The evolution of the kayak

Rich    kayakingholidays     building a kayak, canoeing, history of the kayak, Kayak, kayaking holidays, kayaking kayak

As a kayak, canoe and boat builder I have a big liking for hand-crafted boats, which I paddle endlessly and make them to order to fit the individual and their needs. But before I started doing this for other people, I really wanted to know more about what the different boats were and how they worked.

Rich: expert kayak,canoe and boat builder

The information I gathered in the years before I started making kayaks and canoes, helped me a lot in finding out where they came from and what they were used for. Here’s what I found out about the kayak.

The Kayak

The tribes of Arctic America and people from the Aleutian Islands were the first to make kayaks, usually from driftwood but more commonly they were made from whalebone and covered with animal hides to form what we would now call a ‘skin on frame kayak’, these were usually kept waterproof by the liberal application of some sort of fat, mainly whale grease, and the first buoyancy aids for a kayak were inflated seal bladders.

The role of these early kayaks due to their naturally stealthy lines, was mainly for hunting and the word kayak means ‘hunters boat’, but they also built larger kayaks, called Umiaqs, with evidence showing them being built up to 60ft in length for transportation of entire families and their belongings.

The style of the kayaks differs from region to region, with the long sleek baidarkas of the Aleutian Islands to the bulbous wide and stable boats for the rougher water of other areas.

Before the use of modern materials for the spray deck, the Inuit people used what is called a Tuilik. This was made out of seal skin, and formed a watertight seal around the body and the coaming (cockpit) of the kayak. They used to have either a long or short cut, and the long cut allowed you to leave the boat and get your head above water if you couldn’t roll, so you could wait for a rescue as they couldn’t swim and didn’t even have a word in their language for it.

New boat, traditional design

So if you’re wondering where the design lines for that sleek looking kayak came from the next time you see one paddling past, now you know.

The kayak pictured here was designed along the same sort of lines as a Greenland kayak, but made a little wider to add stability. Although not quite the high Arctic, I have paddled a duplicate of this boat that I made for myself with ice in the river, and in smooth and rough waters, and haven’t gone over in it yet!

Rich builds kayaks, canoes and boats at RAM-Leisure. You’ll find him here: http://www.ram-leisure.co.uk/

About the author

Richie Bracey wrote 5 articles on this blog.

Hi I build wooden kayaks, canoes and small boats, near Plymouth in Devon. These are custom made to your specification and my own designs. I also build kits for people and boats from plans (either bought or your own). I also make Greenland style and wooden paddles.

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