I have always liked canoes. This was a great show. I am turning 65 this year, so don't know if I'll have time to dig out a canoe or make a birch bark one (for you Alaskans) Thanks.

[@MiscMitz]

Long time viewer. Don't comment often though. Really enjoy your channel. Happy anniversary 🎊 🎉 🥳 🍻

[@bulletproofpepper2]

I saw the video when it first released. Thanks for sharing again.

[@lowmax4431]

This makes one appreciate power tools and mass production.

[@ccasada8723]

simply amazing, this is real living history!

[@walterbordett2023]

Birch bark canoes are like thorobreds, dugouts are like draft horses. Very cool work folks.

[@susan_elizabeth]

That is some hard work! Well done, Gentlemen!

[@Vikingwerk]

A hewing axe would be extremely helpful for working the sides. The cutting edge is offset to one side of the axe head and handle, allowing it to be swung along a surface and take off a chip to flatten a log. There is an old video on Norwegian cabin building that shows and explains it well somewhere on youtube.

[@faheyplayer]

Remarkable filming, inspiring really.

[@Lorriann63]

This was great! How many hours must it have taken to do all that? That is true labor. But why do they store them underwater? Wouldn't that make them rot? Great episode, guys!

[@Alex-cw3rz]

Yes I was wondering about the underwater thing as well

[@jcorbett9620]

They will rot eventually. but it might take decades or even longer depending on the chemical composition of the water. What they don't want the boat to do is dry out, because wood being a natural material, it will shrink (and possibly warp). If the canoe dries out, there is the potential for the wood to split when re-floated in the water again as it swells at different rates between the top, which is in the air and the hull, that is in the water. Even today, with wooden planked rowing boats and dingys, they need to be kept wet or even sunk from time to time, to keep the wood swollen and make the joints tight. That would be my reasoning, anyway 😃

[@geraldmiller5260]

To keep from getting stolen. After you do all the work making a dugout, a lazy person would avoid the hard work. A lot like cattle rustling.

[@Praxium]

@@geraldmiller5260 Lol!

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

@@jcorbett9620 So, in the olden days, I suppose it must have been important to know which bodies of water had chemical compositions that would cause problems. Really interesting how people had to work before modern science, just using intuition and a shared knowledge of the area.

[@rosemcguinn5301]

This is beautiful! It tells the canoe story in a very engaging way. Love your work. But tell us, @Townsends folks, have you named your dugout the way that Cresswell's companions named theirs? Just curious.

[@Disneymagic24]

little things like this that you dont even think about, is why its so cool to learn about it

[@UPTAUT]

We are going to remove everything that is not a boat. That statement was so straightforward that it made me chuckle.

[@MarkWYoung-ky4uc]

Great looking canoe guys!

[@niros9667]

This was incredible. You guys are so inspiring.

[@geraldmiller5260]

In Robinson Crusoe, his first dugout was made too far from the water, and he could not move it.

[@sovbo101]

And my friend in Georgia would love your hand drill skill.

[@davidknight1612]

Lewis and Clark always made their dug outs from cotton wood!

[@DahVoozel]

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer true. I'm half crazy chopping this dug out canoe.

[@mattski1979]

Bet you there's router bits the size of Townsend that'd zip that dugout in 3-1/2 seconds. Great video. I love your content. It's always entertaining and informative. Thank you.

[@jamesfischer2427]

When you see how much work went into making something in this way, you understand why the culture was to maintain and preserve what was made. There was no "throw-away" culture then.

[@aleks8771]

WATER LOGGED! The jokes in these shows are amazing

[@silentseawolf]

Next time on Townsends, how to hang an Axe handle, sharpen axes, pick axes and traditional blister treatments.

[@tinaceja4757]

One of my ancestors was a canoe maker in the early 1800s great seeing the process, they used them alot to move goods prior to the civil war

[@LordoftheOzarks]

Can't get the log out of the pit, you say?? mule team- "Here. Hold our small beers"

[@hunterrichie2764]

I haven't watched the canoe videos in a while so this was fun to see.

