Re: [Paddlewise] baidarka bow styles

From: Paul Montgomery <paul_at_paddleandoar.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2007 20:21:09 -0700
On Aug 9, 2007, at 7:24 PM, Harvey Golden wrote:

> --these are answers that would suggest that the
> Aleutian style baidarka bows do not contribute
> anything special to a kayak, however when that
> particular shape is used in conjunction with the
> structure (not neccessarily hull-shape) of an Aleut
> baidarka, I do believe great differences can be
> detected.

I am coming to that conclusion myself as I go through and study the  
drawings on a lot of different boats.

> Aleut kayaks have a dynamic flexibility (as
> opposed to a passive flexibility or resiliency that
> other skin-on-frame kayaks have). They are designed to
> move over the water, and the Aleut baidarka's bow
> shape enables the bow to lift over waves without
> having to lift the entire kayak. This is how the
> resultant properties of a bow with a narrow cutwater
> and a broad buoyant upper plate can be maximized.

Here is something I find interesting. With a flat hand and fingers  
together, open the index and middle fingers to make a V. Put your  
hand in the water with and with out the V. To me water seems to slip  
through the V much better than with out.

> Details of these forms, joints, and structures can be
> seen in my latest project:
> http://www.traditionalkayaks.com/Kayakreplicas/VK228fullsize.html

Good pictures for me right now. I am working on a model of the Lowie  
Museum baidarka from Zimmerly's article in the Small Boat Journal  
(March 1983). I have 3 folders that I built and have been using for 2  
or 3 years and I have to finish them up and sell one or two of them.  
Then I can build full size boats again. But - models SHOULD be built  
anyway.

> I hope you do pursue some Aleut-style projects-- they
> are fascinating and there is much to learn from them
> yet.
> Best,
> Harvey

I guess it would be possible to build hulls with replaceable bows and  
sterns, and to do a baidarka folder it might even be the best way to  
do it. But on the other hand just building and / paddling different  
boats is probably enough. Every boat teaches one something.

Paul Montgomery
paul_at_paddleandoar.com
http://paddleandoar.com
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed
here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire
responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author.
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************
Received on Mon Aug 13 2007 - 20:21:31 PDT

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:31:26 PDT