[Paddlewise] limited by skills to one mode of propulsion (was pedal power kayak)

Ahem. Good bite, Mark! 

Mark wrote: (...)"I expect your words are intended just to provoke 
those of us who are not limited by our skills to one mode of 
propulsion, but I'll bite anyway.;-) (snip)

Well, it is not the skills. You sail, I suppose, and I do not.
Let me cite myself: "At least that is my zen thing: old mortal clay 
in total co-operation with my weary soul...". Meaning: this is the 
thing in kayaking for me - not sailing. One can get a *total feeling of 
completeness* from sailing, but that is not the same thing. Of 
course, my judgment upon sails and pedal powered kayaks can be 
reflected against that philosophy :-p

About local conditions: at this time of year you can count the small 
boats at sea with the fingers of your right hand. Kayaks and sailing 
boats: almost *zero*. The reason is not the extreme winds, which 
are fortunately rare, but the coldness in water and air. To be 
earnest, you do not suppose that Jon Waterman's Arctic 
adventures are everyone´s cup of tea? Taking that as an example 
about sailing was a little bit misleading. Very few people go out 
there now, in general!

The matter of a fact (about SOT´s) is that it is rather favourable to 
stay warm and dry around here, especially now. I think SOT´s suit 
better to warmer surroundings. Closed, more traditional, kayak 
keeps your lower body warm (the effects of wind and cold water, 
even if you wear a dry-suit). If I am correct the water is allowed to 
enter the kayak freely in SOT´s - and there is no way I am going to 
sit in sea water of 5 to 7 degrees Centigrades (the water is still this 
week about 40 F)! Even with a dry-suit, and full fleece undergear it 
would be awful - the water starts to freeze on your kayak deck, on 
your dry-suit. And on your precious a$$, however hard you pedale!

Hmm. There might be market for sails here. Nobody is using them 
in kayaks.. quite a lot of limited people...

Cheers, Ari

PS: I think that Matt was meaning ("but lets get back to paddling on
paddlewise") that there are so many never-ending topics which do 
come back after a while. Sails or no sails, feathered or unfeathered 
paddles for an example, or whatever. I am sure that sails, if used in 
kayaks, can be an interesting topic (though peripheral) among 
other things. No problem there. But paddling comes first. And list 
mom has surely something to say upon us kids ranting here :-)
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