Boat Building Forum

Find advice on all aspects of building your own kayak, canoe or any lightweight boats

Re: Other: What's the point of greenland kayaks ?
By:skiffrace
Date: 1/24/2008, 9:22 am

: Initially the low angle bow allows the bow of the kayak to ride up over ice

Dave,
I think you nailed it with this point. Like vast majority of kayakers I kayak on 100% ice-free water and never thought of this.
If there is a chance your boat hits something that is submerged or semi-submerged (ice) the bow shape make huge difference.

Hitting ice chunk with a greenland bow may make the boat to ride on top.
Hitting it with blunt bow may crush your bow/boat and throw you into the water.

Just this factor alone explains why the Inuit shape the bow this way.

Inspiration may come from most unlikely place (So Cal == You know your ice :-)

PS. Still, for those of us who kayak where there is no ice I think the greenland bow may be too extreme.

Messages In This Thread

Other: What's the point of greenland kayaks ?
Skiffrace -- 1/20/2008, 11:45 am
Re: Other: What's the point of greenland kayaks ?
Bryan Hansel -- 1/25/2008, 9:49 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of greenland kayaks ? *LINK* *Pic*
Aaron H -- 1/24/2008, 11:42 am
Re: Other: What's the point of greenland kayaks ?
Tom Simpson -- 1/24/2008, 9:20 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Kris Buttermore -- 1/24/2008, 11:28 am
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 1/24/2008, 1:31 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Toni V -- 1/24/2008, 5:54 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
dave -- 1/24/2008, 7:28 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Bill Hamm -- 1/27/2008, 2:05 am
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/24/2008, 7:43 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
dave -- 1/24/2008, 7:06 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Mike Savage -- 1/24/2008, 9:12 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
dave -- 1/24/2008, 6:50 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Kris Buttermore -- 1/24/2008, 4:06 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 1/25/2008, 3:47 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Rob Macks / Laughing Loon CC&K -- 1/24/2008, 6:38 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
John D. -- 1/25/2008, 12:18 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Rob Macks / Laughing Loon CC&K -- 1/25/2008, 12:53 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Toni V -- 1/25/2008, 4:39 am
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ? *Pic*
Aaron H -- 1/24/2008, 9:29 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Harvey Golden -- 1/26/2008, 12:15 am
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Rob Macks / Laughing Loon CC&K -- 1/24/2008, 10:19 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Dave Isbell -- 1/25/2008, 9:44 am
Re: Other: What's the point of Greenland kayaks ?
Aaron H -- 1/25/2008, 12:10 am
What's the point of greenland kayaks ?
Jay Babina -- 1/24/2008, 8:11 am
Re: Other: What's the point of greenland kayaks ?
Björn Thomasson -- 1/24/2008, 3:53 am
Re: Other: What's the point of greenland kayaks ?
Duane Strosaker -- 1/23/2008, 11:11 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of greenland kayaks ?
Dave Houser -- 1/23/2008, 10:18 pm
Re: Other: What's the point of greenland kayaks ?
skiffrace -- 1/24/2008, 9:22 am
Re: Other: What's the point of greenland kayaks ?
Dave Isbell -- 1/24/2008, 11:00 am
Pointy Ends Have a Nice Appearance
John Van Buren -- 1/24/2008, 8:17 am