The Masik - Winter 2015 - 2016

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Editor's Letter
Happy Holidays!
For many of us, this is the time of year for reflection and thinking about all of the things that we're thankful for. For
me, I am very thankful to be part of the worldwide kayaking family. If you're reading this, you're likely part of that
family too.
Do you remember the first Qajaq USA sanctioned event that you went to? If you're like most, you arrived knowing
no one and left with some amazing friends. If you haven't yet been to a Qajaq USA sanctioned event, we'd love
to see you at one in 2016!
As water is replaced by ice in many parts of the country, your passion may change from kayaking to qajaq
building, or maybe you're taking a little time off from the water and putting skis on instead... then again, maybe
you live in a place where kayaking is possible year round, or are heading to one of those places for a little
vacation. Whatever you chose to do this Holiday season, we here at Qajaq USA wish you the very best.
In this issue of The Masik, Dominique Sellier takes us to the logistical side of Greenland in his article, Greenland:
A Big Small Country. Ben Fuller provides us with a Report from Delmarva, and Dubside writes about Making a
Skin-on-Frame in Three Hours.
Special thanks to all three article contributors. Also, a huge thank you to Tony Schmitz for proofreading.
I hope that you enjoy this Winter issue of The Masik. To subscribe to future issues (if you haven't done so
already), click HERE. If you have article ideas or a picture that would make a good header, please e-mail
[email protected].
Happy Holidays!
Helen Tozer-Wilson
Editor, The Masik
Greenland: A Big Small Country
By Dominique Sellier
We know of Greenland. But what do we really know about Greenland? We know the images of towns and
villages, of calving glaciers, of the gigantic icecap, and of course, for Masik readers we appreciate the rich and
ancient kayaking tradition and the amazing skills of its people. But what else do we know about this island, of its
people and how they live today?
First, its size. Greenland is really big, the largest island on Earth. 1,660 miles (2,670 km) north to south,
equivalent to New York to Denver, or Seattle to Dallas. 625 miles (1,050 km) in width, like New York to Chicago
or Seattle to San Francisco.
But even that does not give its full measure, as 85% of the territory is covered by ice and only 56,000 people live
there. This is what all this means in US terms:
Greenland surface area (about a quarter of the USA)
Area not covered by ice
Population
Finally, the length of Greenland’s coast line, 27,400 miles, is more than twice the length of the US coast line,
including Alaska (12,383 miles).
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_area)
Second, its position. Greenland occupies a strategic position from the point of view of the United States,
protecting the North East approach. Since the Second World War, Greenland has been used as an advanced
base by the United States, first as a refueling point for aircrafts being shipped to Europe and second, as a
meteorological observatory to predict future European weather, then during the cold war as a bomber base in
Thule facing Russia, then as a radar station.
(Source: http://code7700.com/high_latitude.html)
As for the maritime routes that will open as the Arctic melts, Greenland is again well positioned. It is likely that the
first route to open will be the eastern route along the cost of Russia, for which Iceland and Norway are
strategically as important (shipping to Europe). The western route (Northwest Passage through Canada) will take
more time to open.
(Source: http://www.pnas.org/content/110/13/E1191.full.pdf?sid=d9153f55-dbde-477f-8f01-46d88fce3726)
This geopolitical role will be an important factor as Greenland develops. Greenland being vital to US security,
Greenland development will have to take into account US need for both access and capacity for access denial,
as Denmark has had to do. This will apply to both physical access and the extraction of strategic resources, as
Greenland has potentially ample but still largely unproven mining and oil and gas resources.
Third, its population. Greenland’s population lives along the coast, the interior being barren. Most (86%) people
live in its 17 towns mainly on the south-west coast, to a lesser extent on the south-east coast and minimally on
the north-west coast. The capital Nuuk counts 17,000 inhabitants; next are Sisimiut (5,600), Ilulissat (4,500) and
Qaqortoq (3,200). With a rocky terrain and a small population, there are few roads outside cities and few vehicles
– less than 6,000 in total. Transportation between towns and settlements is done mostly by ferry, in the
south-west from late April until early January. Air travel between the island's 14 airports is expensive given the
distances involved.
(Source: http://wikitravel.org/upload/shared//b/ba/Greenland_regions.png)
At 56,000 Greenland’s population is small - as small as the population of Chicopee, Massachusetts, the US’s
660th municipality. About 50,000 were born in Greenland itself. Given that there are only 974 non-Danes
(January 2015), there must be about 5,000 Danes born outside of Greenland – likely “mainland” (European)
Danes supporting Greenland’s administration and services.
