Dan, Sorry if I made you yawn (and any other Paddlewise persons). I yawn a lot on Sundays too, but I guess I just want to see kayakers have a little more balance (important for kayaking, you know?). One can get that by hearing juxstaposed, divergent opinions and choosing somewhere between the extremes. My preference for novices (context of original message) is for a balanced presentation upfront. Interestingly enough (maybe not for some yawners), on a recent trip down the West Coast of Vancouver Island, my two companions and I had very different approaches to boat choice, ways to track straight, paddle choice, style and cadence, etc...we all arrived at the same beach every afternoon, at the same time, despite all the differences! Have a happy paddle, different Dan. Doug Lloyd Victoria BC >Doug Lloyd wrote: >> >> ...<snip>... >> ... find out what gear, boat and techniques work best for you. Do draw >> from organized instruction and good counsel - that which is universally >> advisable to follow, and do always make sure all the basics are covered. But >> do, in the end, do it your own way ...<snip>... > >Yawn. > >Seriously, do you really think that people need to be told this?!? It is >obvious that experts disagree, that these experts have found different >ways of doing things (all of which may work to some extent in some >circumstances), and that one must therefore pick and choose, based on >one's own analysis and experiences and those of others (yadda, yadda, >yadda). So what does this have to do with your complaints about people >who express strong opinions? When I take up any new sport, I seek out >people who are strongly opinionated. I rather enjoy hearing about a >technique from someone who is passsionate about it, and then to hear >from others who view things differently, but who are no less passionate. >I have gained a lot from discussing the use of paddle floats with Matt >Broze and Derek Hutchinson, and from listening to Matt complain about >Derek's views (or vice versa) on a subject. The same holds true for the >ongoing dialogues about the use of rudders versus skegs versus neither, >feathered versus unfeathered paddles, high-angle versus low-angle >strokes, hardshells versus folders, etc. There is nothing less >interesting or more useless than someone who says "whatever works". >Finally, I don't understand why some feel the need to preface every >statement (or presentation) by saying "In my opinion..." or "While >others may view things differently...". When I hear people say such >things, I think to myself "Gee, really?!?" :-) When I want opinions on >something, I seek out those who are passionate in their views. It is the >competition among ideas that leads us closer to the answers that we >seek. > >Dan Hagen >Bellingham, Washington >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ >*************************************************************************** > > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sun Jan 31 1999 - 16:29:44 PST
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