Measuring Your Canoe for a Custom Cover
We maintain patterns for over 300 specific hull designs. When your boat is in our library, your cover is cut to its exact lines. When it isn't — because it's a custom build, a new model, or a boat we haven't worked with yet — we create a new pattern from measurements you take at home.
This page walks you through each measurement step by step. When you're ready to record your numbers, you can fill them in through our online measurement form or download a printable PDF if you'd prefer a paper copy to write on while you work.
Submit your measurements through our online form — it's the fastest way to get your cover into production.
Preparation
Set the boat in an open space where you can move around it freely. If you can get it off the ground, that makes everything easier — sawhorses are ideal, but a porch railing, folding chairs, or a fence also work. Gather your tools before you start.
All measurements in this guide are in inches, rounded to the nearest quarter-inch.
Bow & Stern Profiles
We need accurate profiles of your bow and stern to shape the cover's end panels. In most cases, we can pull these from the manufacturer's website or specifications.
If the manufacturer has a clear side-profile photograph of the entire canoe — taken squarely from the side, not angled from above — send us the link or photo and we can usually work from that.
If a usable manufacturer photo isn't available, capture the profiles yourself using one of the methods below.
Option 1: Digital Photographs (Recommended)
Take separate photos of the bow and stern with a measuring tape or ruler held against the hull for scale. Frame the shot so the camera is square to the side of the hull, aimed at the midpoint of the height. A helper makes this easier, but it's straightforward to do alone — use painter's tape to hold the measuring tape in place if needed.
Option 2: Paper Tracings
If digital photos aren't an option, hold a large sheet of paper or newsprint flat against the side of the bow or stern (a piece of cardboard behind the paper gives you a firm drawing surface). Trace the side profile with a felt-tipped marker, capturing the point where the hull transitions to the keel line. Label each tracing "bow" or "stern" and indicate which direction is up.
On the measurement form, you'll indicate how you're providing the profiles — manufacturer spec, your own photos, paper tracings, or if you're not sure and want to discuss it.
Overall Length
Measure the length of your boat from the forward-most edge of the bow to the aft-most edge of the stern. If your boat has a recurved bow or stern, measure from the furthest forward point to the furthest aft point — not deck-tip to deck-tip.
Hull Measurements at 1-Foot Intervals
This is the main measuring step. You'll measure the hull at every foot from bow to stern. At each position, record two measurements:
Hull Measurement ("U" Shape)
The distance from the top outside edge of one gunwale, around the bottom of the hull, to the top outside edge of the other gunwale. Think of wrapping your tailor's tape under the boat in a U shape.
Circumference ("O" Shape)
The full distance all the way around the hull, including the open space between the gunwales. This is the complete loop — under the hull, up both sides, and across the opening at the top.
Record a hull measurement and circumference at every foot — 1-foot, 2-foot, 3-foot, and so on — all the way to the stern. The stern will rarely land exactly on a foot mark, and that's fine. Leave blank any positions past the end of your boat.
Widest Point
Measure the hull and circumference at the widest point of the boat. This usually won't land exactly on a foot mark — that's expected. Record three numbers: the distance from the bow to the widest point, the hull measurement there, and the circumference there.
On a racing C1, the widest point will be the tip of the wings.
Carrying Handle or Tie-Down Opening
The front of the cover is fully enclosed. We sew a slit into the top panel so you can reach through to grab the front carrying thwart or handle, or thread a bow line through it.
Measure from the tip of the bow back to the center of the carrying handle or front thwart. If you carry your canoe by the back edge of the front deck plate instead, measure to that edge.
Submit Your Measurements
The form collects everything from the steps above — boat info, hull measurements at each foot, widest point, and carrying handle location. Takes about 5–10 minutes to fill in.
OPEN MEASUREMENT FORM →We'll review your measurements and reach out if anything needs clarification. Don't forget to email your bow and stern profile photos to hello@redleafdesigns.com with your name and boat model in the subject line.
Something unclear? Your boat has an unusual feature?
Call (906) 451-4539 or email hello@redleafdesigns.com.
We've patterned hundreds of boats — there isn't much we haven't seen.