An area of concern is that Greenland’s population is slowly declining (2007: 56,648; 2015: 55,983). As the largest
age group is people 45 to 54 years old, and all younger age groups are smaller, this trend will continue. No
wonder Greenlanders have such a loving focus on children.
Greenlandic and Danish are both widely spoken. About 95% of radio broadcasts are in Greenlandic, the rest are
in Danish. On TV, it’s 39% Greenlandic, the balance in “Danish, etc.” (2012 figures).
Fourth, its economy. Fishing is Greenland’s primary industry and accounts for 90% of its exports. The annual
catch of about 100,000 tons is comprised of prawns (50%), Greenland halibut (25%), lumpfish and cod. Seal
hunting (125,000 per year) and whaling are still practiced mostly for private consumption. Reindeer and musk ox
are hunted, as well as birds, again mostly for private consumption. Hunting is supported by about 16,000 sled
dogs, mostly in settlements.
In the south-west, about 20,000 sheep are raised, as in Norman times. Greenland also has 3,000 reindeer, 125
cows and four beehives (Government statistics).
Fifth, its politics. Greenland’s small population is obviously an issue for many aspects of its future development.
Currently Greenland is a “self-governing overseas administrative division” of the Kingdom of Denmark, and since
2009 has been responsible for the management of its own affairs, including resources extraction. Denmark
remains responsible for defense, foreign affairs and local policing.
While there is an understandably strong desire for independence from Denmark, achieving it and especially
maintaining it afterwards will require Greenland to acquire an economic self-sufficiency it does not yet have.
Currently a third of Greenland’s budget is covered by a grant from Denmark. The European Union contributes a
few funds in education aid, and in exchange for fishing rights (viewed as a political investment). The US also
provides some educational help (same reason).
The Greenland government hopes that future profits from mining and oil and gas developments will help fill the
gap that a cessation of Danish payments would create upon independence, but to date only one new mine is
close to starting production (Aappaluttoq, an open-pit mine that will produce ruby and pink sapphire gemstones).
A recent analysis shows it would take the proceeds of about 24 major mines for Greenland to achieve financial
self-sufficiency. To date, oil and gas exploration has not yielded any finds.
The problems caused by a small population and a limited economy are not simple. For example:
Defense: Greenland does not have the population or the tax base to establish a military force able to
defend its large territory and has to rely on a third party, currently Denmark. Independent, Greenland will
have to find a “supporting partner,” but at what cost to its independence?
Resource extraction: Greenland does not have the manpower or infrastructure needed to support a large
mining industry. A large influx of foreign workers could be destabilizing.
Financial independence: Maybe two sentences: Given Greenland’s small economy, upon independence it
would be cheap for an outside power — either a government or private firm — to help Greenland out of
financial trouble. But the risk is that assistance would come with a price that would threaten Greenland’s
independence.
Worth noting here is that Denmark has always had a benign attitude toward its colonies (Greenland, Iceland, the
Faroe Islands), with a particular attention and respect for the culture and needs of the local populations (One
wishes it would have been the same in the US and Canada).
Sixth and last, its geology. Greenland has a rich mineral potential, logically similar to mineral resources found
in northern Canada and in Norway and Sweden, to which it was attached 50 million years ago.
Of course, the ice cap, which is more than 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) thick in places, limits exploration to the
coasts. But should the icecap melt (not to be wished for as it would raise the world sea level by about 20 to 24
feet or six to seven meters) what would be found underneath would not be mountains but a large plain, currently
about 700 to 1,000 feet (200 to 300 meters) below sea level as the weight of the ice has pushed the bedrock
down. Canyons going as deep as 4,300 feet (1,300 meters) below sea level have been discovered.
(Source: www.the-cryosphere.net/7/499/2013/tc-7-499-2013.pdf and http://randommization.com/2013/09/09/thisis-what-greenland-would-look-like-if-it-werent-buried-under-ice/)
As the ice cap melts, the earth will rebound, as it is doing in the Canadian Arctic, and this plain might emerge.
However, there is no chance any of us will ever see it. The ice is so thick that it will take something like 10,000
years to melt it at the current rate. Other projections give it more time. However, we cannot yet accurately model
how ice caps and glaciers evolve and break up. The current melt rate is variable, but melting of Greenland ice is
estimated to add about one millimeter per year to sea level. If all of Greenland’s ice melts, it will add six to seven
meters of water to sea level.
Geologically, the current inventory of mineral occurrences is impressive, and there are currently half a dozen
finds that could become significant mines – when conditions permit. However, for most minerals, reserves are not
proven. There are only indications of potential, and further exploration is required.
