Over at the baidarka mailing list archives this topic has been discussed at length, so that is a good place to look.

I've built a couple of both types and building wise the Greenland has fewer parts so is a little quicker to build though that is a minor point. The Greenland style of building requires that the gunnels be twisted and then matching up the ends evenly which can be a little difficult the first time around especially if you use a wood that doesn't want to twist - in that case your gunnels can be thinner say 5/8" thick instead of 3/4", in fact many Greenland kayaks have gunnels only 1/2" thick but that makes ribbing more of a problem with potential rib mortises splitting out.

The true Greenland kayak is quite shallow having a depth to sheer of about 7" on average and a beam of about 19-20" on average in the last 100years or so. They have very little room for storage - most modern day sof Greenies have a depth to sheer of about 8" to accomodate the larger feet of North Americans, also the fore-deck is raised more too. Beam-wise 20 -22" is a good range for the modern N.A. paddler.
Paddling wise the Greenland kayak requires a bit less effort to maintain a cruising speed than an Aleutian kayak though this is a generalization. Initial stability is somewhat less for the Greenland kayak- secondary stability is generally very good because by the time you are there you better be bracing. In general Greenland kayaks are quite good in rough water though this is dependent on a decent paddler. Comfort is relative in kayaking though it is safe to say that in Greenland comfort was not a factor as the boats fit snug with a small cockpit and little foot room. All in all a fun kayak for a skilled adventurous paddler who won't be taking anything bigger than a lunch and a wadded up jacket.

Baidarkas or Aleutian kayaks as I prefer to call them have more cargo room than Greenies, take about 20% longer to build and are more bouyant in rough water. Cockpit size is small on the original Aleut boats and because the coaming is horizontal is more difficult to get into than a Greenie with its raked coaming.
That is why most modern day Aleut boats have a lengthened cockpit and sometimes raked as well.

To be honest I think neither kayak is best for most recreational paddlers who generally want a fairly stable boat with good cargo carrying capacity. That is why I would suggest a deeper (9-10" dts) Eastern Arctic type or a Kodiak Island type as they are more stable and carry more than either an Aleut or Greenland.

As always visit Harvey Goldens site http://home.pacifier.com/~qayaq/

and David Zimmerly's http://www.arctickayaks.com/

: I am planning to build a SOF kayak as my next project. The first step is
: deciding what type of boat to build. I am considering a Greenland design,
: like George Putz's Walrus, and a baidarka, possibly one of George Dyson's
: designs. I am familiar with Greenland designs and their performance, but I
: have never paddled a baidarka. Actually, except for photos, I have never
: seen a baidarka.

: I would appreciate any input on the characteristics of a baidarka vs. a
: Greenland design, both in building and handling on the water.

: Also, is anyone planning on bringing a Baidarka to the June 23rd event? If
: so, will they be permitting "test drives"?

: Thanks,

: Ken Finger