Greenland Kayaks and Kayak Building

Overview   Books   Links

The books, links and other references listed on the tabs above are not intended to be an exhaustive list, but represent many of the most popular resources available. In addition to these references, there are many historical texts as well, that are rich in information and await your discovery. For selected reading material, please visit the Qajaq USA bibliography.

Building a Greenland kayak does not follow a set of predefined "plans," rather it entails a building method. The beauty of the Inuit method is that right from the start, you can interact with the frame and tweak how it fits you.

Depending on your personality, you may prefer to pick just one book for kayak building and stick to that, or to read several books and sort out the many differences and conflicting advice. The latter approach will cause some confusion, but by studying multiple resources, you will be more likely to have a better understanding of the process and common variations. Remember that you aren't alone. You have an entire community of online help and expertise via the Greenland kayak forum.

By far the most difficult thing about kayak building is simply getting started. It can seem overwhelming at first, when you try to comprehend the entire project. Fortunately, building a kayak is not difficult, especially once you break down the process into a simple series of manageable tasks. That said, expect some head-scratching and expect some mistakes. New kayak builders often obsess over details that don't affect the finished product. Remember, although you want your finished product to be strong and resilient, it doesn't have to be perfect. You aren't building furniture, you are building a Qajaq!