I can understand Kevin's worry about potential safety risks when uninformed people buy inexpensive kayaks at a discount chain. I'm less sure that "uninformed people" equates with "irresponsible people". (Kevin didn't use those words. They are my words.) Irresponsible boaters scare the pants off me. Just within this week, the following: (1)A prominent local boater was bragging to me recently about the new GPS-controlled navigation system on his power boat. He can set the thing and then go below and fix drinks, or prepare lunch Doesn't even have to look where he's going. Wonderful..... (2)I had a phone call from a Cornell professor last night. He wanted to borrow a kayak for his research on pollution in local headwater streams (which are now at spring flood levels with water temps in the mid-30s F). He's planning go paddle alone "90% of the time" though he's never paddled a kayak before. He's planning to wear "chest waders and a heavy sweatshirt". Each of these guys has two homes and a power boat. I doubt that either of them has ever stepped inside a Costco store. There's a tendency to think that those of us who have more education and/or more financial reserves are also more intelligent and more responsible. That's a dangerous generality. Plenty of irresponsible people have plenty of money to spend. Plenty of thoughtless people have advanced degrees in one thing or another. Plenty of folks with very limited means are more intelligent and more thoughful than those with PhD or CEO after their names. Some people of limited means need to start where they can start - but then go on to learn about the sea, about safety, and about technique. I say give 'em a chance. Bill *************************************************************************** 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 Thu Mar 04 1999 - 06:11:31 PST
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