Below is a map of mineral occurrences in south Greenland.
(Source: Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland – full map at http://www.geus.dk/minex/greenmin-2010.pdf)
For Greenland politicians the future exploitation of mineral and fossil fuel resources is the key to the future, their
best chance to generate enough revenue to be able to support their population as an independent nation – i.e.
without grants from Denmark. This puts mining developments at the intersection of local and international
politics. The quite advanced project by an Australian company of a rare earth mine also producing uranium close
to Narsaq (at Ilamaussaq) as well as a proposal to develop an iron ore mine with Chinese capital have generated
both in Greenland and Denmark many protests and political maneuvering. Beyond the uranium issue at Narsaq,
what seems at stake is who will really control Greenland resources, and what kind of Greenland the future will
bring – how the tension between culture and modernity will be resolved.
To those outside Greenland who oppose such developments, the mayor of South Greenland, Jorgen Waever
Johansen, answers:
"I know some groups around the world would like to have the Arctic as a prehistoric natural museum, but there
are people here who want a good standard of living and want to be part of a global world."
Let’s hope Greenland, this huge but small country, will find the way to preserve its culture and environment while
fully addressing the needs of its population, be it with Denmark or as an independent Greenland.
Qajaq USA Membership
Your membership is vital to Qajaq USA! Without your generosity we would be unable to fulfill our mission
and help share and promote the rich traditions and techniques of Greenland kayaking. Whether it’s
through participation in our on-line forums, reading our MASIK newsletter and Qajaq USA Journals,
attending one of our sanctioned events (with Qajaq USA sponsored gear), being inspired by the
Greenland guests we bring to events or paddling our expanding fleet of replica skin-on-frame kayaks – we
hope you agree that your membership support delivers an outstanding value. Click HERE to become a
member (or renew your membership).
Report from Delmarva
By Ben Fuller
The bumper stickers on my old Saab wagon help me keep track of how many Delmarva Paddler's Retreats I've
driven to. There is a “W” Chicken Hawk sticker, which meant that I got the wagon in the fall of 2004, a few years
used, and took the 500-mile cruise south as a fast way to check the warranty. It has a big turbo so there is no
trouble with a roof rack and trailer, and on that first trip I had only my plywood stitch and glue NorthBay.
I remember driving past the entrance to Camp Arrowhead after dinner time, maybe a few times, punchy from the
drive, before I found it and turned in. Indeed dinner had gone, but there were a couple of kilt wearing paddlers in
the dining room, one from Montana and one from the Left Coast, as well as a few from New England. Since
socializing was happening, I put a bottle of apple nectar from Normandy on the table, which was promptly
consumed. My kind of people.
I don't remember much of that year's program, only that I was pretty stiff despite decades of paddling, so fancy
rolling would be a challenge, and indeed it has stayed that way.
But I do remember some years. Delmarva is exposed to Northeasters, and one year it blew very hard. On that
shallow shelving beach it meant surf, and plenty of it, an ideal place to learn about rough water. It was
challenging enough that a roll was required before people were let outside to play. A few years later we were hit
by a distinctly unpleasant four-day rain and wind storm. Drysuited and tuilik wearing paddlers did not mind, but
some activities were curtailed. My new fleece paddle bag became a muffler.
Language changes. Kampe Absalonsen, who came out some years ago, instituted "Kampe's Rules." Kayaks
are kayaks. Boats are boats. Kayaks are part of the paddler. People ride in boats. Kampe's rules required a
dollar to be put in a jar every time you use the “b” word. That jar was raffled off at the end of the event. Veterans
just put a 20 in at the beginning. This year the concept was extended to iqyax, which the Russians called
bidarkas.
So how does it work? It revolves around the Greenland concept: if you know something, help someone else
learn. Volunteer mentors lead sessions, maybe focused on special skills. Many of them have advanced ACA and
BCU training and endorsements, but you won't find a credential list. A few guests are invited; their expenses are
picked up but not their time. These guests could be from anywhere in this country or from away: an Everglades
challenge kayak winner, the lady who went on to paddle around South American and Australia, the people who
started the Walden Qajaq Society, the author of the monumental Kayaks of Greenland, the editor of Qajaq USA's
historical journal, the man who started Qajaq Japan, the US master of Greenland ropes, the American who
brought the qajaq from Greenland to England which started the British style sea kayaks and the British engineer
that drew it up, the many times Greenland national qajaq champion... these are only some that I remember.
