[Paddlewise] Kayaks and your soul

Hello List,

Today, Ralph started some good discussions when he brought up the subject
of SOTs and how the use of them affects some safety, rescue and performance
concerns.

I think SOTs, folders, canoes, jet skis and many other forms of water craft
do many things well.  Oft times, much better than traditional kayaks.
There is one thing, however, that puts kayaks for me in a slightly
different class.

Naturally this does not hold true for all boats, but when I look at
traditional kayaks (enclosed, hard shells) I see such a manifestation of
beauty that it touches my soul.  I use the word traditional kayak here to
distinguish from canoes and SOTs and not as a descriptor relating to
Greenland style or baidarka, etc.

This happen for me the first time I saw a fiberglass Sealoution.  The lines
on that boat are magnificent.  I don't want to argue whether a Sealoution
performs well, etc.  I just want to state that when I look at a Sealoution,
and at other boats whose lines are in tune with me, and I truly get a
feeling that touches my soul.  It's one of the main reasons I paddle.  

Naturally, not all kayaks are beautiful to me but so many are that I felt a
need to write this to the list.  I wish I had the elegant writing skills to
have you see what I see, but I'll just hope I gave you enough to "hear" me.

Bottom line:  There are lots of boats out there to choose but, with kayaks,
I am closer to being "one with our earth and its seas" than I can imagine
with any other boat.

My 2 cents....

Bill Leonhardt 
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