Around here, paddling ponds and lakes is apparently very dangerous as more folks die paddling these venues than the ocean. Folks who die were largely “unsuspecting” any number of things: environmental conditions, their physical stamina and skills, their boat and/or safety equipment. Those who safely and successfully paddle their ponds and lakes, year in and year out, likely have more awareness/understanding/appreciation of what they are doing, in what conditions, and what they are capable of with their equipment. The same carries over into the ocean
Your original question: “Are Greenland kayaks best suited for big water/high winds?” Before answering that, there are other embedded questions. What is “too big” and “too windy” in your mind’s eye, after which your survival is in serious question. What was your intended purpose being out there in the first place – a daytrip, a surf/rock play day, and expedition? (if expedition, you should look at Brit design like and NDK Explorer or North American design like a Gulfstream, etc). Finally, what is your honest self appraisal of your physical conditioning and skills vis-a-vis want you intend (envision) doing with the kayak?
So, what is it that you want to do with the kayak? Is it this?
Or this?
Or something else?
I’ll go on a limb and say that I believe most kayaks can “perform” adequately or better (than we think) for their intended (designed for) venues. The defining factor is usually the paddler sitting in the cockpit.
No worries. I am generally on a surfski. I’ve been eyeballing Greenland kayaks for a different kind of experience. I will generally go out in just about any kind of water.
I watched a video that somewhat threw a little shade on their ability to handle bigger conditions and was curious to see what others had to say.
Well, I think we would end up in general agreement. If we look at the third video, I suspect the surfskier would kick butt on the Greenland kayaker (stamina being equal) if the two were out for some open ocean racing in wind and waves. But, some will say, “Oh, the Greenland design is safer because you can roll it!” Well, a surfskier could just respond with, “Hey, who needs a friggin’ roll, as I can and do practice getting back onto my (tethered) surfski in seconds.” If the wind and waves get really bad (subjective), the surfskier will beat his Greenland paddling partner back to shore and out of the conditions. The Greenland paddler can say, “Heck, I am not in a rush to get to shore. I enjoyed paddling in the conditions (within subjectively accepted parameters) and having the opportunities to maximize my hull, immersion gear, and skills to roll up, scull, brace and (storm) paddle to get back to shore.”
Of course, if either paddler were trying to doing a multi-day, self supported excursion, neither the surfski nor the Greenland boat would be good choices to accomplish that task. Conversely, the unloaded expedition boat could handle the conditions of a day play trip. It would just take more work from the paddler because of the increased windage of an unloaded hull.
@sing, it’s foolish to take offense to comments on the forum unless its a personal attack. Even then, it don’t mean a thing unless you know me personally.
We never learn or aspire unless we get challenged, but then each person has a limit. I have no desire to go where you go or do what you do, yet I deeply admire your skill AND your willingness to SHARE the experience. I am a bit irritated you didn’t put a disclaimer on one of the videos. I turned my recliner over following that radical move in the middle segment.
If we were rated in life by our kayaking skill and our livelyhood depended on it, then it might matter, but we all have lives and things we’re good at. How and where we excel is our own secret, and I’m never offended or intimidate by anyone who takes pride in demonstrating a skill. If you don’t claim bragging rights, you didn’t work hard enough at it.
I remember by first step. I played on that for months and got all kinds of accolades. It made me feel like a Greek God for quiet a few weeks I can tell you. Probably stunted my interest in kayaking until adult life.
True that. Thankfully, I don’t have to kayak and hunt seals to survive. I thoroughly enjoy the time I have for paddling/surfing. But, it is relatively a small part of my life. Many other aspects of my life that have much more meaning (to me). Nothing there to brag about either, but a matter of living and doing it.
sing
(Philosophically, I am an “existentialist” where “doing” is “being.”)
Just one minor point - what most are talking about as Greenland style at this point are boats that borrow from the configurations used in boats for hunting. Lower volume, sleek with an emphasis on responsiveness and ease of rolling.
But there is a whole further array of boats used by northern peoples to move from one location to another. They were large, high volume because they carried the whole family, provisions and household items. It is safe to say modern kayaks are not likely to create hulls intended for young children to be stuffed under the deck. But these boats also existed.
Yup. A range of native designs across the arctic circle. The higher volume boats tend to be Aleutian. To see the range, check out Harvey Golden’s website. Harvey is not only a researcher of the indigenous boat designs but also a talented replica builder. As far as i know, Harvey has built a greater range and number of replica kayaks and boats than anyone else I have about on the Web:
Point is that while Greenland style kayaks are likely suited for big water, it is difficult to determine how well they are suited for big water compared to other kind of suitable kayaks also considering their (intended) use case.
One of the remarkable things I learned when studying this subject is that designers like Nick Schade and Brian Schulz – who can build whatever they prefer – choose quite different boats. I admit that my choice for a kayak this year was largely influenced by that.
Boats are like paddles. Try one that fits your expectation. Keep it if it satifies your performance standards. If not, tweek the search for features to make the next one more suitable. Then buy another one for different conditions. The history, applicability, variants, and efficiency of the the indigenous kayaks and paddles is interesting. Nuances are fabulous; however, the Greenland style is just one of the many design features incorporated into modern kayak design.
It comes down to try it and buy it. What an eskimo needed and what a kayaker in Florida needs may not be the same. Try it and buy it. If you have to ask why you should buy a better paddle, you don’t need one. When you try one and say, “What have I been missing!” Then you need a new paddle. Network with friends and swap. I upgraded paddled more than six times, by buying individual family members a personal paddle and loaning them a boat to accompany me. Then I’d swap paddles for a portion of a trip to compare. You’ll never convince me that a paddle is a paddle and the design is irrelevant.
Buy new, buy used, swap, trade, collect, renovate . . . Just do it until you’re happy. I decided to bend my boat to my needs. Like a good horse, it does what I tell it to do, but I don’t make it do hurdles, track or sloloms, among other things.
