East Greenland Kayak Build, Day 3-4. Lashing on the stringers, setting the end plates, and installing the masik.
If possible I like to have the stringers and stems tied on by the end of day 3 but some times that work bleeds over into the next day. I’m using waxed polyester to tie things together here but the original kayak was actually nailed! This was common in 19th and 20th century kayaks because by that time the Greenlanders had access to European metal. Before that The stringers were typically lashed to the ribs on West Greenland kayaks and pegged to the stringers on East Greenland kayaks, although there were always exceptions. The reason that I use string is because it’s a lot faster and it lets me nudge the stringers to fair the lines later in the process.
The end plates that tie the gunwales to the stem together are much more substantial here than what would’ve been seen on the original. Often times this piece was just let into the stem and did not form a mechanical connection to the gunwales.
Once the hull is complete I can sit in the kayak on the floor and test fit the masik, which is the framing member that fits tightly across the thighs.
Sometimes these were mortised into the gunwales, and sometimes they were added after the fact. I always wait to put mine on because that lets me fine-tune the fit. Greenland kayaks perform best when the fit is very snug, but obviously it’s good if you can safely enter and exit the kayak as well. The difference between a perfect fit and a dangerous fit is often no more than a quarter of an inch in some dimension so I find that the best way to figure that out is to mock things up and physically get in and out of the kayak.
Once I feel like the fit is right, I’ll finish shaping the masik, notch it into the gunwales, and peg it in place.
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