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Kayak and Canoe Design Bulletin Board
Re: Eskimo rules for design.
Posted By: John Winters In Response To: Eskimo rules for design. (Christer Samuelsson)
Date: Tuesday, 18 May 1999, at 2:49 p.m.
> Hi, I remember hearing somwere that the eskimos got rules for desiging a
> kayak, based upon the kayakbuilders own personal messurements. The length
> for example should be 3 armspans long and so on. I should think, that the
> rules varies depending on were the particalar eskimo lives, west Greenland
> south Greenland etc. Someone out there must know a lot moore about this
> and I can imagine that a lot moore people want to know.The Inuit used body parts in the same way we use a tape rule. There was no magic in using body parts any more than ther is magic in using metric or English measure. I have studied about thirty Inuit kayaks and kind find nothing about them that indicates any relationship between body size and the proper size of a kayak.
Some South American canoe builders used sinew with knots tied in it. Nothing magic about that either. I use a folding rule. Most use metal tape rules. I knew of an old boat builder who built fishing boats up to 70' long (More or less) who never owned a rule of any type. Did it all by eye.
Don't know what the Egyptians used or the Phoenicians.
I design my boats to a specific displacement. Have found no relationship between the displacement and the ownners arms or any other baody part.
John Winters
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