C&K mag #31ss- final - Canoe & Kayak

Jewel-like baby baidarka takes its first paddle
for space with scolleys, chops and steak on Graeme’s
compact-but-never-quite-too-small BBQ. Bowls of chips and
dips kept going off into the darkness, never to return. Plates
of cheese and chunks of veg came the other way.
A few beers or glasses of wine wetted the memories of all
the sanding dust that had been sweated away from the raw
hulls as they morphed into swans. Nobody minded too
much that they didn’t have to drive home.
Sunday began with the ceremonial launching of a newly
built baby baidarka - a true gem.
The fleet did a lap of Blue Lake - dodging a masters swim
event and most of the country’s water-skiers. Then it was
on to the beach for a cup of tea and a lot more kayakswapping.
By now, it was getting hard to remember who really
belonged in which boat. Both Warren and Christine were
caught trying to smuggle Grant’s Night Heron home. For most
however, a gleam in the eye was the only giveaway of their
Sleek lines and good performance - a beautiful yak Mike’s Tuilik (Iniot-style combined jacket &
spraydeck) lets him perform some Greenland manoeuvres in comfort
intentions. They knew exactly what they were in for - they’d
already built one boat - but they went away mumbling
designers’ names and models. The bug had bitten again.
Making your own kayak has a long and honourable
tradition in New Zealand, why in the 50s everyone made
their own. In places such as Greenland and Alaska of
course, the tradition is even longer.
While it’s certainly never going to appeal to everyone, the
range of happy builders at the NZKBGT was surprisingly
wide. Some were skilled wood-workers; one makes a living
at working with wood. Others were farmers, computer
geeks, students, managers, engineers and a professional
diver. Most started with a book or two on the subject, then
bought a set of plans and got stuck in.
Some built in garages, some in sheds or under a tarp. One
built in his lounge! Talk about a supportive spouse! Every
one had to learn new skills, correct a few blunders along
the way and put in the many hours to achieve the beautiful
results, of which they could justifiably feel so proud.
Light-weight and relatively quick to build - these
are only touring boats if you need take nothing
more than a toothbrush and an energy bar
This Get-Together, along with recent Coastbusters and
KASK events which hosted smaller gatherings of ownerbuilt
kayaks, allow builders a rare opportunity to share
their knowledge. Even if they normally paddle with others,
they usually build alone - so a chance to share experiences
is very welcome.
The Internet has had a huge impact on kayak building. It
has tied together this far-flung group of enthusiasts -
allowing builders in Europe, America and Oceania to swap
ideas and advice. An excellent starting point is Grant
Glazer’s web site on the local building scene at http://
home.clear.net.nz/pages/grantglazer/Kayak/index.html
It contains links to local and overseas sites which will keep
you busy for many an evening. Who knows, you might
catch the bug.
ISSUE THIRTYone • 2005 29