Baidarka Nikumi - Multi-Chine

The "Nikumi" Iqyax / Baidarka is a wood frame multi-chine performance / touring kayak. Construction is of cedar stringers and plywood cross sections.

Length 17 – 17.5ft / 5'182 - 5'334 mms, Beam 21“ / 533 mms, Deck front 10.5” / 267 mms, aft 7.5” / 191 mms
Coaming 22” x 16” / 559 mms x 406 mms, Sections 8
Displacement 325lbs / 146.5 kgs, Paddler max ?lbs / ? kgs max, Boat 35lbs / 15.8 kgs, Gear ? lbs / ? kgs
Weight 35lbs / 15.8 kgs

Design
Plan
Offsets
Construction
Builder's Comments
Gallery

Design

Plan

The aft deck profile is a flat surface equal to the gunwale height at each station. This shape is useful in entry / exit and in rolling. The forward deck has a single stringer Aleut peaked style deckridge.

Offsets

The 36" cross section one distance from the bow is a variable.
Place station one on the strongback near the end with all other cross sections starting at this point. The bow can vary between 36" and 44" or so ahead of the cross section one station. This will be determined during construction.

Construction

Wood Frame Construction Manual

Below you can find bow and stern construction details including an extra cross section (zero) whose positioning is optional if needed. This is more art than science, especially when a "Bifid" bow is involved !

Bow

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Bow

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Bow

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Stern

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Stern

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Stern

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Stern

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Cockpit

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Skin

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Builder's Comments

Jack Gilman, USA
It is very comfortable in small chop, incredibly stable, but edges well. I like to be able to edge the boat in following seas to correct, and it was easy to do it with the Nikumi. That's the fun part! I think baidarkas do this better than any boats, (IMHO) and this one is very well balanced. Seems fast, but I have a sore elbow so never pushed it.

Bryan Hansel, USA
Build Documentation

Clayton Plunkett, USA
Some details of my build are WRC stringers a cypress deck beam .5 inch ply stations. It has 8 oz polyester skin with Zar coating. The skin came from Dyson and sewed and shrank very well. I spent less than 200 dollars and about 60 to 80 hours. This has been a blast to build and now will be even more fun to paddle.

Gallery

Made by Tom Yost, USA

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Made by Tom Yost, USA

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Made by Tom Yost, USA

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Made by Tom Yost, USA

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Nikumi

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Paul Clayton, from Seattle, Washington paddles his vinyl clear skin Nikumi baidarka

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Chris Frazar, from Silver Spring, Maryland paddles his Nikumi baidarka. He skinned the kayak with clear vinyl.

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Jack Gilman, from Yonkers, New York has completed a wood frame Nikumi Baidarka

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Four Nikumi Baidarkas, one Sea Bee, and one Sea Ranger built in a class sponsored by the Yonkers Paddling and Rowing Club (YPRC) and taught by Jack Gilman in Yonkers, New York

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Niels Ginge from Denmark has completed a Nikumi "Iqyax" with a clear vinyl skin. He has included adjustable footbraces of his own design as well as a newer bifid bow design.

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Bryan Hansel paddles his Nikumi in strong winds

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Bryan Hansel from Minnesota has just completed a "Nikumi" Iqyax (Baidarka). The frame is constructed of cedar stringers, plywood cross sections, and a clear vinyl skin.

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Manuel, from Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain has completed a wood frame Nikumi and Sea Cruiser.

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Manuel's Nikumi Baidarka

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Carlos and Emilio Martinez of Cordoba, Argentina recently completed this wood frame Nikumi.

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Bult by Clayton Punkett, USA

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Bult by Clayton Plunkett, USA

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Rich, from British Columbia, Canada displays his Nikumi baidarka. The cross sections are 5/8" thick birch ply with WRC stringers. The Skin is 8oz nylon with Varathane Colours in Plastic enamel. His main paddle is laminated WRC & Yellow Cedar, storm paddle is single piece WRC. The boat weighs 36 lbs.

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