Our Story

Bowery Boatworks was established a long time ago in our minds, but came to life in 2022 as our barn became boatshop in Ada, Michigan.

We’re inspired by the simplicity of a lightweight, durable, wooden canoe and what it connects you to: paddling through a sunrise mist, exploring new bodies of water, spending time away from screens, being in another world.

A wooden canoe remains our chosen vehicle for taking a deep breath and appreciating the timeless feeling of floating on water, propelled by our own energy.

Wooden canoes go back thousands of years. We have deep respect for their original creators and centuries-old traditions, while being passionate about integrating modern wood and materials to give the wooden canoe a new place in the world. 

Finally, we continue to be inspired by a love of wood and appreciation for craft. These boats are personal to us: hand-planked, one by one, using quality materials and sustainably grown wood. Each canoe is unique — and truly worthy of the water. We’ll never tire of spending time on the water in our wooden canoes because it gives us a feeling we can’t get anywhere else.

— Pete and Jenny Bower