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Monday, December 06, 2010

"The Nordkapp"


I visited http://www.seabirddesigns.com/  today to check out the Kayaks of Norway and they have some interesting kayak designs there. 9 new models actually. Bjorn Thomasson has designed some of the more Greenlandish styles that appear very sleek with interesting commentary about their intended purpose. I sure would like to try a few though.



"1959 Emanuelle Koreliussen on Greenland built a kayak – the now famous Illorsuit kayak – for an English visitor. Back in England this kayak inspired many well-known production kayaks, among them Anas Acuta and Nordkapp." Quote by Bjorn Thomasson on his Seabirddeisgn site.

If any of his productions come close to the Nordkapp, which is all I really have experience in from the Valley line of boats, he will have multiple successes on his hands I suspect. His Greenland style designs sure want me to try them with my stick. Maybe one day when they come here. The Qanik, Black Pearl and Sea Pearl look attractive to me.

The picture above just shows one of the many advantages to paddling a Greenland design. Such as the low deck profile fore and aft. If I was paddling my other klunker that wave would not be washing over the rear deck. It would be hitting me broadside and probably forcing me to brace. Even near rocks and favorite play places the performance of the Greenland design continues to shine and I wish Bjorn Thomassan and Ingvar Ankervik all the best with their designs and hey, if you ever want one "test paddled" in the North Atlantic, I'd be more than willling to oblige...wink..wink..nudge..nudge....

And I bet Clyde didn't even feel that wave washing over his rear hatch. Probably gone unnoticed as many do!

6 comments:

Sean Dawe said...

Stan: I've been putting a lot of research into the various Greenland-style boats available - like the Black Pearl and the Tahe Greenland. The big problem, pun intended, is that at 6'3", 200lb with size 13 shoes, these boats are mostly designed for smaller paddlers than I. I am always at the very upper limit of what could possibly fit these boats!! It's a bit frustrating!!

My boat is a Greenland style boat. Have a look at my boat in the water and even with no load in the boat, I have less than 2" freeboard and my back deck is always awash even in dead calm seas. Of course, this is great for lay back rolling!! My foredeck is very low as well. My feet just barely fit and I had to buy booties with very soft soles so my feet could bend and fit!! I do like the hard chines on my boat - very Greenlandic and they make for excellent secondary stability and easy edging! When I checked the specs I found out that my boat and the Nordkapp LV have the almost exact same volume!!

I think I'm going to build a boat next year - not sure what yet. Although not a Greenland boat, I am leaning towards the Point Bennett. Google it, it's a nice design with hard chines in plywood.

Cheers,
Sean

Clyde said...

You're right Stan. I didn't notice it or feel it. That's the thing about the Nordkapp; it doesn't just sit on the ocean, it sits in the ocean and becomes part of it. I can't say the same for the other two kayaks I have owned over the years. Sign me up for the "test paddle" too :)
BTW, I love the way that you captured that wave flowing over the back of my kayak.

Stan Mac Kenzie said...

So many boats, so few dollars....lol

St.

Sean Dawe said...

Hey Clyde - no Greenlandic boat for you until you get a "real" paddle!! ;^)

Sean

gnarlydog said...

I am a bit confused.
What exactly is a Greenland style kayak?
One that has pointy bits at both ends? no rudder?
I refer to that look as British style (evolved from the Greenland kayaks).
When I think of Greenland style boat I see more of a low volume hard chine design.
The Nordkapp has no rudder (I have seen some with, but that's another story), a high deck but a more rounded hull. It performs very differently than a hard chine kayak.
A typical commercially available Greenland style kayak is the Tahe Greenland the SeaBird Black Pearl.
The SeaBird North Sea (in looks similar to the Nordkapp if you take the rudder away) paddles nothing like a Greenland.

Stan Mac Kenzie said...

I have to agree with you Gnarly and of course I'm sure you are correct. I'm using my terms too loosely and stand corrected and I am obviusly not a purist of Greenland boats yet. Thanks for the clearification.

Stan