Re: [Paddlewise] Kayaking Couples

On Thu, 19 Feb 1998, Chuck Holst wrote:

> How many of you are kayaking couples, and were you paddlers
> before you met?

I'm a long time paddler, I started racing canoes when I was 13, I'm 35.

My wife wasn't a paddler.  But she is a former coast guard cadet so she
has a definite affinity toward boats.  We took out some of our canoes
and she soon made it clear the only boats she liked were the marathon
flatwater racing canoes.  She liked the comfortable tractor seats, and
the light hull weight.  She basically refused to paddle, by way of refusing
to help load, the Old Town Laker.

We went to the LL Bean symposium a couple of times and she quickly determined
what she wanted.  The Nordkapp HM with the small cockpit.  All of the other
boats felt too big to her and she has come up with an aversion to plastic 
boats - too slow.  I was supposed to get her the kayak in lieu of an 
engagement ring, but I took so long getting around to that event that she 
went out and bought the boat herself.  I didn't get my first sea kayak until
the season after she bought her boat.  Part of our honeymoon was
a week paddling in Maine.

Now I just need to figure out how to get the 2 year old out in the 
kayaks.  Is it in a double or in a single with a mini-kayak as an 
outrigger....  The 2 year old does enjoy going out in the canoes.

We are up to 9 boats, with plans for at least 3 more - the additional 
boats are on hold until we move and have more space to store boats ;-)

kirk
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