I prefer to make laminated Masiks, as they are called in Greenlandic. This is the deck beam member in which the front of the coaming rests upon and defines the maximum width of the Greenland kayak. A laminated Masik will be very strong, composed of several layers of 3/16" thick  x 2 3/4" wide wood epoxied together, can be made very slim, not sacrificing interior room, and keeping a low, sleek, traditional looking foredeck as a result. It can be made of just about any wood you prefer. I've made them of Yellow Cedar and Ponderosa Pine bought from Lowe's.



This photo shows a unshaped, laminated Masik on the right, compared to a finished example on the left.



Here is a roughed out laminated Masik made of Ponderosa Pine glued together with Gorilla glue. You can see the step cut at each end where the Masik rests on the gunwhales. This feature also helps spread any downward, exterior forces the Masik may receive in use. I also like to shape Masiks with a middle bump that serves to locate and brace your inner thigh against when edging the kayak for additional control. I can also carve a finger slot in the underside of this bump
to help get a grip of the kayak when picking it up...



Layout of the finger slot.



Carved finger slot.



I enjoyed many a Peach from our pathetic little Peach tree as seen below, in addition to a copious amount of Plums this summer.



You wouldn't believe how many Peaches this little tree that I almost cut done yielded! I'm glad I saved it.

 

About 3 years ago, to help assist me and others learn the Norsaq roll more easily, I made several modified Norsaqs to use as an intermediate device that was a little larger than the typical 16" length to something approximately 24". I was teased at first about them, but others in our kayak club CKF soon recognized the benefit it gave in learning to use something other than your paddle to recover from a capsize.  I'm happy to see instructors such as Helen Wilson discover and apply this device as a rolling aid for the challenging Norsaq Roll as described in her article in the recent Sea Kayaker Magazine.

Here I am at my TAKS event in Mendocino 2 years ago using my modified Norsaq getting assistance from 8 time world Greenlandic Kayaking Champion, Maligiaq Padilla:



Seen here is Lee Shurie with a Shaman Kayaks modified Norsaq on his foredeck:




Here is Paul Jonason in the shallows using the shore bottom to support himself as a stretching exercise before he uses a Shaman Kayaks modified Norsaq seen alongside a Norsaq signed by Maligiaq Padilla:



I was so thrilled a couple of weeks ago to witness Beverly Waldron, aged 71,  accomplish a static brace using another one of my modified Norsaqs. She was thrilled also!! Beverly, in the last year or so,  transitioned to using a Greenland Paddle from a Euro paddle and hasn't looked back because her rolling is so consistent now, feels safer and more confident on the water as a result. Way to go Beverly!



Here she is in the static brace gripping the modified Norsaq as one would performing a Butterfly Roll with a standard Greenland Paddle:

 

In between keeping the dogs away from a Raccoon that has decided to make his residence under my shop (that's OK with me), I have pegged in place the protective Polyethylene (cutting board material) edges. You can't glue this stuff, so pegging it the traditional way works well:



Next, I pegged the tips on. You can clearly see the lines I created to guide me in pegging and shaping. Because wood is, well, wood, blemishes, chips, nicks and so on can occur,  pointed out by the arrow:



To fix this, I glued in a block after I made a diagonal cut to the PE to access it:



Then I fitted a matching PE block, inserted and pegged it in place:



After using the 4 in 1 file and sanding block to fair the inserted block, a cabinet scraper works very well to smooth out both the Cedar and PE:



The last step is to shape the loom. It's a good idea to keep it square when shaping the blades because it provides a flat shape to clamp down. Shaping the loom is done with the Draw Knife, Plane, Spoke Shave, Sanding Block, Scraper, and lastly, a strip of sand paper as shown here with the paddle supported at it's ends:



After many people showed interest in my paddles and kayaks, it was suggested that I create a logo and brand my products. Good idea to me! Here is the set up with propane torch and branding iron:



And here is Susie Williams, proud owner of a Shaman Kayak Greenland Paddle, and first time GP user too! When I gave her a demo to try she instantly loved the feel of the wood and could see the benefits of this simple, elegant, and ancient design:



And here is Jindi keeping an eye out for that Raccoon.  She knows it's down that hole in the floor!!

 

As I was carving a Greenland Paddle today for a customer, I realized how physical it can be shaping it, and how much of an intimate process it is when using hand tools, especially. This intimacy is lost with automation, and I believe you really do put an energy or intention into your work when making something by hand.  This is what gives the paddle a life or spirit, rather than just being an inanimate object.  You begin to see the grain, how it moves through the Paddle and changes direction. How you need to work with it and not fight it when shaping it. One of the best tools you can use when roughing out a Greenland Paddle is the Draw Knife as pictured at the bottom of this photo:



Shown is an assortment of tools that I typically use when carving a "GP".  Clockwise from the top: Hand Plane, Spoke shave,
4 in 1 file with a file card to clean it, the Draw Knife, Cabinet Scraper, Sanding Block, and Sureform Flat File. I tend to bounce around from tool to tool, almost depending on my mood! But there is a logical sequence typically associated with shaping a paddle. After blanking out the paddle with a Band Saw - this is where my desire to carve by hand is compromised!, I'll use the Draw Knife, Hand Plane + Spoke Shave, 4 in 1 with the Sureform to assure flatness and straight edges, Sanding Block + Cabinet Scraper to smooth and further flatten surfaces out, in the order listed. Here is the paddle clamped to a "Strong Back" (2 x 4) during shaping:



I try to keep surfaces flat and edges straight. Often, I'm redrawing my centerlines and other marks as they get removed. A good practice is to hold the Paddle as it's being shaped from time to time, up to a harsh light that will show a strong shadow on the blade highlighting areas that are wobbly or out of true that need correction as shown in this photo:



I have seen many styles of Greenland Paddles. Some are nicely done, but a lot are clubbish and not particularly elegant, looking machine made. The amazing thing though, is that they'll work regardless! One of the beautiful aspects of making something by hand IS the high probability of imperfection occurring which is the human element, and is what gives the piece character. It is also this imperfection that can lead to discovery and innovation.  Stay tuned for my thoughts on the finished Paddle!

 

It's a little known fact that the Aleuts paddling their Baidarkas with Russian fur traders employing them to hunt Sea Otters, made their way as far south to the Channel Islands just off shore from this beach in Carpinteria, California. My friend Peter O'Sullivan is seen here launching a Baidarka I built for him some years ago (see earlier post). He finds it to be a very sea worthy and comfortable skin-on-frame kayak (Iqyan).



Here Pete is showing good technique in spearing a wave as he rides through it...Due to their design, Baidarkas seem to always find that sweet spot when encountering a wave. That is, it will not submarine into a wave or ride too high on top of it risking the possibility of pitch polling backwards!!



This picture that I took shows the Baidarka's profile nicely as well as the often benign conditions off Carp. Notice the modified rear deck so that Peter can perform lay back rolls nicely....



A reflective moment for Peter as two Brown Pelicans soar by. Pelicans are some of my favorite sea birds. They are so prehistoric! I always marvel at how they can drop out of the sky and plunge straight down to catch a fish, or glide with their wing tips inches away from the crest of a wave...