Philip Greene and his canoes & paddles

[Swampy]

This past Old Geezers Paddlin Expodition had me on the road for a spell. And that is a good thing. When I crossed over the North Carolina/Tennesse line I made for the information/rest area in Tennesse.

After have been driving in rain and wind ( Combination of Chuck on the road and Bro bar also) I had a can of beans and bacon with some homemade bread and headed to the truck to continue on my way when I saw it....

Coming into the rest area was a small van that had a beautiful canoe atop it. And not your regular canoe either. Had to see this one up close and personal.

I was next to the man's door befor they pulled in. Fella came out of the van all smiles... he was used to this of strangers visiting his canoes...

Phillip Green is a man who we have seen his works even on this forum. When we talked about how much a canoe can cost we left it at somewhere's around $40,000 ..... that was the "old days" Meet the new model...
Here is Phillip with one of his paddles that run around $1000 :

Close up :

This one is made from "Extinct Cypress" ( Cypres that was found to be over 4,500 years old and the strain isn't around anymore...) $2000

Phill also decorates them.... ya know this one is even higher...

Now the canoe... ya saw part of it in picture #1... with me interupting Philips rest and the need to puddle I took only fast shots and turned him lose to race up the hill to the rest rooms up there. What a guy! Very nice to talk to also!

Note the woods... many of them! Curly maple gunnels! Loads of others inside as you can hardly make out in my overcast day photogphy..... Price tag on this beauty??? $60,000 :shock:

Remember the extinct cypress? Phillip is talking to a person wo wants a canoe done in this wood.... starting price of construction.... $150,000 ...
no plywood here ..... :wink:

On the road west Phillip and family were delivering this fine canoe to someone out west. The large "plank" you see is a wall hanging unit for the canoe. That bulge in it is an electric motor to raise and lower the canoe from the wall....

Told Phillip about us here at Southernpaddler.com and wanted him to visit us... maybe join us also.... :wink: :lol:

swampy
who gets lucky every now and then... LOL :mrgreen:

 

[aub77]

I thought you were joking about the cost..maybe not. I would be afraid to put that work of art in the water which kind of defeats the purpose. But then someone who can afford it might not worry about it. I think I would also have to find a way to transport it fully enclosed in a case or trailer.

 

[Kayak Jack]

<SNIP> I think I would also have to find a way to transport it fully enclosed in a case or trailer.

Yeah, imagine what he would say pulling into McDonalds and hearing an ominous "C C R R U U U N N C C H H ! !"

 

[oldsparkey]

aub77

No ... Swampy is not joking about the cost of the canoe. it is for real. There have been several articles about his canoes and he use to charge a lot less then at one boat show he was talking to a builder (who demands a large price for his wood work) and the builder told him is charging way to less for his work and it (the price) should be higher.
As they say the rest is history.

Actually his caones and paddles are works of art and not something you or I would want to paddle down a rocky river or anywhere for that matter. They are show pieces just like a great painting , it is called an investiment not something to paddle. Now something to ponder ...... What will they be worth in a 100 years? Can you say the Mona Lisa of canoes.

Chuck.
PS. Jack if you could afford one of those you sure would not be stopping at a McDonalds. :roll:

 

[Kayak Jack]

Sparkus Arrestus,

If I could afford one of those, I would own more boats I could paddle. Buying a beautiful boat to just look at, is like reading Shakespeare on your honeymoon.

Some of you Olde Fartes may think that way, not me.

 

[Swampy]

Some of you Olde Fartes may think that way, not me.

naw Jack... we just want to sell a couple of 'em... :wink:

Bro Bar has always wanted a wooden canoe....... :mrgreen:

If there was any fiberglass on that canoe I didn't see it.
I did ask Philip if the guy was going to put this into the water..."I don't know." was his answer.
Philip did say he used auto polish on it and saved big time on getting that deep gloss.

The paddle that was going with the canoe was the "sunbeam" one in the first pictures. Philip had to polish it before getting there.
Yer right about no cover on an expensive piece like that. It had been raining a lot... my thought was to rent an 18 wheeler...
swampy

 

[hoz]

Woodsong?

Is this Phillip Green of Woodsong Canoes?

When I first found his website several years ago I was amazed at the level of craftmanship. His canoe are simply works of art. It is good to see a fellow doing what he loves and getting PAID for it.

AT those prices a Woodsong canoe OR paddle is WAAAAYYY beyond my means. Wonder what he charges for some sawdust? :roll:

 

[Swampy]

www.woodsong.com .. the same Hoz.

Very nice guy to talk with. He is very modest with his works of art next to him. Not an over bearing guy at all.

I do wish he stop in here on the forum ( I invited him to do so) and chat with us about these canoes and such.

swampy

 

[Kayak Jack]

<SNIP> Very nice guy to talk with. He is very modest with his works of art next to him. Not an over bearing guy at all. <SNIP>

I've had opportunity to talk in person with six well known paddling authors, CEO's of two kayak companies, & talked on the phone & email with honchos of two other companies.

