Due to the big email/Internet virus my email server has been unavailable. Today I can send messages but I still can't receive them so I don't know if anyone has reported back on the Paddlesport show. Thus, I would like to provide the following observation: Folders love their boats (no, Ralph did not pay me to say that) I feel qualified to say this because of the many conversations I had with show attendees; one gentleman confessed to owning his boat for 45 yrs!!! (yes, that's 45 yrs); another couple 32 yrs. In fact the couple was not even sure the Folbot was still on the market and were quite surprised when I told them it was still a very popular line. After this happened 3 or 4 times it caused those of us behind the table to wonder whether this is generally true - that folders keep their boats and hard shellers frequently change out their boats. We came to no real conclusions. I can only speak for myself and those I paddle with a lot. We seem to be in constant search of "The" boat for us. The one that fits us perfectly, both literally (sizing) and figuratively (speed, playfulness). I still haven't found mine but I know its out there somewhere. I'm the ultimate resellers dream - I keep buying and selling, and buying and selling, . . . Now these people have me thinking. Maybe the answer is a folding boat. Hmmmm . . . Debbie Reeves Sandy Hook, NJ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Reeves, Debbie (Debbie) wrote: > > Due to the big email/Internet virus my email server has been unavailable. > Today I can send messages but I still can't receive them so I don't know if > anyone has reported back on the Paddlesport show. Thus, I would like to > provide the following observation: > > Folders love their boats (no, Ralph did not pay me to say that) > > I feel qualified to say this because of the many conversations I had with > show attendees; one gentleman confessed to owning his boat for 45 yrs!!! > (yes, that's 45 yrs); another couple 32 yrs. In fact the couple was not > even sure the Folbot was still on the market and were quite surprised when I > told them it was still a very popular line. After this happened 3 or 4 > times it caused those of us behind the table to wonder whether this is > generally true - that folders keep their boats and hard shellers frequently > change out their boats. I have run across this phenomenon too. I am not sure that folding kayakers hang on to their boats longer...they just last longer!! Both the boats and the people. :-) The boats themselves are made in such a way that the frames can last 60 years and the hulls about 25 to 30 years. As for the people lasting longer, there is a lot to be said about the mental dexterity that goes into assembling a folding kayak, keeping all the steps and parts in order in your head. Also the many body movements and twists and manual dexterity that are part of the assembly process keeps a person nimble. The mental dexterity and the orchestrated movement of the body/hands are similar to what a musical conductor goes through in leading a symphony; these factors it is said contributes to the long lifespan seen in that profession. Afterall, what goes into paddling a hardshell? Put it on a car roof, take it off a car roof, sit in the right hole (the one in the middle of the boat). I mean, for god sake, how much brain cell goes into that! :-) The average age of the readers of my newsletter is something like 78 and they pay for their subscriptions with their social security checks. Honest. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
From: Reeves, Debbie (Debbie) >Folders love their boats (no, Ralph did not pay me to say that) >I feel qualified to say this because of the many conversations I had with >show attendees; one gentleman confessed to owning his boat for 45 yrs!!! >(yes, that's 45 yrs); another couple 32 yrs. In fact the couple was not >even sure the Folbot was still on the market and were quite surprised when I >told them it was still a very popular line. On an AMC trip I led a coupla years ago, one of the people showed up with a Mead Glider manufactured in 1935 (!). The skin was replaced but everything else was original. It had originally been his father's. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
-------------Big cut--------------- " Afterall, what goes into paddling a hardshell? Put it on a car roof, take it off a car roof, sit in the right hole (the one in the middle of the boat). I mean, for god sake, how much brain cell goes into that!" Holy Cow! It's the MIDDLE hole. Man, that's gonna make things easier. I sure wish someone had told me when I got the boat. Thanks Ralph. Once again you've proven to be a great resource. Larry Mills Department of Redundancy Department *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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