Delmarva provides many paddlers with their first exposure to skin-on-frame qajaqs. Qajaq USA has a fleet of
about a dozen, in different styles and sizes that will fit paddlers from under 100 pounds to some that could be six
and a half feet tall. Many years there is chance to take a week-long kayak building course that results in a kayak
to be launched and paddled on the Saturday of the event. There are also courses that give people the
opportunity to build a Greenland paddle, and there are sometimes courses where people can make their own
akulisaq or tuilik. Many of the Greenland rolls are far easier in a well fitted skin-on-frame. Additional
skin-on-frame qajaqs are brought by participants for the use of all.
The event also gives people the chance to try Greenland gear. On the Qajaq USA kayak trailer are bins of tuiliks
and akulisaqs, as well as paddles in different styles and lengths. Norsaq, originally the throwing stick that
lengthens the hunter's arm, are available for rolling, as are harpoons for throwing.
This 2015 event may have been the most memorable. The preliminary material promised return visits from John
Pederson, a qajaq hunter and teacher from Greenland, and Anders Thygesen, who had paddled the length of
Norway in his iqyax, and teaches building of both iqyax and qajaqs in Norway. In addition, from the midwest
came Christopher Crowhurst who has produced fine free instructional rolling materials. And as usual there was
Dubside, the American paddler and ropes expert who has medaled and judged in Greenland competitions.
John had been at Delmarva in 2009 and taught the most memorable paddling clinic I've ever taken. He reminded
us that the craft we paddle for pleasure are really hunting machines, and what was important was not how fast
one could paddle but how quietly. And that efficient paddling mechanics are important no matter how slowly one
paddled. One needed to feel each stroke, not make idle chatter on the water. Very Zen. John led a mentor
training session and then three clinics.
Anders was also back after presenting his long trip and helping with rolling and stroke work the year before. This
year he worked on kayak rescues, something that is different with small cockpit skin-on-frames, showing
participants the merits of a homemade sea sock (Editor's note: Anders is contributing an article to the March
issue of The Masik on how to make a sea sock - HW).
Weather cooperated, providing some pushy wind and waves for a couple of days. This allowed some of us to
work on rough water paddling and surfing skills, exploring the abilities of a Greenland paddle to extend for
sweeps and braces, as well as the use of a sliding stroke to climb upwind. Some of the participants were
experienced rough water paddlers with conventional paddles where bow draws and cross bow moves are part of
the paddler's repertoire, strokes that are less efficient with a long narrow blade. They delighted in the power of a
sweep and brace using their Greenland paddles.
The sea state drove home the rescues shown by Anders. He was helped by Don Beale who had led Friday's
paddle building. And Christopher repeated the combat rolling clinic he had run successfully the year before.
Anders introduced a new activity: the two-hour qajaq. Four teams, using supplied wood, tape and cling wrap,
designed, built, raced and rolled four qajaqs. While many previous Delmarvas had kayak skinning
demonstrations, this was new. The winners were from Greenland.
It was Greenlanders that made this a Delmarva to remember. Qaannat Kattuffiat, Greenland's national paddling
club, sent their president, vice president, treasurer and the current Greenland national qajaq champion. Besides
winning the qajaq build-off they were everywhere. They led a harpoon clinic and helped people with rolls and
strokes. They were all powerful paddlers, and proficient on the ropes. The ropes hang in every Greenland qajag
club and are there for all. Members grow up on them. Working with them provides the strength and flexibility of
gymnastics for only the cost of a couple of ropes strung between some poles. With the short paddling season
and extremely cold water in Greenland, these are essential tools. There are only two swimming pools in
Greenland, no place to teach rolling in the way we Euroamericans often do (And did they enjoy the Camp
Arrowhead pool).
The grace and balance of the Greenlanders were apparent simply in the way they boarded the qajaqs. Once they
tried some on the beach to check the fit and sorted through paddles on offer, they typically walked out onto the
dock in jeans and tuilik, balanced their craft with the paddle and slid in dry. They got out the same graceful
manner, leaving no sand in the qajaqs. They didn’t need booties or drysuits. They reminded us that Greenland
water is very cold and every effort is made to stay out of it.
They were joined by Maliqiaq Padilla flying in from Alaska where he now lives with his family. The competition
qajaq that he designed was so narrow that only he could keep it upright.
For the paddlers who were able to stay on Sunday night, the beach bonfire was spectacular. The three losing
kayaks were stripped, set up in a pyramid and set alight. Burning man meets Delmarva. All of this fueled by that
premier sports medicine provider, Dogfish.
So what will we do next year?
Making a Skin-On-Frame in Three Hours
Article and Photos by Dubside
Admittedly this sounds radical. Building a kayak is not supposed to be like making a paper airplane.
