Eastern Arctic Kayak Historical Construction Photos

I have some historical photos of Eastern Arctic kayak construction.  I have no idea where I got them.  But here they are.  Mostly what I want to comment on is the fact that while these photos dont reveal all that much, they do reveal some general specifics about Arctic kayak construction methodology.
The most important revelation to me is that these boats were built without the benefit of any sort of building platform other than what looks like pretty bumpy ground.  What this means is that in order to get a symmetrical boat, the builders had to rely on the parts of the boat itself to achieve symmetry.  The deck, once built became the building platform for the rest of the boat.

This boat frame appears to be almost done.  The builder appears to be doing some trimming with a hand saw, or maybe he is just using the deck of the kayak for a saw horse to cut a piece of wood.

Meanwhile, a little earlier in the building process, this builder has inserted some rib blanks into their mortises.  Bending and trimming the ribs remains to be done. 

Women are covering a finished frame in canvas.  It looks as though they will have some canvas left over.  The fact that they are using canvas indicates that this photo was taken very near the end of the era of kayak construction.  And the building site is remarkable for its ruggedness.  No nicely swept floor, strictly open air.

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More fiberglassing photos

The next section of fiberglass cloth "draped and taped" before applying the epoxy.

After the epoxy is applied, the fiberglas cloth is all but invisible.

I have tried to be as meticulous as possible with the transom. However, I will have to sand those areas where the fiberglass cloth overlaps it.

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Eastern Arctic Kayak Construction more frame photos

Yesterday I set up the frame of the EA kayak and gave it a second coat of linseed oil.  With the keelson blocked in and the deck upright, it is easier to see what the boat will look like when finished.  Supposedly, the finished boat will not trim with the waterline parallel to the keelson.  The keelson will in fact sit lower in the front than in back. But we will see. 

Nose forward view accentuates the upsweep of the deck forward of the cockpit.

View from the back shows the downward slope of the deck at the steern.

And one more view from a slightly lower angle.

At this point, I find myself wondering what this boat will turn into and how it will behave.  This is of course one of the compelling things about building a boat of a kind one has never built before.  Invariably, there will be some disappointments and in time, pleasant surprises as well.  Still, if nothing else, the curved lines of a boat are delightful to look at.

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