The Voyageurs

The canoes the voyageurs used cannot be compared to those of today. Their craft were up to 40ft long and up to 6ft wide with a crew of 10 to eighteen men. They stroked their paddles at one stroke every second and achieved a six mile an hour speed or so. These craft were so enormous they could cross huge bodies of water such as Lake Superior without problems. A medium size canoe carried up to three tons, 60 men or 50 barrels of flour.

 

 

These men were a hardy breed who traveled from sunrise to sunset and if they could put in 18hour days. At times 100 miles and 6 portages made their day and at these portages most men carried up to 150 lbs per man. In the nineteenth century the Hudson's Bay Company decided to cut their costs by switching from canoes to York Boats.

 

 

 

Trappers:

Prior to the railroad trappers would bring their furs by dog sled to the Hudson';s Bay Company post here in Kenora. They were bought, baled and stored until spring breakup on the lake, them shipped out in York Boats with a crew of eight paddlers and a sail across the lake to Fort Frances then off to Montreal. Since Kenora was formerly named "Rat Portage" it is interesting to mention that modern trapping records show muskrats are still abundant.