Re: [Paddlewise] Baidarka vs. Greenland speed

Even when most of the Baidarka photographs in the net show flatwater szenerie, I 
believe that the first criteria in designing a modern greenland kayak or a 
baidarka should be their seaworthyness.
Consequently the main criteria for speed in sea conditions is the ability of the 
design to stand the test of surf, currents, overfalls, strong winds etc. (The 
flatwater-fans will find some very fine and super fast original flatwater eskimo 
designs for their job if they study the rich scale of eskimo designs.)
Just do a circ around the Faroe Islands and you know wether the design meets the 
criteria of speed under real conditions or not.
Yes, I would be very interested to know more about the behavior of the baidarka 
under such conditions, but remember that Baidarkas and Greenlanders were 
designed for different purposes and for different sea conditions by different 
cultures. (The original Greenlander hadn't been designed to transport heavy bag 
- or heavy camping equipment e.g.) So I agree, that it is very difficult to 
compare these designs. 

On the other hand, I have never seen an original Greenland kayak with a 
"rounder" bottom. Try to make the bottom of an Angmagssalik round, you will have 
to add some inches to the width in order to regain the same (small) initial 
stability and so on and so on. It won't still be a Greenlander in the end of the 
day and - more important - it won't behave like a Greenlander in the wave.
Modern designers are free to design kayaks as they like, and these designs may 
be excellent. But in respect to those who applied their designs for an eternal 
patent times ago, I feel a modern design shouldn't be called Greenlander or 
Baidarka if their nature is changed.

And finally: what is the real sense in comparing the flatwater speed of 
Greenland "styled" boats with Baidarka "styled"..., with the same modern hull 
under water?

George


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