Kayak From Point Barrow, Alaska, in U.S. National Museum (USNM 

 yill'i). Collected by Capt. M. A. Healy, U.S. Revenue Steamer Bear. 1888. 

 {Smithsonian photo MNH-299-A.) 



Cockpit of Kayak from Point Barrow (USNM 

 yill'i), showing method of lashing skin cover 

 to manhole. {Smithsonian photo MNH-^gg.) 



The design is marked by a very narrow flat bottom 

 or a wide keel combined with the V-bottom. These 

 boats are well-built and are light and graceful. The 

 wide keel is formed by a thick plank keelson which 

 narrows at bow and stern and is bent up to form the 

 stem and stern. The chine pieces run fore and aft 

 and are lashed to the stem and stern thus formed. 

 The gunwales are about % by l}g inches. The frames 

 are about % by )i inch bent in a strongly U-shaped 

 form, with their ends tenoned into the bottom of the 

 gunwales. The keelson is only about % inch thick 

 and the chines are rather wide thin battens; about 

 /1 6 by IVi inch. Some kayaks have an additional 

 batten in the sides above the chines. The deck is 

 slightly ridged for nearly the length of the boat. The 

 stem and stern are carried up above the sheer to form 

 prominent posts; some builders carry them higher 

 than shown. The construction is neat and light and 

 the boat is very easily paddled. Its narrow beam 

 makes it somewhat treacherous, however, in unskilled 

 hands. A double-bladed paddle is generally used 

 with this kayak. While the form appears to vary 

 little among individuals of this class, the construction 

 varies, particularly in the number and dimensions of 

 the longitudinals. Frames are spaced rather con- 

 sistently 5 to 6 inches apart. 



The foregoing design differs greatly in every respect 

 from the example in figure 191, collected by the 

 U.S. Fish Commission in 1885 and identified as a 

 Mackenzie River kayak. It is a large heavy boat 

 compared to the one just described. The model of 

 this old kayak, and the construction too, is on the 

 eastern pattern, such as is used in Hudson Strait. 

 The strongly upturned stern and less rising bow 

 resembles the old Greenland kayaks. The V-bottom 

 and 3-batten construction combined with heavy 

 deep gunwales is not to be found in any of the known 

 Alaskan kayaks. There is unfortunately no record 



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