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"Why does the stern have that shape on the Baidarka?"
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The shape of the stern is a very important feature that gives the hull an efficient water line length, creates a skeg like effect for tracking, and in a following seas or surfing condition, provides a surface for the wave to act on and generate a little extra forward thrust. |
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"What are those bone toggles for?" |
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The original purpose of the bone pieces seen on the decks of traditional kayaks were used to organize and contain the many tools of the Inuit hunter. The pieces would also prevent the deck lines from freezing to the deck by lifting them off the surface slightly. By sliding these pieces, or toggles, towards or away from each other, loosens or tightens the deck lines. Sometimes the toggles were carved into effigies that acted as good luck talismans. |
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"Why is the cockpit rim so small?" |
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Traditional cockpit rims on Greenland and Aleutian kayaks were kept small because larger ones create a bigger opening in the kayak and therefore weakens its bow to stern rigidity. To remedy this requires additional wood to the kayak's structure, not easily obtained in the treeless regions of the Arctic. In simplistic terms, a kayak is a tube with a hole in the middle of it. If enough upward force is placed at each end of the kayak it is most likely to fold or fail in the cockpit area. Another very important reason for a smaller cockpit opening is that the smaller surface area combined with the traditional spray skirt garment worn(called Tuilik in Greenland or Kamleika in the Aleutians) reduced the risk of implosion from a breaking wave.The extra length of the garment sealed around the rim meant it was the paddler's lap that took the force of the wave and not the spray skirt. The modern solution seems to be in contradiction to this wisdom with very large cockpit openings covered by drum tight spray skirts. |
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