Qanik kajakk

1959 Emanuelle Koreliussen on Greenland built a kayak – the now famous Illorsuit kayak – for an English visitor. Back in England this kayak inspired many well-known production kayaks, among them Anas Acuta and Nordkapp.

Qanik is my take on this legendary kayak. Slightly longer and with a higher bow to suit better for modern paddlers, but with the graceful sheer and upturned stems of the Illorsuit. Illorsuit comes with remarkable maneuvering – a bow rudder and edging (relying on impressive end stability) turns the kayak in almost in the kayaks length!

The Qanik is much faster than the Illorsuit. On Greenland speed was not as important as silence – you could not outrun any sea mammal – only sneak up on it by remaining completely silent.

With a high deck the Qanik will be comfortable on extended tours for those used to standard sea kayaks and it will carry your gear on weeklong tours. It is a safe and snug kayak with soft easy movement and a dry run in bad conditions. It accelerates quickly to catch surfs and is easily controlled on the wave. Despite the excellent maneuverability it goes where you point it when speeding up. May seem a contradiction, but it is possible to design a kayak that does both – try the Qanik.

So, is Björn Thomasson´s design an Illorsuit kayak? No, he says. The looks are inspired by the Illorsuit, because Bjrn the beauty and harmony of the lines, but the hull shape and hydrodynamics are modern, efficient and relevant to an altogether different situation than seal hunting in arctic waters 60 years ago.

• Fiberglass/Carbon/kevlar Standard: 1340 EUR
• Semi Carbon: 1690 EUR
• Carbon/Kevlar Pro: 2050 EUR

• Fiberglass/ Kevlar/ Carbon:    21 kg (46 lbs)    
• Semi Carbon:    19 kg (42 lbs)
• Carbon/Kevlar Pro:    18 kg (40 lbs)