IN the north, they were made of birch bark. The bark has natural oils in it,that help water proof the bark, the wood was plentiful, and the seams could be sealed with a tar made from the sap from birch, or pine trees. It was mixed with water, and heated over a fire to thin it into a gooey mass. Then daubed on the seams. A ball of the cooled sealant would be carried for repairs, along with strips of birch bark, and the roots of hemlock trees used for sewing the bark in place. There are still schools where you can learn to build birch bark canoes. Run a search on your computer. I know there is a school up in Eli, Minn. for sure, and a couple in Canada.
Hollow logs were used throughout the South, and even the lower midwest, where large trees were abundant. On the west coast, where very dense grained pine and spruce could be found, planks were used to make canoes, which were used on both rivers, and on the oceans. The were also sewn together with spruce roots. And the seams were sealed with a tar made from tree sap from the spruce trees. I believe there is a native American school in British Columbia that still teaches people how to build these canoos, along with the hamd made adzes to do the cutting. You will find canoe makers in Hawaii, too. And, in Alaska, you will find kayak builders, who can teach you to make boats using real animal hides. I suspect similar schools are found in the far North of Canada, above the tree line. Contact the Wooden Boat school in New England about school, and where to learn whatever you want. I have always had a love for the Adirondack Guide boat, if it could be made of lighter materials to weigh less. You can talk to the guys at Lake Placid Boatworks, too, about modern canoes. WoodenBoat Magazine has lots of information on schools, designs, and plans, for canoes and any other kind of wooden boat. Check out a copy at your nearest magazine rack.
