The Sparrow: a modern Greenland-style kayak with an ancient spirit

Guest post by Marcelo Rossi. He writes about a kayak he designed and built.

I have always liked the Greenland kayak. It has something magical, its lines, its bow, its low profile — like an ancient and mysterious marine creature. After building several skin-on-frame kayaks and baidarkas, I’ve had the goal of making a Greenland-style kayak but with my own concepts and for the conditions of the rivers that I paddle.

I have tried various software available on the web, but I needed to know how I do it and what the design parameters mean on screen and then in the water. Finally, I decided on Stitch -N- Glue. This software can calculate parameters, centroids and coefficients and bring me a very close idea of the finished kayak behavior.

I was looking for a kayak design that was like a Greenland style but with ‘modern lines’ for only the pleasure of paddling and for touring with minimum baggage for a camping trip if necessary. I wanted an acceptable-good primary stability (Cx) and strong secondary (flare, high Cwp) but also capable for rolls. Tracking was very much important (low Cb) as was low wave pitching and well handling in rough conditions (Cm, Cwp). I wanted the highest speed as possible (Cp, Lwl/Bwl ratio). As we know, the perfect kayak doesn’t exist, the design is a balance of compromising. After four years of working on the concept, the Sparrow was born.

The kayak is frame built in Yost-style fuselage. The wood waterproofed with red stained marine lacquer, and the skin is PVC tarp pegged and hot welded.

The behavior in the water is superb. It has better tracking than calculated due the pressure of water on skin of the keelson and stern that acts like a skeg. The hard chine hull shape allows easy turns at a little lean. In very rough conditions with hard winds, I have no loss of control any time.

A friend of mine rolled the Sparrow and said, “I didn’t need to do any effort; I made it with my mind.”