Boat Building Forum

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

Skin-on-Frame: Baidarka vs. Greenland?
By:Timt
Date: 6/9/2009, 11:24 pm

I'm thinking about the next build. After reading Cunningham, Morris, and Dyson I'm considering the relative merits of the two styles. And would like more information in general on the baidarka type.

My impression from reading "Baidarka" by Dyson is that they evolved into large, fast, tripping boats with extra buoyancy in the ends to rise over the waves. For example, the 24'x28" 2 seater design in the book. The earlier ones were probably smaller, skinnier, more agile.

Robert Morris has a design in "Building Skin-on-Frame Boats" that is long, narrow, deep V, and probably beyond my paddling skill at the moment. Seems like it has the length and reduced wetted area to really move, but a lot less volume in the upper jaw of the bow. Wave piercer?

I'm not set on traditional construction, but the more information I can find on why the design is what it is, the better.

Anyone have any thoughts on comparing the two types? Performance in different environments, purpose, etc.
Any books out there with enough information to work out sizing a design similar to Cunningham's "Building the Greenland Kayak"
Any other books that address Baidarkas?

I have a stripper Great Auk. I enjoy the boat, but my dreams of tripping with it are a few years out. After building my son's Seapup, I think I'd like to try a lighter, lower volume boat. My paddling is all lake stuff in small waves, but Erie and Huron are close.

Messages In This Thread

Skin-on-Frame: Baidarka vs. Greenland?
Timt -- 6/9/2009, 11:24 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Baidarka vs. Greenland?
Bill Hamm -- 6/10/2009, 3:35 pm