Kayaks of Greenland

The History and Development of the Greenlandic Hunting Kayak, 1600-2000

The ancestors of the modern Greenlanders have inhabited Greenland and used kayaks there for a millenium. During that time kayak designs have changed in response to migrations to lower latitudes, a changing climate, and cultural influences.

Kayaks of Greenland documents the broad diversity of kayak types from Greenland as well as their history, development, function, construction, and how the various types relate to each other. Harvey Golden has studied over 100 Greenland kayaks in museums and private collections and has brought this research together in this heavily (2.1 kg ; 580 pages) illustrated volume highlighting the trends and variations of Greenlandic kayaks over the last 400 years.
In appendix, you’ll find ratios and proportions ; and a primer for gathering offsets and lofting kayaks for design analysis or replication.

Golden’s experience with Greenland kayaks goes well beyond studies in a museum context ; he has built and used eighteen full-size repicas of the kayaks in this study, supplementing his understandings of how these kayaks were built, and how they feel on the water.

New edition with a few updates.