Friends Turn Talk into One-of-a-Kind Canoe

Drew Scott and Nick Phillips have had many a late-night conversation.

One that took place in August 2009, in particular, led to what they’re touting as the world’s first clear canoe. Scott and Phillips are the driving forces behind EverClearOutdoors, which is based in about 2,400 SF of space in an industrial section of Springdale.

The fledgling company’s sole product to this point is a clear canoe featuring hard maple gunwales, seats and thwarts.

“We both have crazy ideas and like to build stuff,” Scott said, “so it turned into this.”

“A perfect partnership,” Phillips added with a grin.

The canoes are made of Lexan, or “basically what bulletproof glass is made of,” Scott said. Each seat is handcrafted with a wooden frame, clear seat and hidden aluminum supports.

Brian Latham of toejo designs in Rogers constructs the wooden parts. Toejo specializes in abstract wooden furniture, among other products and services.

The canoes are more than 16 feet long, three feet wide and weigh 75 pounds. Scott said soap and water is sufficient for cleaning, and the Lexan is resistant to scratching.

“We dragged it behind our car, with people in it, then took it to the river,” Scott said. “Crystal clear.”

Scott and Phillips said their canoes cost $2,995 compared to about $1,600 for a comparable size made of more traditional materials. Turnaround time is expected to be about a week, and the two said various local retailers have expressed interest in adding the canoes to their inventories.