Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 03:53:31 -0800 (PST)
From: Ve Smith <ve_hengda_smith@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: baidarka Baidarka Bow Piece?
To: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
The example in the Lowey(sp?)Museum is made of na single piece
with the grain running in the same profile as the bow piece. This was
probably normal for baidarkas, but I doubt if the owners of the
surviving examples would allow them to be taken apart for
verification. Other West Alaskan kayaks, to which the Aleutian types
are related, also use this method, and the deck beams are made the
same way.
There was a two part article by David Zimmerly in Small Boat
Journal several years ago that had beautiful, but underdimensioned
(therefore, sort of useless) drawings of most of the oddly shaped
pieces. Incidentally, I have recently punched Zimmerly's offsets of
the Lowey Museum baidarka into a CAD model and, if they are accurate,
that is one crooked boat. I'm currently in the process of trying to
clean them up enough to start modifications I want to make for my next
boat.
David Zimmerly also had a business selling full size plans for this
kayak and others, but this was some time ago and I don't know if they
are still available.
I can dig up the address if you're interested. I also have the SBJ
articles if you want photocopies.
---Bram van der Sluys <bvdsluys@direct.ca> wrote:
>
> At 08:18 AM 06/11/98 EST, you wrote:
> > Where can I find some detailed drawings, plans or photographs of
the Aleut
> >baidarka bow piece and how it is constructed? I have Mr. Brinks
fine book on
> >boat construction, but the version he has is glued up from several
pieces of
> >wood. Somehow I don't think that is how they were actually made.
Were the
> >actual pieces carved from a single piece of wood, or lashed and/or
pegged from
> >several smaller pieces?
> >
> >Thanks,
> >
> >Scott
> >So.Cal.
>
> There are several photographs in "Contributions Kayak Studies"
edited by
> E.Y. Arima. Due to the complicated shape I suspect most are
multi-piece
> constructions. It is also probable that there was a wide variety of
ways of
> constructing the bowpiece, all based on an individual's construction
> capabilities as well as the availability of adequate wood.
Apparently not
> all northern native peoples were good boat builders, just as we, who
are
> attempting to build good baidarkas, constitute a pretty small
percentage of
> the worlds population.
>
> Regards
> Bram
>
>
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