Works of Art on the Water Sanborn Canoe Co.

Picture a cabin nestled along the shore of a Northwoods lake. Tethered to the dock, a 16-foot canoe bobs in gentle waves. Its composite hull is a brilliant candy-apple red, and its trim and supports are polished cherry. The classic look of wooden ribs inside the hull feels warm to the touch. Chances are very good the boat is from Sanborn Canoe Co.

“Our canoes, kayaks, and paddles are works of art,” says company owner and CEO Todd Randall. “We see our boats as an investment, almost like an heirloom. We want them to be the last boats you ever own.”

That exceptional level of quality and workmanship has been the company’s hallmark from the beginning. Randall remembers making cedar-strip paddles with his grandfather, who was building a fleet of canoes for a local church group that was taking young people on trips on local waterways.

“Eventually, people started asking us if we could make boats of the same quality for them as well,” he says. “We had the space and the know-how. We saw a demand, and we jumped at the opportunity.”

Today, Sanborn has 10 employees that Randall calls “tremendous.”

“Everyone is an artist, skilled at everything while specializing in one or two areas at the same time,” says operations manager Adam Carlson.

In the 10 years since its founding, Sanborn has taken on multiple other brands. It owns the Merrimack brand of canoes and, two years ago, purchased the Current Designs Kayak brand. Greyduck Outdoor, a stand-up paddleboard brand, was acquired by Sanborn shortly thereafter.

Using the custom-builder on the Sanborn website, paddlers can customize a new canoe or kayak from the ground up, selecting from a range of layup options, trim styles, and an almost infinite combination of exterior composite colors and designs. One of the newest available options utilizes a carbon-innegra weave that Randall touts as providing “excellent strength and flex without compromising weight” for their Ultralight layups.

One of the first changes to kayak construction when the Sanborn team first took on the Current Designs brand was the use of an infusion process that keeps the deck and hull under vacuum while injecting resin.

“It creates lighter and stiffer components, reduces waste quite significantly, and more,” says Randall. “It’s the direction the industry is moving, and we want to stay on the forefront; push the boundaries of what’s possible.”

The team has also started using the infusion process in building their canoes for customers who want lighter-weight options. They are applying this advanced technique to their well-known Merrimack Canoe models—boats that paddlers have trusted and enjoyed for more than 60 years since the brand was founded.

Sanborn Canoe Co.’s retail offerings not only showcase their uniquely handcrafted canoes and kayaks but also their artisan-painted and wilderness paddles, cribbage boards, kitchen utensils, and hatchets.

In addition to being “direct-to-customer”—crafting each boat specifically for the paddler ordering it—the Sanborn crew also believes strongly in community and encouraging the next generation of silent sport enthusiasts.

“We truly want to be your invitation to the outdoors in all that we do,” Randall says.

And that invitation has taken shape as hosting a weekly, public canoe game called Dead Fish Polo on Lake Winona in their hometown of Winona, MN. Dead Fish Polo has been embraced by dozens of community members and incorporates a sponge, not a real fish. Players use their paddles to scoop the floating “fish” and attempt to toss it into other players’ boats to score points.

“It’s a great game to pick up and play for an hour, or get really competitive with it in more of a tournament structure,” Carlson says. “It’s completely family friendly; kids really seem to get a kick out of it.”

“It’s also a great way to practice your paddling skills,” Randall adds. “We have some regulars who come out to play every week, yes, but the best part is when we get someone out on the water who’s never been in a canoe or kayak before. Being there as a resource for them and fostering a welcoming environment is what we’re all about.”

Whether the afternoon is spent putting the finishing touches on an eight-color touring kayak or taking customers out for a private paddle to test differing watercraft models, the team at Sanborn is dedicated to creating experiences that last a lifetime.

“This is how we hope to keep growing,” Randall says. “Get more people into paddling and share the passion.”