Skin-on-frame workshops typically take seven to 10 days. Sometimes a rushed timetable allows just five days if
enough preparation has been done in advance. Master builders like Maligiaq Padilla have been known to build a
kayak in three days, which entails going well into the wee hours and starting early each morning. However, if you
want to maintain your sanity, your safety and your opportunities for learning, then adopting the casual pace of a
month, a season or maybe a year is the way to go. As an experienced builder once told me, “Building a kayak on
a deadline sucks.”
Yet rushing to get it finished happens all too often. Every year at the Greenland National Championships there
may be a dozen or more kayaks stashed on top of the ferry that brings the out-of-town competitors, even though
each team has already sent a shipping container full of kayaks to the competition weeks earlier. And when the
kayaks are unloaded by hand the people assisting discover in many cases that the paint hasn’t finished drying.
Given the luxury of ample time, a builder can do extra testing and quality control checks at various stages of the
operation. There’s a tried and true technique for evaluating the performance of a frame before sewing on the
skin. By encasing it in plastic stretch-wrap one can paddle it long enough to get a sense of how it handles. So
what would it be like if this temporary skin procedure were mated with some type of quick and simple
non-permanent frame construction? Both the vessel’s production time and its expected lifespan would shrink
considerably. And that’s where the fun comes in. If it’s going to be in a junk pile within days, apprehensions
regarding a crooked masik, a misaligned keel or sketchy looking deck beams are no big deal. The freedom to
take chances encourages experimentation.
In the context of a traditional paddling get-together it goes like this:
The objective: a full-scale skin-on-frame kayak built in three hours then raced to test for seaworthiness
and rolled several times.
The materials: a few thin 16-foot lengths of wood plus miscellaneous small pieces, several rolls of tape, a
large spool of industrial plastic wrap and a pre-made coaming or coaming surrogate.
The tools: one small hand saw, a folding knife and a Leatherman.
The setting: teams of builders in a judged competition.
The outcome: insights, laughs, camaraderie, bragging rights and major incentive to do it again sometime
in the future.
The idea of a three-hour kayak building competition originated at a traditional paddling event in Norway known as
Qajaqtreff (Norwegian for kayak meeting), which is now in its seventh year. The activity has become a mainstay
there in the same way that the Paulo’s wedding race has integrated itself into many of the traditional events in
the US. In 2015 the Delmarva Paddler’s Retreat implemented Norway’s concept with runaway success. The
application of adult know-how coupled with true skin-on-frame construction make this activity a far cry from
children’s cardboard kayak races, which usually turn into crude submarine parades. Think of this as the kayak
builder’s equivalent of an “unplugged” concert performance. It’s bare bones, low-tech, get-’er-done simplicity
applied to the ancient art of watercraft construction. And the competition format makes for an entertaining show.
Rules
Qajaqtreff’s contest has gone through its own evolution, and the materials, rules and general state-of-the-art
have steadily improved. Anders Thygussen, a professional skin-on-frame builder, has presided as the head judge
in Norway for many years. The ground rules include a ban on using tools other than what is supplied (note that
no rulers or tape measures are provided), a two-hour period during which the teams will built the frame, a time
when everyone helps wrap the frames in plastic and subsequent attachment of the coamings. Then each team’s
kayak must be raced on a short course for not one, but three laps, each with a different paddler. At the
conclusion of the last lap, the kayaker must attempt three different rolls.
During all phases of the contest the judges are observing the activities and minding the clock. Although the race
and the rolling tend to generate a clear division between winner and loser, the judges use a far broader criteria to
determine the winning team. They apply a point scheme in which beauty and authenticity can get a maximum of
five points; quality and functionality are worth another five points; teamwork or group spirit can get five points; for
the race one point is awarded for each 30 seconds of difference in finish times; for the rolling there is a five point
maximum determined by how much the audience is impressed; and lastly up to five bonus points can be
awarded for a new innovation or something outstanding in terms of entertainment or showmanship.
Devising teams has been done in several ways. One year it was north Norway versus south Norway, another
year pitted the men against the women, and there have been years when enough younger folks were in
attendance to form a third team comprised of youth. A team has to have at least three members, one for each lap
of the race.
Frame Construction
The wood provided is, like all wood, non-uniform and variable from piece to piece as to knots, warpage and
cracks. Being forced to use a given set of materials is not the average kayak builder’s idea of a good way to
make a skin-on-frame. It’s better to go pick through lumberyard stacks until you locate properly seasoned, clear,
straight-grained stuff, even if it takes hours or days to find it. The three-hour kayak contest rules place the
participants more in the realm of the original builders. In the Arctic regions where no forests permeated the
landscape, one had to accept whatever wood the sea washed up on shore. Even in Greenland today, with
lumber shipped in from abroad, what gets used for kayak building and paddle-making often includes some
horrendously inferior grades of wood only because that’s what’s available.
