Port Townsend in Jefferson County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)
The Unique Coast Salish Design
Coast Salish Canoe Culture
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 1, 2021
1. The Unique Coast Salish Design Marker
Inscription.
The Unique Coast Salish Design. Coast Salish Canoe Culture. ,
Steven C. Brown, in his essay "Vessels of Life: Northwest Coast Dugouts," from The Canoe: A Living Tradition, by John Jennings published in 2002 by Firefly Books wrote: "The Coast Salish canoe incorporates features that make for a successful and seaworthy craft, even though bow and stern do not extend especially far upward. The waterline of the Coast Salish canoe has a narrow entry (at the bow, or stem) and exit (at the aft-slanting stern). The bow features a nearly vertical cutwater that extends up to about half the total height of the bow's peak. At the top of the cutwater, the narrow entry angles abruptly forward, extending out over the water about twice as far as the cutwater is tall. The stern's narrow exit angles back at a steady rate to its peak, where it meets the rising line of the gunwales. From the peak of the stern to the same point at the bow, the gunwales curve down and out in a graceful sheer line. This curve (in all Northwest Coast seagoing canoes) is partly produced by the process of steaming the canoe and widening out the sides for increased width and stability"., "Perhaps the most important feature in the design of this hull is the pronounced flare that is carved at the point below the gunwales along their run from bow to stern. This flare is most apparent where the vertical lines of the bow or stern converge with the rising horizontal line of the gunwales. This creates an extremely effective turnout for either approaching waves or a following sea. "The flare serves to lift the canoe over the seas and prevent water from broaching the gunwale and washing over the interior of the vessel.". , [Illustration caption reads] Lines taken by Duane Pasco and Leslie Lincoln. Drawn by Lincoln, 1988.
Steven C. Brown, in his essay "Vessels of Life: Northwest Coast Dugouts," from The Canoe: A Living Tradition, by John Jennings published in 2002 by Firefly Books wrote: "The Coast Salish canoe incorporates features that make for a successful and seaworthy craft, even though bow and stern do not extend especially far upward. The waterline of the Coast Salish canoe has a narrow entry (at the bow, or stem) and exit (at the aft-slanting stern). The bow features a nearly vertical cutwater that extends up to about half the total height of the bow's peak. At the top of the cutwater, the narrow entry angles abruptly forward, extending out over the water about twice as far as the cutwater is tall. The stern's narrow exit angles back at a steady rate to its peak, where it meets the rising line of the gunwales. From the peak of the stern to the same point at the bow, the gunwales curve down and out in a graceful sheer line. This curve (in all Northwest Coast seagoing canoes) is partly produced by the process of steaming the canoe and widening out the sides for increased width and stability".
"Perhaps the most important feature in the design of this hull is the pronounced flare that is carved at the point below the gunwales along their run from bow to stern. This flare is most apparent where the vertical lines of the bow
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or stern converge with the rising horizontal line of the gunwales. This creates an extremely effective turnout for either approaching waves or a following sea. "The flare serves to lift the canoe over the seas and prevent water from broaching the gunwale and washing over the interior of the vessel."
[Illustration caption reads]
Lines taken by Duane Pasco and Leslie Lincoln. Drawn by Lincoln, 1988.
Erected by Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe and Northwest Maritime Center.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Native Americans • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 2002.
Location. 48° 6.967′ N, 122° 45.115′ W. Marker is in Port Townsend, Washington, in Jefferson County. Marker is on Water Street east of Monroe Street, on the right when traveling east. Marker is in the passageway at the Northwest Maritime Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 431 Water Street, Port Townsend WA 98368, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . 1. Coast Salish Canoe Construction. Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe website entry (Submitted on August 13, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Northwest Maritime Center. Website homepage (Submitted on August 13, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. Black Eagle: A Symbol of Cultural Identity. The Bill Reid Center at Simon Frasier University website entry (Submitted on October 11, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 1, 2021
3. Coast Salish Canoe Culture Markers
Looking toward Water Street
Credits. This page was last revised on October 11, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 13, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 155 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on August 13, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
