In 1959

[m***@mail.gov.nf.ca]

I was six years old. Cars had fins, horizontal that year (they'd been
vertical two years before). In Igdlorssuit on the West coast of
Greenland, an Inuk was building a kayak for an Englishman (Ken Taylor)
who had gone there to learn kayaking. The Inuk is unknown. His work is
famous.

Taylor brought the kayak back to England. It was not destroyed, lost
or forgotten. In 1972, Frank Goodman of Valley Canoe (the English used
to call kayaks "sea canoes" ) took measurements from the Igdlorssuit
kayak and, based on those, designed the Anas Acuta, a fibreglass
kayak.

The Anas Acuta is still made. (I have one.) Like Taylor's Igdlorssuit
kayak, it is an elegant boat. But, it was a copy of a boat designed
for a purpose, a seal hunter's boat, made for rough conditions (when
paddled by an expert!), but not for paddling long distances or
carrying gear.

Goodman again did something quite brilliant. The Anas Acuta is
seventeen feet long, low volume and hard chined, with extreme rocker.
He stretched the hull to eighteen feet, increased the depth (more
volume), rounded the chines and moderated the rocker. The Nordkapp was
born.

In 1975, the Nordkapp was used to round the northern coast of Norway
(hence its name). In 1977 Goodman paddled it around Cape Horn. In
1978, Paul Caffyn paddled a Nordkapp around New Zealand's South
Island. The list for the Nordkapp goes on, but that's not what's
important.

The important thing is that 'pert near every sea kayak of note coming
out of England has been a response to the Anas Acuta or the Norkapp
(including the Nigel Dennis boats). And, those kayaks are the children
of a skin on frame kayak built in Igdlorssuit in 1959.

[MacArthur]

Great yarn!

One of the most interesting posts that I have seen on this group.

Those 59 Chevvies were fabulous looking cars! I am just a little older than
you.
--
Live strong and have a nice day, - "Nil carborundum illegitimi"!
Mac H E L P the planet - Don't I D L E ! ! !
Over 1600 Links at Http://MacArthur.Funknstyle.Com
Pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/macarthur
and http://www.flickr.com/photos/macarthur-ii/

Post by m***@mail.gov.nf.ca
I was six years old. Cars had fins, horizontal that year (they'd been
vertical two years before). In Igdlorssuit on the West coast of
Greenland, an Inuk was building a kayak for an Englishman (Ken Taylor)
who had gone there to learn kayaking. The Inuk is unknown. His work is
famous.
Taylor brought the kayak back to England. It was not destroyed, lost
or forgotten. In 1972, Frank Goodman of Valley Canoe (the English used
to call kayaks "sea canoes" ) took measurements from the Igdlorssuit
kayak and, based on those, designed the Anas Acuta, a fibreglass
kayak.
The Anas Acuta is still made. (I have one.) Like Taylor's Igdlorssuit
kayak, it is an elegant boat. But, it was a copy of a boat designed
for a purpose, a seal hunter's boat, made for rough conditions (when
paddled by an expert!), but not for paddling long distances or
carrying gear.
Goodman again did something quite brilliant. The Anas Acuta is
seventeen feet long, low volume and hard chined, with extreme rocker.
He stretched the hull to eighteen feet, increased the depth (more
volume), rounded the chines and moderated the rocker. The Nordkapp was
born.
In 1975, the Nordkapp was used to round the northern coast of Norway
(hence its name). In 1977 Goodman paddled it around Cape Horn. In
1978, Paul Caffyn paddled a Nordkapp around New Zealand's South
Island. The list for the Nordkapp goes on, but that's not what's
important.
The important thing is that 'pert near every sea kayak of note coming
out of England has been a response to the Anas Acuta or the Norkapp
(including the Nigel Dennis boats). And, those kayaks are the children
of a skin on frame kayak built in Igdlorssuit in 1959.