[Paddlewise] Who we are

One of the three New Zealanders (only 3?) on the list.

First went to sea at the age of 4 and worked my way down 
from 100+ foot vessels until at the age of 12 or 13 took 
command of my own, a 7'6" pramm dinghy - rowing. Read 
how to it was possible to sail to windward so rigged it and 
taught myself to sail. First paddled a kayak (once) about that 
time. Worked upwards to a Flying Dutchman which I cruised 
and raced (very little). Crewed (raced) keelers up to 35'.  

Decided kayaking would be a good way of getting on the 
water quickly and into interesting places, was shown some 
plans that someone at work had used, modified them to a sea 
kayak (Coastal) and built one for my daughter's 10th birthday 
in 1983. Went off and cycle toured California and decided 
when I got back I'd better build one for myself. First multi-
day trip was with a club group that first summer and then 
went off solo for a week. Lack of other paddlers at that time 
resulted in mostly solo paddling in the summers, rest of the 
year was cycle touring.  

Two years later I mounted an expedition to D'Urville Island, 
one of the original reasons for taking up sea kayaking. The 
original kayaks were followed by the "big" boat (Seaward), 
designed a few years before but built in the winter of 1991, 
4 being built together and ultimately going into glass 
production (got one free in lieu of royalties). The double 
(Encore) was designed and used on the circumnavigation of 
Fiji (Vanua Levu) in 1994 and for numerous trips with 
beginners and visitors to this country. 

>From all the touring paddling I wrote the "Sea Kayakers 
Guide to Tasman Bay and the Malborough Sounds".

My partner's kayak (Mac50) was designed and started after 
the Mist but finished first (by a long way). The latest, the 
Mist class, 16 kg, very quick, and that's before it even gets in 
the water....  

All the kayaks are wood except the glass Seaward. Six of 
them hanging in the rafters in the garage.

The fun of sea kayaking is all the gadgets one can dream up
and build when not paddling and the sailing background, as
someone else pointed out, probably has something to do with
not wanting to be under a kayak.

Work (what's that?), electronics - build, design, service.

Alex
(where it is still summer)
--
----------------------------------------------------
Alex Ferguson      a.ferguson_at_chem.canterbury.ac.nz
Electronics Workshop, Chem Dept, Univ of Canterbury
Christchurch, New Zealand
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