The boat was found in 1955 during the creation of the Dutch A28 motorway. The motorway is south of the village of Pesse in Hoogeveen. To make the base of the motorway, the peat was removed, during this construction a crane operator found what he believed to be a tree trunk underground. Local farmer Hendrik Wanders saw the log and took it for observation. He gave the canoe to the University of Groningen, where it was examined and freeze dried to stop decay. It was later taken to the Drents Museum, near the discovery site.