Ted Moores
Ted Moores (born June 25, 1943) is a Canadian boat builder, author, and educator. His book Canoecraft has sold over 300,000 copies worldwide.[1]
Moores is best known for duplicating a method of building canoes first developed in Minnesota by Irvin C. Peterson, Karl Ketter, and Eugene B. Jensen using woodstrip epoxy techniques, a style well-suited to the home builder.[2] By applying thin layers of fibreglass to either side of a wooden hull, Moores' canoes employ the principles of core-composite construction in a design that is both durable and lighter than traditional rib-and-plank construction.[3][4]
Life and work[edit]
Moores began his canoe building career in 1972, working with Greavette Boat Works of Gravenhurst, Ontario.[5] He opened his first business, Sundance Canoe Company, in 1972. He sold Sundance a year later and founded Bear Mountain Boats in 1977.[6] Initially based in Chisholm township, the company eventually moved to Peterborough, Ontario, before relocating to Westport, Ontario in 2017.[7] It continues to operate under the management of Moores and his partner Joan Barrett, selling boat building materials and hosting educational workshops.[8]
In 1983, Moores released Canoecraft, a how-to manual for home canoe builders, which has been called "the definitive guide to wood-strip canoe construction."[9] In 2010, woodworker and actor Nick Offerman appeared in the video Fine Woodstrip Canoebuilding, a visual companion piece to Canoecraft.[10][11] Other instructional books by Moores include Kayakcraft and Kayaks You Can Build. Writing as a historian, he contributed a chapter on the evolution of canoe manufacturing in Canada to the anthology The Canoe: A Living Tradition.[12] He has also worked as an instructor for WoodenBoat School[13] and the San Francisco Maritime Museum.[14]
Moores has been an important figure in the development of the Canadian C4 and C15 racing canoes, supplying over 85 sprint canoe clubs nationally.[15] He has experimented with solar-powered designs on his 30' fantail launch Sparks[16] and worked on some high-profile restorations, including a hydroplane speedboat, Tempo VII, which had been owned and piloted by Guy Lombardo.[17] A canoe built by Moores was presented as a wedding gift from Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau to celebrate the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana.[18][19]
Selected publications[edit]
- Canoecraft: An Illustrated Guide to Fine Woodstrip Construction ISBN 1552093425
- Kayakcraft: Fine Woodstrip Kayak Construction ISBN 0937822566
- Kayaks You Can Build: An Illustrated Guide to Plywood Construction ISBN 1552978613
- The Canoe: A Living Tradition (chapter, "From Forest to Factory: Innovations and Mass Production") ISBN 1554070805
References[edit]
- ^ Eke, Jason. "The Man Behind the Sawhorses | Canoeroots Magazine | Rapid Media". www.rapidmedia.com. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- ^ Walker, Jim (2006). "Building a Woodstrip Canoe". The Australian Woodworker (July/August 2006, No. 128): 56–61.
- ^ "Light but Strong - Building Cedar Strip Canoes for Wilderness Tripping • PaddlingLight.com". PaddlingLight.com. November 24, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- ^ Rössel, Greg (2011). "Sparks of Inspiration". WoodenBoat (219): 50–57.
- ^ "The Well-Bred Canoe". Harrowsmith. VIII:2 (50): 63–69. 1983.
- ^ "Paddling Down the River of Boat-building Expertise – Woodworking | Videos | Plans | How To". Woodworking | Videos | Plans | How To. July 18, 2006. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- ^ "Bear Mountain Boats Is Moving – Bear Mountain Boat Shop – US Shop". www.bearmountainboats.com. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- ^ "About Us – Bear Mountain Boats". www.bearmountainboats.ca. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- ^ Eke, Jason. "The Man Behind the Sawhorses | Canoeroots Magazine | Rapid Media". www.rapidmedia.com. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- ^ Offerman, Nick (2014). Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living. New York: Dutton. p. 253. ISBN 978-0525954217.
- ^ "Canoe Craft DVD and Book - Offerman Woodshop". Offerman Woodshop. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- ^ "The Canoe: A Living Tradition". www.fireflybooks.com. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- ^ "Freedom 17 Canoe". WoodenBoat.
- ^ "October Events at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park". www.baycrossings.com. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
- ^ "Truly Canadian ... Bear Mountain Boats War Canoe Challenge". Welland International Flatwater Centre. July 2, 2013.
- ^ ewadmin (May 24, 2015). "Ted's Jewel Box". Epoxyworks. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- ^ "The Sweetest Boat This Side of Heaven: Restoring Guy Lombardo's Tempo – Bear Mountain Boat Shop – US Shop". www.bearmountainboats.com. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- ^ MyKawartha.com. "Royals' canoes centrepiece of prince's visit". www.mykawartha.com. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
- ^ "To Prince Charles and Lady Diana, from Pierre Trudeau – Bear Mountain Boat Shop – US Shop". www.bearmountainboats.com. Retrieved February 17, 2017.