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Strip-Planked Kayaks » Guillemots

The Guillemot family of kayak designs grew out Nick Schade's quest to create a kayak to get out to the exposed islands off the coast of Maine. He wanted a boat that would be efficient for making open water crossings yet responsive when close to shore. Nick drew from a wide range of inspirations to create a dream boat. The responsiveness comes from the whitewater kayaks he was paddling at the time. The ability to cross open water was borrowed from Greenland Inuit kayaks.

The design that resulted is characterized by sweeping end shapes and a rounded cross section. The ends are kept fairly low to decrease windage but curl up at the tips to provide lift over waves. The relatively flat bottom and moderately soft chine provide an easy to turn platform while the fine ends provide balanced tracking.

The Guillemot designs are designed with somewhat loose tracking, for maximum responsiveness. If you give them free rein they may get away from you, but with practice you can simply think your way through a turn. A slight lean away will initiate a turn and you can stop it with a little lean the other way. With time the Guillemot becomes an extension of your body.