The History of the Sportspal Canoe: A Lightweight Legend With a Story That Still Floats
At Kenco Outfitters, we’ve seen a lot of boats come and go over the decades — but few inspire the kind of nostalgia, loyalty, and campfire storytelling that the Sportspal canoe does. For more than 75 years, Sportspal has been the go to canoe for hunters, anglers, and everyday paddlers who want something light, stable, and tough enough for real world use.
Born From Ingenuity in Northern Ontario
The Sportspal story begins in 1947 in North Bay, Ontario. Cedric Summers — a WWII RCAF airframe engineer and avid outdoorsman — set out to build a canoe that solved his own frustrations. He wanted something:
- Light enough to portage without a wrestling match
- Quiet enough for fishing and waterfowl hunting
- Stable enough for dogs, decoys, and gear
- Durable enough for rocky northern lakes
Drawing on his aircraft engineering background, he built a canoe from lightweight aluminum with foam lining and stabilizing sponsons. That first design became the blueprint for a Canadian classic.
Why Sportspal Became a Household Name
Through the 1950s and 60s, Sportspal canoes earned a reputation for being nearly indestructible. Their signature features became legendary:
- Marine grade 5052 aluminum
- Foam lined interiors for quiet paddling
- Sponsons for unmatched stability
- Weights as low as the mid 30 pound range
- A lifespan measured in decades
Ask around the Adirondacks or the North Country and you’ll still find 40 year old Sportspals in regular use.
Crossing the Border: The U.S. Manufacturing Era
As demand grew, production expanded into the United States. Over the years, Sportspal manufacturing moved through several locations:
- Emlenton, Pennsylvania
- Johnstown, Pennsylvania
- Blissfield, Michigan
- Tecumseh, Michigan
- Adrian, Michigan (1991–present)
The design philosophy stayed consistent — but the construction evolved.
A Note on Today’s U.S.-Made Sportspal Canoes
While the original Canadian Sportspals (called Radisson in the US and the one we sell) are famously feather light, the current U.S.-made versions tend to be noticeably heavier. The reasons are straightforward: the U.S. manufacturer uses thicker aluminum and builds the seats from metal rather than the traditional wood. Those changes in materials — along with the manufacturing processes — add weight, even though the hull shape and on water performance remain virtually the same.
The only real downside is that today’s U.S. Sportspals don’t always match the ultra light weights old timers remember. The Canadian Radisson Sportspal have stayed with the original Cedric Summers design. They’re still light, stable, still durable, and still beloved — just like they were 75 years ago.
At Kenco, we make sure customers understand that difference so they can choose the right canoe for their needs, whether that’s these classic aluminum Sportspal, a modern lightweight composite, or something in between.
A Legacy That Still Matters
Even with the changes, the Sportspal canoe remains one of the most recognizable and trusted aluminum canoes in North America. It’s a boat that invites adventure — the kind you remember years later.
If you’re looking for a lightweight aluminum canoe built for stability and real-world use, explore our full selection of Sportspal and Radisson canoes here.
And for us at Kenco Outfitters, it’s part of the story we love to tell: gear with history, heart, and a place in the outdoors that never goes out of style.