Baidarka

The Baidarka (by·dar·ka) comes from the dimunitive of the Russian word for small boat. In the Aleut language these boats were referred to as Iqyax (there should be a ^ over the x) for the one hole version, alax-uluxtax for the two hole version and, quanku-uluxtax for a three hole kayak.

The Russian sea mammal hunters of 200 years ago were amazed at the sight of small one- and two-man craft in the cold and rough waters of coastal Alaska. These boats and their Aleut crews were subjugated and exploited by the Russians, and were forced to hunt seals, sea lions and sea otters along the West Coast, reaching as far South as Cedros island in Baja. Most crews had died or been killed by the time the parties reached Baja.

The baidarka was sometimes single-, double-, or triple-holed. The triple-holed baidarka was used by Russian fur mongers, missionary priests, and by physicians. Long hunting expeditions seem, from the surviving photographs to have mainly consisted of two holed baidarkas. When single handed, these boats were sometimes paddled from the rear cockpit, and sometimes from the front cockpit, with the boat moving stern first.

As opposed to the Greenland Kayak, the Baidarka's sheer is often much flatter and the stem pieces are uniquely different from the Greenland kayak. The stern of a Baidarka often ends rather abruptly with a small vertical "fin". The bow of the baidarka has a distinctive slit, or "bifurcated bow". Earlier versions had this slit parallel to the waterline, though in later versions, the slit was often brought above the waterline to the deck, perhaps to avoid material getting stuck in the slit.

The purpose of the double bow has been discussed at length. Some feel that it may contribute to increased hull speed and better rough water handling, while others believe the appendage is only ornamental.

Among home builders, baidarkas seem to be more popular on the West Coast of the US than the Greenland Kayak which seems to be more popular elsewhere.

A proponent of the Baidarka design, in aluminum and modern fabrics, has been George Dyson, whose book Baidarka The Kayak is a great reference on this topic.

See also:

• Wolfgang Brinck's book on baidarka construction: The Aleutian Kayak
• Photos of Dyson baidarkas
• Laughing Loon designs and provides plans for strip-built baidarka's and other kayak designs.