The Greenland kayak is regarded as the most developed vessel of its kind: no other Inuit boat was built with such respect to the body measurements and future needs of the users. It had to be easy and quick to handle even on a stormy sea. Losing the boat or being thrown out of it unwillingly would have been fatal.
A hunting boat, it was the very condition of survival in the Arctic. The beginnings of its history date back to over 4000 years. The combination of the highest functionality and an extremely graceful appearance makes it unique.
Provided one respects the evolution and developments of this construction, and combines it to a certain extent with modern materials, such as canvas instead of skin for instance, without altering in any way the structure, the boat thus built is a first–class piece of work. It presents a minimal volume and hence reduced windage, as well as a very light weight which makes it easy to handle and quick.
A Greenland kayak weighs between 22 and 29lb for a length of about 17’9” – depending on its owner’s size, weight and the kayak’s chosen characteristics. This makes this boat definitely superior to a contemporary sea kayak in terms of sailing properties.
