HBC York Boats at Norway House

Walter J. Phillips
Reproduced with the permission of
the Hudson’s Bay Company
From the HBC Corporate Collection

York boats had flat bottoms and a pointed bow, and were based on a very old design - Viking longships. They could carry three times as many furs as the largest canoe, but had one big disadvantage: they were heavy and could not be carried the same way canoes could. For portaging, a roadhad to be cut through the trees and logs used as rollers for the boat to go over.