Kayaks have been used by the Inuit for thousands of years. Few sources of food in the harsh Arctic climate required traveling out to sea where some of the largest sources of protein live. A sturdy and nimble boat was essential for a successful hunt, so the Inuit turned to animal skins to build their desired design. Supple, sturdy, and waterproof, sealskin and walrus skin is an excellent material for the creation of boats. The skins were stretched over the light frames made out of driftwood or animal bones and then oiled periodically with fat obtained from either seals, walruses, or whales, to maintain the waterproof capability.
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A Kayak's Origin Story
Kayaks are known for their superior design as a small watercraft. The combination of the light hull, covered top, and shallow base makes a speedy, sturdy, and easy to turn boat that can be adapted for calm lakes, rapid filled rivers, and choppy seas.
Thank the Arctic natives for this brilliant design.
Many kayak users are unaware that kayaks were originally built using animal skins and were just one type of boat among other skin boats. This slideshow portrays some of the unique features of the original kayaks and also introduces the closely related umiaq.
Skin Boats
Credit: National Anthropological Archives
The Larger Skin Boat
Credit: Canadian Museum of HistoryKayaks were usually built for a solo hunter, but the Inuit also built larger boats called umiaqs (also spelled umiak) that could fit over ten people. Reliance on animals for survival required the Inuit to follow animals as they migrated, and umiaqs helped move personal belongings and provided transportation for those unable to travel distances on their own, like children.
The Umiaq
Credit: Smithsonian Institution NMNHThe umiaq is the larger of the two types of Inuit skin boats. It is an open faced boat propelled by oar, sail, or motor. Smaller umiaqs are around 15 feet, while the larger ones can be as long as 60 feet. They are primarily used for group travel and cargo carriage, though they have been known to be used in whale or walrus hunting.
Siberian Yupik Eskimo Skin Boat
Credit: Anchorage Museum of Natural History and ArtSkin boats were vital for survival of Arctic sea mammal hunters who had to navigate and hunt amidst sea ice where bark boats would be crushed or punctured, and wooden boats were too heavy to be hauled up on top of ice floes when currents or wind caused the leads to close. In a pinch, a tear or puncture in a skin boat was easily repaired with a piece of your boot, needle, and thread! This is a skin boat from St. Lawrence Island Alaska that is featured in the book The Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of Northern Eurasia. The people are Siberian Yupik Eskimo.
Skin Coverings
Credit: The Library of CongressSkin boats are the only marine boats to use seal and walrus skins to cover the boat exterior. The skins are soaked in animal oil to keep them waterproof. They are then sewn together with a special double seam that helps keep the water from seeping through the two hides. Blubber or animal fat rubbed along the seams completes the waterproofing process, though keeping the skins waterproof requires constant care. On average, a waterproofing treatment lasts from four to seven days, at which point the oils and fats must be reapplied. Additionally, each day the skins must be dried, and on multiday excursions requires the help of other umiaqs to lift the hull out of the water.
The Umiaq's Design
Credit: Flickr user J. Stephen ConnThe umiaq’s exceptional design includes a light frame and elastic covering. The light frame allows for the carriage of significant loads while the elastic skin absorbs any shock from collisions with ice.
The Frame
Credit: Smithsonian Institution NMNHThis umiaq model from the Smithsonian shows the leather lacings that fasten the skins to the frame. When the skins are initially attached they are thoroughly soaked with water. As the skins dry, they shrink over the frame and create a taut covering.
Wind Propulsion
Credit: National Anthropological ArchivesUnlike kayaks, umiaqs often relied on a sail. This photo shows how sails could be attached to a umiaq to help paddlers propel forward.
The Kayak
Credit: Smithsonian Institution NMNHThe kayak is the smaller of the two skin boats. Unlike the umiaq, kayaks are covered boats with a small opening for the paddler to sit within. Most kayaks throughout the Arctic are built for one person, though there are two and three person designs found along the islands of the Bering Sea in western Alaska.
Hunting
Credit: National Anthropological ArchivesKayaks were designed for hunting and fishing. Sleek and buoyant, they allow for paddlers to achieve quick speeds and maneuver with ease.
The Kayak Frame
Credit: Smithsonian InstitutionA kayak frame was built of driftwood, a readily available building material in much of the Arctic. Fir, pine, spruce, willow, are commonly used, and willow is especially sought after for the pieces that must be bent.
Kayak Profile
Credit: Smithsonian InstitutionKayaks have a great variation in construction styles. In places where severe weather is common, kayaks must be durable and stable. Where ice shields winds from building waves, kayaks can be built narrow and low to the water’s surface to maximize speed. Here is an example of a kayak from Disko Bay in Greenland.
Harpoon Thrower
Credit: Smithsonian InstitutionThe best weapons to use in a kayak were darts and harpoons. Bows were easily damaged when wet and were best left for hunting on land. Many harpoons included a throwing stick that increased the range and force. At the end of the line was often an inflated bladder that kept the line afloat and tired the targeted animal.
Storage
Credit: Smithsonian Institution NMNHThis sculpture shows how weaponry and hunted animals were stored on the surface of the kayak.
Kayaks Today
Credit: Flickr user Ville MiettinenToday, kayaks continue to be used as a means of transportation in the Arctic and an updated plastic version is now a widely recognized boat type across the globe. These plastic hulled boats come in a vast array of shapes suited for the sea, rivers, and lakes. Regardless of the building material, the kayak’s sleek and covered design continues to be superior among small boats.