Canoe thwarts provide strength and rigidity to the hull and serve as a bar on which to strap gear. Our 32.5" Kenco Outfitters thwart for Old Town canoes is made of solid ash with a clear polyurethane finish and measures 0.875" or 7/8" thick and 2.59" wide at the ends. Each canoe thwart is handcrafted in the United States.