East Greenland Kayak Build, Day 9. Going paddling. There’s 2 videos here and music!
I built this replica kayak specifically so we could update our online instruction videos and get some better on the water footage of this kayak.
Sleek and low slung, this particular kayak is beautiful on the water, although the paddling experience is quite different than a modern sea kayak.
At 5’8” and 160lbs, I just barely fit into the 6 inches of vertical space allowed for my thighs, and although the frame can be modified to accommodate larger people I feel like this kayak works best for people with body proportions similar to the original kayak hunters, who were roughly 5’4” and 145lbs.
If you can fit inside of it, stability is quite good for an 18 inch wide kayak. It feels a bit spooky at first but I never feel at risk of accidental capsize, and if the worst does happen it’s pretty effortless to roll back up.
The narrow width and cigar shaped submerged hull give this kayak surprisingly low wetted surface for an 18 foot kayak, making it both fast and efficient, two things that are normally at odds with each other in the sea kayak design. It feels effortless to paddle at a moderate fitness pace.
The generous continuous rocker and central trim give excellent maneuverability, although it works best if the boat is paddled flat and I have to constantly remind myself not to edge during turns.
Rough water performance is interesting to say the least, because the kayak becomes a submarine in waves taller than 18 inches. The very first time I paddled this design when I was 28 years old I launched directly into a 10 foot surf zone, and proceeded to roll about 50 times in 10 minutes, barely making it back to shore.
All of these factors combine to make this kayak much less versatile than my other skin on frame designs, but despite that, it remains one of my favorites. I need to take it on the water one more time for filming and then this kayak will be for sale at a significantly reduced price to make room on the rack for spring canoe builds. Inquire if interested. SOLD.
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