Eastern Arctic Kayaks: History, Design, Technique [Hardcover]

John Heath (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2004

Eastern Arctic Kayaks is the product of years of kayak study by two of the world’s experts. Combining analyses of form and function with historical background and illustrations of kayaking techniques, this volume is a storehouse of information for recreational kayakers and scholarly readers alike.
Drawing from his vast practical experience and extensive study of museum specimens, John D. Heath offers a comprehensive overview of the evolution and construction of Greenland kayaks supplemented with an illustrated series of rolling and sculling techniques. E. Arima examines kayaks of the eastern Canadian Arctic, covering woodworking tools, construction techniques, and the treatment of skins for the kayak cover.
Core chapters on Greenland and eastern Canada are accompanied by essential articles by Greg Stamer on the use of the Greenland paddle and two studies of kayaks in European museums by Harvey Golden and Hugh Collings. A valuable excerpt from John Brand's Little Kayak Book series makes this British publication available to American readers for the first time.
Lavishly illustrated with drawings and historic photographs, Eastern Arctic Kayaks is a landmark study in the history of watercraft--an essential resource for recreational kayakers and maritime historians and for anyone interested in northern Native material culture.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The most comprehensive review of the evolution of traditional Inuit skin boat construction . . . I have ever seen." -- Atlantic Coastal Kayaker

From the Publisher

Also available in paperback $24.95

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: University of Alaska Press; 1 edition (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1889963259
• ISBN-13: 978-1889963259
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #241,314 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > History > Americas > Greenland
  • #53 in Books > History > Australia & Oceania > Polar Regions
  • #76 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Kayaking

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars outstanding history and study of a type of kayak, March 28, 2005

By 

Henry Berry "Henry Berry" (Southport, CT) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eastern Arctic Kayaks: History, Design, Technique (Hardcover)

The Arctic regions covered are the coastal areas of Greenland, Hudson's Bay, Baffin Island, and Labrador. Swedish kayaks are also examined for similarities in construction and for historical comparisons. The authors also went to museums in western and northern European countries to study kayaks at these. The authors--both with in-depth backgrounds on the subject--do a sound, detailed study on historical, present-day, and recreational kayaks. Heath especially was interested in the value of design elements and kayaking techniques of the oldest kayaks for today's recreational kayakers. For three decades, Arima has been an ethnohistorian with Parks Canada focusing on the Arctic and northwest coast of North America. Text, photographs, and detailed design drawings of kayaks work together in relating unique information on the different aspects of kayaks. While the material covers a broad geographical area and hundreds of years of kayak-making and use in hunting and transportation, one is struck by the remarkable ingenuity of the design of early kayaks; which has stood the test of time to be the basis for modern-day kayaks.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A comprehensive overview of the evolution and construction, May 9, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eastern Arctic Kayaks: History, Design, Technique (Hardcover)

The collaborative work of the late John Heath (1923-2003) who was an acknowledged expert in kayaks, and the Canadian ethnologist E. Arima, Eastern Arctic Kayaks: History, Design, Technique combines informed and informative analyses of form and function with historical background and illustrations of kayaking techniques that will be of immense interest to recreational users of kayaks, as well as academics with an interest in Inuit and Canadian Arctic aboriginal culture. The reader is provided with a comprehensive overview of the evolution and construction of Greenland kayaks, supplemented with an illustrated series of rolling and sculling techniques. The definitive text includes woodworking tools, construction techniques, and the treatment of skins for the kayak cover. Superbly illustrated with historic photographs and expert drawings, Eastern Arctic Kayaks is especially recommended for readers with an interest in the history of watercraft and northern native material culture.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 'Must Have' for any traditional paddler, February 9, 2005

By 

Michael Bradley (Hatley, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eastern Arctic Kayaks: History, Design, Technique (Hardcover)

This book is a wonderful collection of history, technique and lore about the Inuit qajaq found in Greenland and Canad's eastern Arctic. Anyone interested in these boats either as a historian, a builder or a paddler needs a copy on their shelf! The contributors are genuine experts both from the past as well as those involved in the revival of these very special boats.