Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 09:53:22 -0500
From: "Wolfgang Brinck" <wolfgang.brinck@hksystems.com>
To: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
Subject: Re: [baidarka] anatomical references
I think that when we speak of anthropometrics, we need to make a
distinction between using the human body to record measurements and
fitting a boat to the human body. Positioning foot and knee braces to
fit the paddler and making the boat wide enough to fit the paddler's
rear end are more properly ergonomic issues.
Joelle Robert-Lamblin recorded some anthropometrics for Aleut boats
which is where I got my info from. The article is in French and I also
had an English translation which was supplied by George Dyson.
I think that for the most part, builders got a working boat first and
then recorded the dimensions of that boat by making marks on a stick or
knots in a string or committing sums of body parts to memory.
I wouldn't reccomend building a boat to anthropometric dimensions
without first finding out what size the original builder's forearms,
hand spans, thumb's width, height etc were, then translating that and
then taking into account that the person who built the boat was possibly
shorter than the average modern day kayak builder.
Wolfgang
Craig O'Donnell wrote:
>
> >lew plummer wrote:
> >
> >> The Aleut craft were sized by anatomical measurments. The owners own
> >> body measurments were related directly to the boats construction. Does
> >> anyone know if these anatomical relationships have been recorded and, if
> >> so, for what type of craft?
> >>
> >> Regards, Lew Plummer
>
> FWIW, these measuring schemes were also used for Pacific sailing canoes
> (not literally the same, but I wouldn't be surprised to find 'em 80%
> identical, as in for example, fingertip to inside of elbow, or wat have
> you). Probably a widespread means of Stone Age measurement. At least one
> source I've read implies that one guy was the "human ruler" on each
> particular island in the Pacific or in each tribe on a particular island.
>
> Craig O'Donnell