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Re: Skin-on-Frame: polyethelyne SOF
By:Greg Stamer
Date: 11/12/2002, 2:52 pm
In Response To: Re: Skin-on-Frame: polyethelyne SOF (Rick Allnutt)

: Here is a negative comment on using plastic ribs: I certainly have nothing
: against trying new techniques, however...

When a few of us visited Ilulissat Greenland this last summer, we were excited to view the kayak used by the (late) master, Manasse Mathaeussen (see http://qajaqusa.org/QK/QKmain.html#history). Manasse is largely credited with saving a number of the Greenland kayak techniques from extinction. He traveled Europe demonstrating Greenland rolling for many years. Manasse is also featured performing advanced rolls at over seventy years old in John Heath's "Amphibious Man", video.

When two members of our party inspected his kayak, which had characteristics of both East and West Greenland kayaks, they were surprised to see that a number of the ribs were plastic. The plastic ribs had broken and deformed badly over time. Richard Nonas is replicating this kayak and his experience trying to replicate the plastic ribs is at http://www.qajaqusa.org/cgi-bin/GreenlandTechniqueForum_config.pl/read/7089.

The moral is that plastic ribs are not new. Greenlanders readily try any useful material at their disposal. Given the critical function of ribs in a SOF, my personal choice would be steam-bent hardwood, but you are in good company if you experiment with plastic.

Greg Stamer

Messages In This Thread

Skin-on-Frame: polyethelyne SOF
Chad Hanson -- 11/8/2002, 7:07 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: polyethelyne SOF
Rick Allnutt -- 11/12/2002, 10:06 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: polyethelyne SOF
Greg Stamer -- 11/12/2002, 2:52 pm
Correction;video w/ Manasse is "Qajaq Klubben"
Greg Stamer -- 11/13/2002, 10:14 am
One concern
Brian Nystrom -- 11/11/2002, 12:25 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: polyethelyne SOF
Tom Yost -- 11/8/2002, 8:39 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: polyethelyne SOF *LINK*
Rick Allnutt -- 11/8/2002, 9:25 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: polyethelyne SOF *LINK*
Tom Yost -- 11/9/2002, 12:02 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: polyethelyne SOF
Rick Allnutt -- 11/9/2002, 3:39 pm