Wooden Kayaks:
Arctic Kayaks
February-March 2001
This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: > DOWNLOAD
by Wendell Phillips
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Wendell sculpts the frame of his latest skin boat |
Our modern home-made skin boats of canvas and synthetic nylon reflect a long and illustrious past of Inuit ingenuity and survival from Siberia to Eastern Greenland. Most archeologists suggest the storied past of these clever hunting boats dates back as far as 2000 years.
Unfortunately the kayaks that survive today only record a very small portion of the past. Most of those preserved in museums are from the 19th and 20th century.
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Wendell executes a roll with his Greenland paddle |
Different regions produced kayaks that were remarkably different, to suit climate, sea conditions and hunting techniques. Inland kayaks of the Caribou Inuit were designed for speed to catch evading Caribou, while the sea mammal hunting kayaks such as Greenland boats were developed for stealth approaches.
Today the modern day sea kayak is equipped with options that Inuit cultures of the past could not even have imagined. Traditional hunting tools like bladder darts, throwing sticks, lances, and harpoons have made way for more sophisticated equipment like the GPS, VHF marine radio and other modern day recreational gadgets.
But it's difficult to match the aesthetic quality and performance of seal and sea lion skin (the latter being the favorite of the Aleut's Baidarka). In Greenland, the Harp seal was the preferred covering but was not always available. The Bearded seal common in many Alaskan kayaks offered special qualities of durability for open water, but often shrunk and stiffened when it dried. The hooded seal was adopted as well but the large and deep hair follicles created some seepage and it could become too flexible when sodden with water. Whale skin was introduced but was found too permeable and did not last while walrus was claimed to be unable to hold waterproofing oil long enough.
Long before imperial and metric measurement systems, Inuit people used their own specific body parts to measure linear distances for kayak building to ensure a good fit.
This anthropo-metrical system worked quite well and results varied from region to region with different methods. Today we have contemporary kayak designs of all shapes and sizes and the value of choosing the right fit is sometimes underestimated. Building your own skin on frame kayak to meet your personal dimensions gives you a feeling of what Arctic paddlers knew for centuries-fit is an essential quality.
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The interior of a skin boat |
Many pieces of equipment we use today were commonplace among Inuit cultures. The Greenlanders employed a sea anchor made from depiliated seal skin sewn to a frame, and also used a inflated seal skin balance sack much in the same way we use 'sponsons' today. Other items included spray decks and paddle jackets made with seal skin, waterproofed with blubber oil. Some regions even created drip rings on paddles to shed cold water before it reached the paddlers' hands.
Greenlanders also created a skeg that could be lashed on for long open crossings and removed during the hunt. Other innovative ideas included the Aleut and Chugach Inuit design of a spindle-shaped wooden siphon used as a bailer. PFDs, of course, were not considered among the Inuit, as swimming was not an option in their frigid sea water.
Many composite kayaks of today bear a resemblance to their Arctic ancestors, but in some cases you need to stretch your imagination to make any association at all. While the modern day is taking us to exciting new levels of performance and kayaking comfort, the home-made skin-on-frame kayak still holds a magical appeal, and its beauty still remains unparalleled.
Wendell Phillips is a kayak instructor and guide in Canada and Asia, based in Peachland, BC. He is also a avid practitioner of Greenland technique in his skin boat and is organizing a Skin Boat program at this year's Okanagan Paddle Festival, June 16-17 in Peachland.
For more information contact wphillips@silk.net or call 250-267-2225. The photos on these pages were made available to us courtesy of Wendell. ©
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