Source of the photos: Edward Shackleton, Arctic Journeys. 1936
Review: Abdel Rahman El Gamal
Kayak is a small, light, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by using a double paddle.
Kayaks which mean “hunter’s boat” or “man’s boat” were created thousands of years ago by the Inuit and Aleut tribes (formerly known as Eskimos) of Arctic North America. These early kayaks were used during summer months primarily for navigation, hunting and fishing in sub-Arctic regions of northeastern Asia, North America and Greenland. Seals were the main hunting target, though whales and caribou were important in some areas.
These first kayaks were constructed from sealskins or walrus skins stretched over a frame made of driftwood or whalebone. The smooth and flexible skin glides silently through the waves. The tribes used whale fat to waterproof the vessels. To improve the buoyancy of kayaks, they used air-filled seal bladders. The tanning of the hides and the sewing of the outer hull were the responsibility of the Eskimo women. Depending on the frequent use of “kayaks”, the outer skin had to be renewed at least every one-two years.
It is interesting to know that the Eskimo kayak builders while designing the boats, they had in consideration the span of the outstretched arms, and the width of the builder’s hips. Based on that, typical dimensions of kayaks were about 5.2 m long by 51–56 cm wide by 18 cm deep. There were slightly larger size of the same boat. The design ensures maximum safety of the boat user through securing a sustainable upright on rough waters and enable users regaining their position when the kayak turned over and hence help Eskimos avoid swimming in such extremely cold water.
It may worth mentioning that in 1936, the Olympics included kayak racing as a part of the Olympic Games in Berlin.