[@kikij6465]

Totally wish I could work with you guys. Reliving history is so rewarding. Its important to not only know about the past but to understand it.

[@scaneagle62]

I had no idea that's how they were made, insane!

[@anneliseolsen6896]

This reminds me of the Stoneage boats that have been found in archaeological digs here in Denmark. So this way of making a canoe/boat is quite old compared to the many ways wooden boats are constructed today.

[@57WillysCJ]

Can you imagine taking a black walnut and making two dug outs these days? The cost would be enough to buy several Old Towns, not to mention the uproar. Back then it was just another tree.

[@robertwise3235]

in 1985 as part of a mt man group out of sutters fort in sacramento ca we built 2 dugout out of cedar. then paddles them from red bluff ca to sacramento ca.we set up HUDSON BAY fur camp and 4th grade school kids were bussed in for a field trip

[@karenblohm3279]

My dad and his brother found an old skif years ago and always started the season by submerging it. They used it for duck and goose hunting. And he just liked lazily paddling down the river.

[@ManOfTheWildWoods]

Despite his calm and gentle demeanor, after seeing him swing an axe I wouldn't wanna piss John off.

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

How's the canoe doing after three years? Haven't seen much of either bark or the dug out.

[@alanparadis5061]

That was one of the best videos I've watched in a very long time! how cool! alot of hard work but worth it and in the end and the sense of achievement has to be awesome too! To ride in it and feel a connection to the ways the colonials did it... must be great, I'd love to try that!

[@waterfall6042]

Making boats were sure heavy work. This one s beautiful 👍🏻

[@brokenarrow2835]

At 34 feet in length, it is the largest Native American canoe ever discovered in Louisiana;

[@KathysTube]

Beautifully done... thanks 🤗❤️

[@treefarm3288]

Quite a cool video. My creek isn't suitable for this canoe but it does look like fun to make. I have been in contemporary dugout canoe with some Bidayuh people in Sarawak, Borneo in the 1980s while doing fruiting tree research in a flooded forest. It was more lightly built, very smooth and shallow, but stable and I think held six people comfortably. A second point, your axes seem small, but maybe it's just the viewpoint. Standard axes here in Australia are 4.5 -6 pounds.

[@Anaesify]

Id love to hear more about how storing the canoes in the water works! He said he'd get into it later but never did 😭

[@CESnarr]

This is amazing and honestly that process looked like it was awful. Really cool to watch!

[@Wstarlights]

The canoe Axe chops would make a fantastic 1 hr ASMR video. Did they ever seal these with pine tar or anything ??

[@mystriddlery]

That dude has gone some steady sealegs

[@TheJohn8765]

Cool. Not intended for portages, I'm guessing ;)

[@shehansoysa571]

Water actually preserve things pretty well. Especially cold water.

[@wingman4564]

Imagine how many of then are still underwater, forgotten, all over new England.

[@nobleherring3059]

"The next step in this experience is 'how do we build one, I really need to build one of these' " Man if that isn't just the eternal Mood, huh.

[@Mixwell1983]

Wish the guy by the water said some puns like "i ka-knew you were gona stop by here". This reminds me of that burnt out/dug out canoe. Thats a hell of a lot of work to make a dugout canoe. I imagine back in the day there were groups of men on rotation working to make a canoe

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

"Can I make a boat?" "I don't know, canoe?"

[@scarling9367]

I would love to take one out on Chain O Lakes.

[@MrSeanWesty]

Just need to add a few fishing rods and a cooler and you’re all set!

[@kuzadupa185]

You know how you char poles youre installing in the ground, like fence posts? Were any canoes charred on the outside to create a protective "skin" before being put into the water?

[@bettytijerina9769]

So you should cut tree down a year ahead to dry out more?

[@paytopray1468]

If you dry it the wood will crack. That’s part of why they store them underwater

[@lawrencetyler9398]

Splinters are fun, in the eye 🥳