RIBS: Ribs on Michi-Craft canoes are made from 6063 aluminum and have a T6 temper for greater strength. Most canoe companies stamp their ribs from .050" aluminum sheet, thinning the material at stress areas. Michi-Craft canoe ribs have a typical thickness of .060" and are actually thicker at stress areas. Michi-Craft builds five ribs into its standard T-17' model and four in the T-15' model, more than you'll find in other canoes.

STEM:  The Michi-Craft extruded stem is made of 6005-T4 marine aluminum. It is formed, then heat-treated in an aging furnace to the ultimate strength of a T6 temper. Thickness is a full .072", enough to prevent any damage to the canoe when it bumps into a rock or is dragged onto shore. The stem also overlays our keel about two inches, eliminating the weak area existing in other canoes where stem and keel meet.

HULL DESIGN CHOICE:  The safety sponson is a standard feature on most Michi-Craft canoes. Widening the hull above the waterline increases stability and adds strength and rigidity to the sides of the canoe, while increasing carrying capacity within the canoe. The safety sponson also acts as a spray rail, especially beneficial on square stern models using motors. The safety sponson combined with the flat bottom design make Michi-Craft one of the most stable canoes available. Those who prefer a traditional canoe hull can specify "smooth sides." The smooth side design is standard on the Michi-Craft L-12, L-13 and all livery models and can be specially ordered on other models.

BOW CAP:  The combination bow cap and eye was designed to be an integral part of the canoe and to cover any exposed sharp areas where hull, stem, gunwales and deck meet. Bow and stern caps are heavy duty castings, not stamped from aluminum sheet as most canoe companies do. The large eye makes mooring easy. GUNWALE: The Michi-Craft extruded gunwale is made of 6061-T6 marine aluminum. The unique Michi-Craft design locks the hull of the canoe between the outer and inner lip of the gunwale. This adds side strength to the gunwale and prevents hull buckling between rivets.