: My web searches had paid dividends and I have enough information to build a
: harpoon and norsaq (there is plenty out there re norsaq's not harpoons)

: However... I am almost back to where i started as it looks as though the
: Aleut "throwing boards" are a form of (if not actually) an
: atlatl? I use this term for the fact that it is thrown with an
: "end" of dart fulcrum.

: I have information about a "Sea Otter Dart" the Aleuts used and the
: throwing board they used with it.
: Did they use these to the exclusion of harpoons?
: If they did use harpoons did they use a norsaq type of throwing board or
: their own "atlatl type" throwing board?
: Are their harpoons differently designed to the Greenland harpoon? Or would
: you call the Sea Otter dart a harpoon?

: Is there any interest in me putting together a list of key resources i have
: found? i.e. throwing boards (norsaq) Harpoons and darts. All collected
: with an idea to DIY.

: Does anyone want to tell me about the round ring "thing" that
: appears to be raised and seen on many Eskimo kayaks. It looks like my
: wife's embroidery circular frame! Perhaps i have asked enough questions!

Hi Brian,
Good idea posting the "Eskimo Hunting weapons" posts, I hadn't known about thudscave.com, thanks.
If you have the time, it would be a handy resource list, the more information the better.

Aleut otter darts. I think there would be more information on those than the seal hunting tools as the Aleut were forced to concentrate on otter hunting by the Russians in the past, so more would be known about the otter hunting equipment.
I don't think the same harpoon would be used for otter and seal hunting, the seal harpoon would be heavier for a larger animal.

The ring thing on the foredeck is a line 'reel'. It holds the line connecting the harpoon with the bladder float so that it won't freeze to the deck. The bladder and line allows the hunter to 'disconnect' from the prey animal when it's harpooned, some of whom get annoyed.

Mike Savage
South West Cork