Grosse Pointe News - Local History Archives

GROSSE POINTE NEWS, AUGUST 18, 2011
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By Justin Hicks
Special Writer
It takes dedication to jump in
a kayak and head out on the
lake. But how much more does
it take to paddle out in a boat
you built bv hand?
Mike Wilborn, 29, will find
out when he finisheshis most
recent project - a Greenlandstyle
kayak.
"Everything I've ever done,
I've just kept pushing and
pushing to findout more about
it," he said. "It started out with
learning what interesting
tilings I could do with a kayak,
which led to rolling - the idea
of when you fall over in a
it's a lot easier to get
yourself back up than to get
out, which would be hard to do
in my boats."
The development of the boat
is under way in the backyard of
his City of Grosse Pointe
house, though it isn't his first
attempt.
Originally, Wilborn started
building a baidarka - a style of
sea kayak from the Aleutians -
but an early snag demoralized
him.
Wilborn said it didn't take
long before he caught the bug
again and jumped back into
constructing a second kayak.
This time he picked a style
The \ery beginnings of a Greenland-style kayak.
"I'm still learning about the
Greenlandic culture," Wilborn
said. "This is kind of a gateway
to make me want to learn
more. I've gotten more interested
in the actual culture as
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12,2011
Chair: Edward W. Schervish, MD
iamin W. Capp and Donald A.
ed in less than half of that.
Aside from being cheaper,
the skin-on-frame style is better
for rolling, though the commercial
style gives one more
Built of spruce wood, the
boat will eventually have canvas
or nylon stretched over it,
and then coated with exterior
house paint. Its construction is
traditional, meaning there are
no nails or glue used — and replacing
a plank can easily repair
any damage.
Both of Wilborn's commercial
kayaks cost more than
$1,000, while the materials for
his current project have resultylene
exterior is more durable.
"If you're just going camping,
the plastic is the way to
go," Wilborn said. "If you're going
out to play around on the
water, you could use either, but
it's easier to roll if you're using
a skm-on-frame kayak."
Another tool he has taken
from the Greenland culture is a
rope course known as the allu- Mike Wilborn carved the kayak paddle.
naariaqattarneq, designed by
Greenlanders to increase
strength, flexibilityand coordination.
It also helps in learning
how to roll a kayak.
"They did it as a combination
of strength training and something
to do in the winter,
whereas I'm doing it as a combination
of an exercise program
and something to do with
Upon building the rope
course behind his garage, he
struggled and said it was awful,
but he persevered and got
better at it until it became fun.
Wilborn grew up in Harper
PHOTOS BY JUSTIN HICKS
man year to attend Grosse sion in another culture for two
Pointe North High School. years is a lot of fun and gives
Upon graduating, Wilborn you a lot of good stories,"
felt an obligation to serve his Wilborn said. "I love America,
country. He contacted the but when you go somewhere
Marines against his parents' and come back, you can appredesires.
He was eventually date being back in your culture
more."
When he moved back to
Grosse Pointe, he missed being
Woods before moving to
Grosse Pointe Woods his freshtalked
out of the idea
"I still felt like I owed somebody
something and so if I
wasn't going into the military,
maybe the Peace Corps," he ing to meet his desire,
said.
Wilborn said he tries to
Wilborn looked into the ser- make it out on the water every
vice and was sent to Zambia,
South Africa, after earning his "Every time we go out it's
bachelor's degree from 'what are we going to work on
Northern Michigan today'," he said. "As far as I've
University.
learned, it's that way until
"Everything that the Peace you're too old to kayak any-
Corps stands for is about more. The lake is always ready
teaching," he said. "It's never to throw you in if you get too
l't
bring money
orusupplies;,
we bring
knowledge."
The main
objective of
his trip to
Zambia in
April 2004
was to work
with local
1018 Sunningdale Drive, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan
istration: 7:00am - 800am Afternoon Registration: 11
•ast Buffet: 7:00am - 8 Lunch Buffet: 11:00am -1
Morning Start: 800am
Afternoon Start: 1:00pm
Cocktails at 6:00pm ~ Dinner at 7:30pm
such as fish
farming and
He served for
: course,
immer-
PHOTO COURTESYOF MIKE WILBORN
City of