Baffin Island Umiak. Drawn from model and detailed measurements of a 

 single boat. 



accepting chance similarities in form or detail as 

 evidence of relationship, particularly when it is not 

 impossible that similarities in use and other require- 

 ments have produced similar boat types, the users 

 never having come into contact. 



The whaling umiak has been much used in the 

 western Arctic by explorers and Arctic travellers, 

 who regarded highly its lightness and strength, 

 and its ability to be easily driven. It is much wider 

 than the Chukchi umiak and has far more flare. 

 From a study of models and numerous photographs 

 it can be said that the amount of fore-and-aft camber 

 in the bottom varies greatly between individual 

 umiaks, some of which are almost straight on the 

 bottom. The light framework and elastic construction 

 often cause these umiaks to camber a good deal 

 when heavily loaded; when sledged, they are some- 

 times fitted amidships with a support for a line 

 from bow to stern, that forms a "hogging-brace," 

 to prevent the boat from losing its camber. It is 

 also apparent that there is no standard practice in 

 fitting floors to the chines; Murdock* shows a rough 

 sketch that indicates the floor ends are often ten- 

 oned into the chines, as in the small umiak. Tree- 

 nailing of the floors and chines, and the keelson, is 

 common, and sometimes both treenails and lash- 

 ings are used in scarphs. In some umiaks both the 

 single side batten and the riser are at the same height, 

 but only the riser has its ends secured to the posts, 

 the side battens being cut short and their ends lashed 

 to the riser a few inches inside the posts. 



*See bibliography. 



The skin cover of the north Alaskan whaling umiak 

 is made of bearded seal or of walrus hide, which has 

 to be split, because of its weight. Occasionally 

 polar-bear skins are used. Lashings of the frame 

 are of whalebone, sinew, and hide. The skins are 

 treated with seal oil and caribou fat, and when 

 the whaling umiak is taken ashore it is usually 

 stored on a stage to keep dogs from destroying the 

 skin cover. In travelling, however, it is sometimes 

 propped upside down on one edge and used as a 

 shelter. In winter the skin is removed and stored; 

 when it is necessary to be replaced on the frame, the 

 skin cover is soaked in sea water for three to five 

 days, after which it is laced on in the usual manner, 

 dried, and then thoroughly oiled. Low, rather 

 wide sledges are sometimes built to carry the umiak 

 overland, or on the ice, but often the regular sledge 

 is used. The boats cannot be sledged against a 

 strong gale because of their windage. 



The north Alaskan umiak is usually propelled by 

 paddles, like the Chukchi umiak. These paddles 

 range in length from about 50 to 76 inches, 

 and as a rule have a rather long narrow blade, 

 though a short and wide blade is occasionally found, 

 particularly at Kotzebue Sound and Point Hope. 

 Oars for the Alaskan umiaks range in length from 

 6 feet 3 inches to 8 feet 6 inches, and also have rather 

 long narrow blades, 3 to 4 inches wide. 



The three examples of Alaskan umiaks serve to 

 show the features that are most common in the area. 

 However, models in the U.S. National Museum 

 suggest that there was a greater variety of form and 

 appearance in the past. One model shows the 



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