The fundamental determinant of any kayak’s shape begins by laying out the gunwales then inserting deck
beams. This sets the overall length, the curvature of the sides, the beam dimension, and everything else follows
from there. This works just as well when doing the three-hour skin-on-frame quick build. If there exists a radical
new approach that starts with ribs and keel it has not yet been discovered.
To affix beams, ribs, etc. the requisite tools and materials for pegging, lashing or nail construction are not
supplied, and teams are required to make do with what they are given. Adhesive tape is actually quite effective
for joining ribs and deck beams, and what it lacks in durability or aesthetics is made up for in speed. It doesn’t
even have to be tenacious duct tape. The cellophane backed parcel post variety does an adequate job. Fiber
reinforced packaging tape also works. The organizers have lately taken to providing a selection of two or three
different types for each team.
Following the dictates of established kayak building technique, a keel and the chines can be added to the deck
assembly. After this point the quick-build departs into unorthodox territory. Without a source of steam there’s no
way to bend ribs, and the wood supplied is unsuitable anyway. Mortise and tenon joints are equally unfeasible.
There really isn’t time for such detailed woodworking. Ribs tend to become three-piece U-shaped affairs taped at
the chines. This makes it possible to forego the keel entirely, or add it later.
In the alternative the chines can be dispensed with, which makes for an extreme Vee hull. There is evidence to
suggest that a kayak designed this way, sometimes referred to as a “storm kayak,” may have been used long
ago. However there is scant information to verify that any such design was more than an experiment or novelty.
One of the first years in Norway the kids team, perhaps by chance, stumbled on this design. The triangular cross
section greatly simplified construction. Yet once they got their kayak in the water it fell onto one side and refused
to stay upright.
For structural integrity additional support between deck and keel is a good idea. This can take the form of short
vertical pieces or diagonal bracing in an X configuration. Putting extra cross pieces below the cockpit, and/or on
the back deck can help support the weight of a paddler. Omitting these steps can result in the frame breaking in
half when launched, as has been learned the hard way in prior years. Although the tape supply is not unlimited,
some builders have taken to taping completely around the frame at the ribs for extra reinforcement rather than
taping only at the joints.
Adding the Skin and Coaming
The industrial plastic wrap comes in a roll that will do more than one kayak. This is why the skinning operation is
done sequentially and not timed. While several people hold a frame off the ground, the plastic is first run
lengthwise back and forth a few times then spiraled around two or more times from stern to bow and back. The
plastic does stick to itself, but taping over any exposed seams or loose ends is a good idea. For the final step the
skin is cut open at the cockpit and whatever is supplied for a coaming is taped into place.
While a host of advances in commercially available kayak materials and manufacturing have raised the stateof-the art to impressive heights, modern methods still lag far behind when it comes to eco-friendliness. By
contrast every last piece of a traditional skin-on-frame kayak was 100% biodegradable. Unfortunately the
three-hour skin-on-frame, like the fiberglass production equivalent, doesn’t come anywhere near this standard. At
the end of the exercise there are several rolls worth of tape and a large mess of non-recyclable plastic destined
for a landfill. Until there’s a source for cornstarch-based stretch wrap and hemp/pine tar adhesive tape, we’ll just
have to live with the consequences.
Performance
Entering and launching these kayaks has to be done three times and it has spawned a special technique. Out of
concern that the delicate frame would not hold up to straddling the back deck, nor the skin support the weight of
someone standing in the cockpit, participants in early years soon adopted a preventative measure, which
involved lifting a paddler at the armpits by two teammates forming a human crane and carefully maneuvering the
legs and hips of the paddler into place. During the race the procedure was reversed to exit the kayak, then
repeated with a new teammate, taking on the urgency and coordinated orchestration of a pit crew changing a
tire.
Previously the rules asked for one roll. The initial quality of the early designs made this a feat, and the supplied
materials did not include much in the way of a coaming, adding to the difficulties. Sometimes getting the kayak to
tip over proved to be the hardest part. Other designs exhibited an overwhelming tendency to tip over throughout
the race. And without a complete seal at the coaming, water would accumulate in the hull very quickly. Yet year
after year the Norwegians dialed in improvements until they reached a point where just one roll wasn’t enough of
a challenge. Frames had begun to remain sturdy and hulls dry enough after the race that hand rolls could be
done in some of the better kayaks. So the rules were ramped up. Currently the requirement is three different
rolls, the difficulty level left up to the participant.
