* This belongs
to the collection of David & Helga Zimmerly.
Kodiak 3-hole Kayak
Museum of Anthropography Ethnography, St.
Petersberg, MAE 536-24 (see
Lines drawings [2] in
PDF)
Cold Bay, Alaska - Courtesy of UW Photography Lab, No.
87081-6.
Length - 26' 5.7"
Beam - 31.2"
Depth to Sheer - 30.5"
Weight - 100 lbs (estimated)
Loaded kayak stable to 51 degrees
This three-hole craft is the longest kayak found in these plans. This
would be a great family kayak or would suit a camping couple who want to
a carry lot of
gear in the centre cockpit. Like all Kodiak kayaks it is
stable with a generous
beam. The ridged deck adds to its ample volume.
This kayak is believed to have developed from the two-hole kayak to
meet the
needs of Russian missionaries, traders and explorers. The passenger
sat regally
in the centre cockpit while native paddlers ferried him. These
kayaks were also
used in the massive sea otter hunts orchestrated by Russian
overseers. The
hunter in the centre cockpit would be in charge of the hunt
directing the
paddlers as they surrounded and exhausted the otter.
