Now in publication
Umiak, An Illustrated Guide
by Skip Snaith
Illustrated by Tina Rose
What are umiaks?
Umiaks are undecked skin boats, from 15 to 30 feet that are used for arctic travel and hunting. Synthetic skins, waterproof coatings, and a growing interest in skin boat construction
has set the stage for this once purely northern workboat to make the same recreational
move into southern waters that was so sucessful for the kayak.
As the book details, there are several factors that make umiaks ideal candidates for this new role.
What's the book about ?
Umiak, An Illustrated Guide covers the history, design, construction and recreational potential of these versatile boats. It begins with an overview of traditional boats , and how they were built. In addition to looking at some European influences on umiaks, certain similarities between dories and umiaks are explored, and the implications of mixing these two types of boat in hybrid designs is discussed. All the skin boat builder's skills, lashing, sewing, and working with grown or found timbers are explained in the text, and through over 200 beautiful pencil drawings, and 10 archival photographs.
There are two fully dimensioned drawings for the builder , a flat-bottomed type, and a bent rib umiak, and step by step instructions.
Umiak, An Illustrated Guide is the first of a series of three books,
The Contemporary Skin Boat Building Series, published by Walrose & Hyde.
Subsequent volumes will cover Kayaks and Skin Boat Design
Where you can go from here: