Building the Greenland Kayak

Christopher Cunningham has been the editor of Sea Kayaker magazine, America’s leading sea kayak publication, since 1989. His father first took him paddling at the age of 4 or 5. He rebuilt his first kayak in the early 1970s and has been building kayaks since 1979. He taught Greenland kayak construction at the WoodenBoat school for three years, with seven students each year producing their own kayaks. He has built four 1:5 scale models of traditional kayak frames for the Alaska State Museum and was featured building a Greenland kayak in a one-half hour episode of “Craftsmen of the World” for Japanese Public Television. Chris has twice rowed up the Inside Passage from Washington to Alaska, paddled 2,500 miles from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, and rowed 2,400 miles from Pittsburgh to Florida. HOMETOWN: Seattle, Washington

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. The DesignThe Greenland Design as a Recreational KayakAnthropometric Measurement2. ToolsCircular Saw BladesDrill BitsKeeping Your Tools SharpThe Art of the JigThe Steam BoxSafetyWood DustSafety Glasses and Hearing ProtectionOn the Water3. MaterialsWoodGrain OrientationBending StockFabricDeck LinesDeck Fittings4. FasteningsLashing MaterialKnots and LashingsThe Eskimo KnotThe Water KnotLashingsTrunnels5. MillingRippingRipping Gunwales to ThicknessStationary Circular Saw Ripping JigRipping on a Table SawPlaningWedge Bench HoldfastMachine PlaningScarfingGlue ScarfsTraditional Scarf JointsHooked Scarfs for Chines and Keelson6. Getting StartedLaying Out the GunwalesBuilding Forms7. The FrameworkOrienting the GunwalesMarking the GunwalesCutting Rib MortisesMortising by HandMortise MachineRouter MortisingShaping the GunwalesCutting the Deck Beam MortisesMortising by HandMortise MachineBeveling the GunwalesThe Building FormsBeveling the Gunwale TipsHollowing the SheerPreparing for Deck BeamsStraight Deck BeamsCutting the Straight Deck Beams to LengthMarking the TenonsArched Deck BeamsCutting TenonsCutting Tenons on Arched Deck BeamsCutting Tenons on Straight Deck BeamsTest FittingAn Alternative to Mortise-and-Tenon Joints for the Deck BeamsAssembling the GunwalesLocking the Gunwales and Deck BeamsTrunnels to Join the Ends of the GunwalesPegging the TenonsDeck Beam Lashings8. The HullThe Rib GaugeCutting Ribs to SizeThinning the Ends of the RibsThe JointerThe Router TableThe Table SawHand ToolsThe Bending JigSteaming and BendingPinning the RibsBow and Stern BlocksAttaching the KeelsonAdjusting the Sheer and RockerPegging the KeelsonTrimming the Ends of the KeelsonCentering the KeelsonFairing BlocksThe Running LashingRunning Lashings Through HolesChinesPositioning the ChinesLashing the Chines9. Finishing the FrameStem PlatesMasikThe Masik PatternNaturally Curved StockA Laminated MasikStraight-Grained StockA 3-D Template for the Masik NotchesInstalling the MasikDeck RidgesTrial RunOiling the FrameThe Cockpit HoopThe Coaming FlangeFloorboards10. Skinning the KayakPulling Longitudinal TensionPulling Transverse TensionWorking SoloWorking with a PartnerThe DecksStretching the DecksSewingInstalling the CoamingLacing the CoamingCoatingsAircraft DopeTwo-Part Urethane11. Deck FittingsLeatherBeadsSlidersDeck-Line Placement12. The PaddleLaminating a Paddle BlankShaping the PaddlePaddle ArmorTapering the BladesRounding the ShaftTrimming the Blade E