Qajaqtreff, Norway 2015
Just two teams participated in Norway in 2015. This time they experimented with the minimum team size of just
three people, and the two teams were split along gender lines. To capitalize on all the lessons learned previously,
Anders gave a brief preparation talk beforehand outlining tried and true methods and noting past pitfalls. On the
grassy plateau above the beach launch area the six participants set to work, while the remaining 40 to 50
attendees watched and took pictures. The pace of construction stayed roughly even, the men and the women
cooperating among themselves with smooth efficiency marking, cutting, aligning and taping, despite having only
three people to do all the work. As the two hours drew to a close both teams had transformed their bundles of
wood into appealing frames. The men taped their coaming on temporarily for the visual effect. The women made
liberal use of their tape in reinforcing the bow and crossribs.
After the collective skin-wrapping in which other people assisted, the coamings were added. Instead of the cruder
improvisations of plastic bucket tops or aluminum bike rims that have been tried previously, Anders supplied
each team with a fully prepared wooden coaming, complete with rim flange around the circumference, which
made the finished kayaks look more like authentic tradition watercraft than ever before. With the frame, skin and
cockpit completed there remained the opportunity for final additions. The women devised something previously
unseen in the contest – decklines improvised from weeds gathered on site and taped to the gunwales. If one is
going to do norsaq or hand rolls, having a place to stow the paddle makes sense. The men, putting the finishing
touches on their kayak only a few paddle lengths away, took immediate notice and copied the idea, forgoing the
weeds and just using twisted lengths of tape. The women went a step further and attached a handful of purple
flowers to the end of their bow.
Both kayaks handled well on the water and rolled three times, performing significantly better than some of the
entries in previous years. For those watching, it was not possible to spot an obvious winner. The judges
considered the matter for a long time, and also paddled the kayaks themselves for a full on-water evaluation. In
the authenticity, functionality, teamwork, racing and rolling categories, minor variations cancelled out, leaving the
score totals identical. But the women’s deck line innovation impressed the judges enough to earn credit in the
bonus point category, breaking the tie in the women’s favor.
Delmarva
At the 2015 Delmarva Paddler’s retreat, now in its 27th year, Anders Thygussen’s presence provided the critical
mass for a three-hour skin-on-frame contest to take hold. A total of four teams rose to the challenge, setting a
new precedent for participation. So many wanted to get in on the fun that each team had seven or eight
members. This allowed the more experienced kayak designers in each group to delegate others to such tasks as
sawing wood to specified lengths, dispensing pieces of tape or forming clamps with their hands. Without a
workbench or an electric saw it can take extra effort just to make the dozens of cuts needed.
Coincidentally Delmarva 2015 also had a record six Greenlanders attending, and they all took part. Though the
teams came up with names, they were more readily distinguishable by their most knowledgeable builders.
Maligiaq’s team included Domenique Sellier, Jack Gilman and Ben Fuller; the second team contained four
Greenlanders – Abel Jakobsen, Jens Peter Jeremiassen, Elias Inuutsoq and Jakob Peter Enoksen, along with a
handful of Americans; on the third team John Pedersen and Dave Isbell were the only males; and the fourth team
included Vernon Doucette, Ed Lamond and Peter Gengler, but no Greenlanders.
Staged outside the dining hall late Friday afternoon, the building began after four stations were arranged on the
ground among the pine needles, each containing a pile of wood, tape and tools. Bike rims for the coamings came
later. Being in such close proximity allowed everyone, participants and spectators alike, to see what others were
doing and make comparisons, as well as gauge how the allotted time was spent.
The saws provided, one per team, could have been mistaken for Japanese pull saws but were actually cutoff
saws with blades only about six inches long. Using them to cut ribs and deck beams wasn’t much better than
doing it with the small Leatherman saw blade. The supplied selection of wood has varied from year to year. It
depends on what the organizer can source. Delmarva’s package included about a dozen thin flexible strips one
or two feet long. At first glance these looked like potential ribs. But upon closer inspection the idea seemed
impractical. Each piece was only as thick as veneer, easily pliable without being steamed, but too flimsy and
weak to serve as a normal rib. A better use, favored by most of the teams, was to fashion a masik by holding the
entire pack of strips in a curved bundle and wrapping them in tape to set the shape.
