The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word PIROGUES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
P
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "canoes" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case canoes = pirogues.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
Crossword Answer definitions
PIROGUES noun- A canoe of shallow draft, made by hollowing a log.
- A small flat-bottom boat of shallow draft. Specifically, a flat-bottom boat made out of a four-foot by eight-foot piece of plywood, the bottom being a two-foot eight-inch-wide eight-foot-long pointed-end lengthwise-centered oval cut from the piece, and the boat's sides being the two remaining pieces attached lengthwise to the outside edges of the oval.
- A style of pasta shaped as a miniature canoe folded over.