Re: [Paddlewise] Knives

Ralph wrote;

(SNIP of worthwhile thoughts on knives etc..)

>For me, a paddling knife (let's call it that) has a specific purpose and
>should be chosen for that and that only.  And if it could do other
>things like spread peanut butter, cut up kielbasa, etc. great.  The
>purpose of a paddling knife is to cut you free of entanglement.  If you
>have absolutely nothing on you or your boat that can entangle you, you
>don't need a knife.  If you have potential sources of entanglement, you
>do.

I am one of those minimalist paddlers with almost nothing on deck and not a
lot inside either. Comes from many years of ship and boat building where we
do our best to keep things simple. While many things do work best if easily
accessible it is worth the excersize of questioning if they pose more peril
than benefit.

>I could see the long discussions on PaddleWise over such
>an accident and John Winters bringing up the idea of diapers as a better
>solution to the need that did me in. :-)

Actually Ralph, I hadn't thought of that but I was in the drug store today
and looking at an adult diaper for adults who are incontinent and thinking
what a neat idea that might be. Also I was told about a poly device sold by
West Marine that was supposedly non tippng and had a little spout for the
purpose and a plug. A funnel like thing was also sold for female paddlers.
Very cheap so they say.


>As for survival purposes onshore, I'm not sure what one expects to meet
>onshore where you paddle.  Here in the New York City area it is mainly
>human danger.  In a sheath, any knife looks menacing.  I remember one
>late afternoon arriving at a beach in Northern Manhattan to find
>awaiting me a half dozen young toughs sharing a bottle of something.
>They were so in awe that anyone would come in from what is an alien
>world for them that they just let me be.  The paddle in my hand and the
>Rambo look of my knife probably helped too.  Who wants to mess with a
>crazed old man emerging from the sea carrying a club and wearing a
>knife?

I use a folding knife that I can skin and field dress a vegetarian in  ten
minutes. It looks dangeous and is so we don't have lots of arguments on my
trips. Works best with a crazed look.

Cheers,
John Winters
Redwing Designs
Specialists in Human Powered Watercraft
http://home.ican.net/~735769/

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