Maligiaq approached the assignment enthusiastically and immediately set his crew to work. Using a technique
familiar to conventional skin-on-frame builders he fashioned holding jigs to set the ends of the gunwale at the
desired angle before the tape was applied. Such a level of sophistication for superfast kayak construction has
rarely been seen before. The Greenlander’s team also took to the task eagerly, exchanging ideas and directives
among themselves in their native tongue as their U.S. teammates helped out wherever they could. As the frames
took shape John Pedersen and Dave Isbell’s team took longer than expected to attach the keel and chines to
their gunwales. They didn’t have enough time to add as many vertical support pieces in place, and when the
frame was later wrapped the chines shifted to unintended positions.
Seeing the four completed kayaks side by side allowed plenty of speculation and trash talking regarding
anticipated race results. Even those who were not on a team got to offer their opinions. The team without any
Greenlanders on it opted for very high chines and a pronounced vee hull. Some of their thick deck cross beams
were taped on top of the gunwales rather than against the inside, in contrast to the smoother decks of the other
kayaks. The women, forming the majority in John Pedersen’s group gravitated to the pink bike rim for their
coaming. Maligiaq seemed to be intent on speed as his kayak had a narrow beam with high, somewhat boxy
sides. The four Greenlanders’ kayak had a shape any builder would be proud of, although Maligiaq suggested
that it would be hard to turn.
The race rules were adjusted to fit Delmarva’s unique conditions. Out of concern for a traffic jam going around
the single buoy that marks the far end of the course, each kayak raced by itself while being timed. Additionally
the rolling was done separately at the end of the pier where Delmarva’s shallow beach gets deeper, but still not
deep enough for sculling rolls.
As the race got underway each kayak became subjected to increasing amounts of weight on the back deck
during entries and exits, yet continued to hold up surprisingly well. Maligiaq ran his lap quickly, but his two other
teammates had trouble keeping the kayak upright and lost time. Later he knocked out a reverse sweep roll with
ease, but then tried a hand roll and couldn’t succeed. The US team kayak struggled to roll and also suffered
during the race. The Greenlanders’ kayak handled well and secured the best race time. It was also rolled three
times, doing a standard roll, then layback and forward hand rolls. Despite having not as much structural
reinforcement as planned, the pink coaming kayak stayed whole.
In announcing the results Anders did not give the point-by-point breakdown as is done in Norway. In the rush of
excitement he cut straight to the chase. The Greenlanders came in first with 21 points. Maligiaq’s team took
second, four points behind. John Pedersen’s team was third, and the U.S. team scored lowest. Team photos
beneath Delmarva’s iconic tower ensued. Having survived the contest intact, all four kayaks were subjected to
further paddling and rolling to satisfy the curiosity of those who wondered what a kayak built in three hours can
do. In some cases the frames proved sturdy enough for solo entry and exit.
To dispose of the remnants, the plastic was removed from the frames, and on Sunday night a 16-foot tall kayak
tripod was erected on the beach to create a skin-on-frame bonfire – except for the Greenlander’s kayak. In what
could become the defining test of a winning entry, theirs was spared the bonfire fate and ended up strapped to
someone’s trailer to be taken home. In effect it was judged by popular opinion to be too good to destroy. Perhaps
it will live on in a survey, a replication or as the inspiration for a future design.
The Roots of Kayak Design
It’s tempting to interpret the Delmarva results as attributable to the abundance of Inuit minds on the winning team
and an absence of them on the team that finished last, although that’s a gross oversimplification based on only
one data set. Still, an exercise like this reminds us of how kayak design and construction was originally done.
Nowadays designers typically use one of several available computer programs to adjust parameters and settle
on the final dimensions. To build a kayak one starts with plans obtained from one of these designers or follows a
set of survey drawings derived from a museum piece. With the measurements dictated beforehand, building
involves matching the materials to the specifications, analogous to a paint-by-number picture.
Although modern kayak building has employed everything from power drills to CNC machines, let it not be
forgotten that the development and refinement of the traditional Inuit kayak predates electricity. Kayaks were
once made without computers, in an orally based culture, using math no more complex than simple arithmetic.
The “blueprints” of any given kayak existed solely in the mind of the builder, and had to be brought to life by hand
similar to the way an abstract impressionist painter applies paint to canvas. The three-hour skin-on-frame contest
takes us back to these roots. A great kayak is as much a product of artistic inspiration as of scientific precision.
Contributing to The Masik
The Masik welcomes contributions and queries. If you have an idea for an article, but aren’t sure if it’s right for
The Masik, or if you want to discuss it further before committing to writing, contact Helen Wilson, the Editor. She
can be reached by e-mail ([email protected]) and by snail mail (PO Box 4183, Arcata, CA 95518).