Page 17 - "Mississippi in the 1st Person" - Michael James Stone (Demo/Free)

“MY KAYAK IS AN UMIAK”

In the wonderful world of sales, just about anything can and will be called a kayak as long as

kayaks are the current fad. However there are differences that make kayaks what they are and
Canoes what they are too.

AND THERE ARE DIFFERENCE IN KAYAKS

Kayaks (Inuktitut: qajaq ( [qɑˈjɑq]), Yup'ik: qayaq (from qai- "surface; top"), Aleut: Iqyax)
were originally developed by the Inuit, Yup'ik, and Aleut.

They used the boats to hunt on inland lakes, rivers and coastal waters of the Arctic
Ocean, North Atlantic, Bering Sea and North Pacific oceans. These first kayaks were con-

structed from stitched seal or other animal skins stretched over a wood or whalebone-skeleton
frame. (Western Alaskan Natives used wood whereas the eastern Inuit used whalebone due to

the treeless landscape). Kayaks are believed to be at least 4,000 years old. (courtesy Wikipe-
dia)

Basically a sit inside kayak was a hunters version that could “roll over” and be righted without
dislodging the occupant. They were not used for cargo. A “open cockpit” design similar to the

open canoe style was called an ‘umiak’ that would often transport more than one person and
cargo.

OPEN COCKPIT KAYAKS ARE REALLY UMIACKS

As far as a ‘dug out” is from a canoe, so too is modern kayaking from early qayaq’s. Sales,
use, cross overs, functions, abilities and capabilities have led to radical designs and differences
including the now popular: INFLATABLE KAYAKING.

With a “false illusion” of popping, IK’s have taken longer to catch on as fast as Hard Shells be-
cause of lack of understanding and information on Inflatable Kayaking.

Development of “knock offs” and cheaper “bath tub boats” helped IK’s become a growing

popular choice for Kayaking.