August 08, 2004

iqax, iqyak, qayaq, kayak! ever since I read The Starship and the Canoe i wanted to build a kayak.

George Dyson (the kayak building son in The Starship and the Canoe) eventually wrote Baidarka: The Kayak which details building kayaks with aluminium frames covered by synthetic skins. For more traditional approaches try one of these (last link is to a site under construction, included because the earlier version is a great site...worth waiting for). I 've been thinking about building a skin on frame kayak for awhile but I live in NYC and so have turned to idea of building a folding kayak. This is all a round about way of asking if any monkeys have built a skin on frame kayak, or any kayak actually. And two what present hobbies/projects came from childhood books?

posted by turnip 20 years ago
  • When I lived in Halifax (NS), as part of an extension class, I built a traditional wood-frame Greenland-style kayak (though with staples, etc. not lashing) but left it with a trusted friend when I left. It was difficult, but extraordinarily rewarding (esp. when I didn't sink to the bottom of the harbour). I've since become slightly addicted to white-water kayaking, which I don't think my little qajaq (pronounced sort like "quaack") would have dealt with well. The desire to build my own springs at least in part from reading Kon Tiki at an impressionable age, I think.
  • For added inspiration, be sure to read The Survival of the Birchbark Canoe by John MacPhee.
  • I wish I was white-water kayaking. It's damn hot today.
  • Another vote for John McPhee. Amazing book. I've used skin-frame kayaks, and still am amazed at how light and responsive they are. Good luck on your project! (throws bucket of water on quidnunc)
  • Survival of the Bark Canoe is a great book. Defintely had an impression on me when I read it . Might have to see if I can dig up a copy as it's been years.
  • *throws bucket of ice water on quidnunc