Subject: RE: [baidarka] Ice
From: Chuck Holst (cholst@multitech.com)
Date: Thu Jan 03 2002 - 15:59:12 EST
Hi Dave,
That must have been Dennis Asmussen in his brand new tuilik that you saw. I
intended to be there myself, but to get at the kayaks I would have had to
move my table saw into the workshop, and because I was varnishing the
woodwork in the workshop, I was reluctant to add any sawdust to the air...
Anyway, the short answer is that Greenlander kayakers always stay with the
kayak, and do not wet exit. As you said, the only option they have is to
roll up, either solo or with assistance (as in the Eskimo rescue). The
Eskimo rescue is probably one reason they used to consider it unsafe to hunt
alone, especially since not all Greenlanders could roll.
Freezing temperatures and ice buildup increase your risk in several ways, so
it is always best in such temperatures to paddle with a group. It's more an
educational experience than a pleasure cruise, except for a short time.
Besides the risk of your sprayskirt freezing to the coaming, deck lines and
rudder and skeg lines freeze up, bungees stay loose when stretched, rubber
hatch covers become almost impossible to remove, and ice buildup on the
paddle makes it harder to brace or roll. When I was out in similar
(actually, colder) conditions a couple of years ago, I loosened my
sprayskirt every 15 minutes or so to make sure I could remove it when
necessary.
Note that for New Year's paddling, a West Greenland paddle is probably safer
than a conventional paddle because the shoulder where the blade meets the
shaft gives more control when iced up than a conventional paddle shaft.
Also, Greenland paddles are made to be grasped near the tip for rolling and
bracing, and the near-constant immersion of the blades keeps them from icing
up even at 6 above, which is the coldest I have paddled in. (It's hard to
appreciate this aspect of Greenland paddle design until you have actually
paddled in such conditions.)
Chuck Holst
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