qajaq

You’ve seen the big, wide, chunky folding kayaks Jane and I paddled. But this is the real deal!

I struggled to fit in them.

Chris

I used to keep my kayak in the hospital garden during the paddling months, but one year I was invited to paddle with the locals on Greenland’s Nation Day, June 21 (more on that in another post). Suddenly I was upgraded, by invitation, to put my kayak on the qajaq rack.

My kayak (there are two Folbots in this photo – mine is the one with the orange handle) is based on the traditional skin-on-frame Inuit qajaqs. But just look at the difference in size, and, importantly, the width!

The qajaq is built for speed. It cuts through waves, absorbing the wave’s energy through the skin cover (now painted cloth, for the most part) and in the flex of the frame. The traditional frame is built of wood, scavenged from the sea, and tied with sealskin cord.

I’ve mentioned this before.

Repeating myself. LOL

However, have a look a the photo and I’ll leave the rest to your imagination. 🙂

Now if I could only find a picture of a naked frame… Back to the hard drive!

Chris