So far, only one author was aloof - ironically, the least known of the lot. All others were (though not as common as either dirt or Swampus Plebius) just like regular folks around a campfire.

Upshot of it is - paddlers are friendly folks. So far, I've found that all people involved in "human powered" sports are congenial. Sadly, it would be difficult to say anything similar about folks aboard snow mobiles, speed boats, or jet skis.

 

[Swampy]

Javck you have a valid point there. Yet we do see some "yuppy" folks out there... i have to believe that they will one day either throw in the towel on the outdoors or embrace it as a together thing....

Beings that we are and so differant in so many ways, we have a soul that bonds us together when we live out in the open spaces we have left. Perhaps that is why some poloticians and political groups sneak in and spend the energy to make a "power group" out of a crowd that wants to bond together. Pity.

swampy

 

[bearridge]

Upshot of it is - paddlers are friendly folks. So far, I've found that all people involved in "human powered" sports are congenial. Sadly, it would be difficult to say anything similar about folks aboard snow mobiles, speed boats, or jet skis.

Friend Kayak Jack,

Amen.

regards,

bearridge

I have always considered that the substitution of the internal combustion engine or the horse marked a very gloomy milestone in the progress of mankind.
Winston Churchill

 

[Swampy]

By jove I think I have it!
:idea: It is those who want to hear the loud noise that so contrast with the quiet paddle.......

Think Monster canoe....
swampy

 

[Philip A. Greene]

Swampy,

Just thought I'd let you know we made it to Jackson Hole and hung that canoe sort of as planned. Ended up being a 5 day job rather than one. As luck would have it, the client put us up in his $6 mil. condo at the Teton Village ski resort. (and I don't even ski) Spent 17 days on the road, 7,500 miles, and 13 rolls of film. The kids were tasked with archiving the event and may be interested in using a couple of your photos for their scrap books. They can't get over the fact that wherever we go with a canoe on the roof, people always stop and talk and often know who there dad is. (They always tell their friends that "Dad doesn't have a job. He stays home all day with Mom.) Anybody on this forum belong to the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association? Anyone going to the Assembly at Paul Smith's College in the Adirondacks?

 

[Swampy]

Welcome, welcome Phillip! These guyz have thought I waz smok'in funny weed when I told of my meeting the "Aliah of Canoe Builders" on mah way to the Buffalo River...

Much to ask here after the shock wears off a tad... ( don't want to wash my ears ... soes to keep the sound in thar ya know... :wink: :roll: )

Five days?! Didn't want to rush... and I can see why! So the owner has a lodge huh? Did he ever say if he was going to get it wet? Then the repair bill from the scratches would give you and the family another vacation trip out there. LOL

If ya need any pictures and can't copy them from this forum, I'll be glad to send them to you.

Now that canoe wouldn't have made the Buffalo the time and levels that greeted us when we put in. That was a white water river in the upper reaches. But beautiful!

Do you and the family paddle often? What kind of canoes do you paddle? And Sparkey will want to know if you have room for one of his packs.... :lol: :lol:

JEM (Matt) here on the forum is our local designer. I know he has many questions also to ask. Jack would ask, but he is probably out in the garage waxing his kayaks right now... LOL

So spend some time, toss on another log on the camp fire and begin talking.... we only stop those who start talking truth..... that has nothing to do with what was being talked about. Well maybe Bro Bar can expound on some of those who didn't make the trip.... and that's acceptable under the present sucumstances... :shock: :roll: :wink: :lol:

swampy

 

[oldsparkey]

Phillip

Welcome to the forum or as I like to call it the Nut House.
My only regret is that you had to meet Swampy in person and not the normal folks who were driving out there to paddle with Swampy.

We, sort of, like to, How should I say this ............ YES ....confine him and protect the general population from him when we are out on a river trip. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Chuck.

 

[Swampy]

Phillip

Welcome to the forum or as I like to call it the Nut House.

We, sort of, like to, How should I say this ............ YES ....confine him and protect the general population from him when we are out on a river trip. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Chuck.

Phillip. this is the "ONE" I was telling you about... the one who's nurse allowed him outside if we promised to bring him back without his head injured. So she sent him off with a helmet on ..... He does love to color in those little coloring books at fast food chains.... but he can cook a mean dinner..... :roll: :wink:

swampy
ps... there's a couple more on here like Chucky ..... where their doctors and nurses only allow them to go out when they have been good.... another is kept at home by his private nurse..... :cry:

 

[BEARS BUDDY]

Swampy! Those bits of information are covered by the medical records privacy stautes.(Unless you weren't referring to me. I wasn't getting a clear word from the voices) :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Swampy]

Relax BB ..... I haven't read yours yet .... To keep this secret and confidential, I was referring to Jack. :shock:

Oppps! Did I slip?

His nurse wired me today and stated that "he" would be coloring today and some nice basket works were planed for this evening.... :wink:

And something about his drinking a "Scotch".... Both her and I think it is some sort of international-secret-symbolic ritual .... :shock:

swampy