Ralph mentioned the redoubtable Dr Lindemann in the discussion about matching experience to voyaging. I have not read the redoubtable doctor's book [ hard to get in Australia ] but I wonder whether Ralph has any background on Lindemann's previous kayaking experience before he made The Crossing. Those of us who have connections with the world of Kleppers have obviously heard of Lindemann, and I remember reading somewhere that before his trip he simply ordered a double Klepper in Germany, had it shipped to the Canary Islands, rigged his own design of sails and masts and outrigger and paddled off into the sunset. Before he embarked on this amazing voyage, did Lindemann have many years of experience kayaking in Germany or elsewhere? What ocean experience did he have? And is it so that Lindemann disappeared on a subsequent voyage, in the Caribbean perhaps? Regards, Peter Rattenbury *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
There is some information the book at http://www.westernfoldingkayak.com - you have to scroll down to the bottom portion to see it. Info and some images from the book. > Ralph mentioned the redoubtable Dr Lindemann in the discussion about > matching experience to voyaging. > I have not read the redoubtable doctor's book [ hard to get in Australia ] > but I wonder whether Ralph has any background on Lindemann's previous > kayaking experience before he made The Crossing. > Those of us who have connections with the world of Kleppers have obviously > heard of Lindemann, and I remember reading somewhere that before his trip > he simply ordered a double Klepper in Germany, had it shipped to the Canary > Islands, rigged his own design of sails and masts and outrigger and > paddled off into the sunset. Before he embarked on this amazing voyage, > did Lindemann have many years of experience kayaking in Germany or > elsewhere? What ocean experience did he have? And is it so that Lindemann > disappeared on a subsequent voyage, in the Caribbean perhaps? > Andree Hurley On Water Sports - http://www.onwatersports.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
PJ Rattenbury wrote: > > Ralph mentioned the redoubtable Dr Lindemann in the discussion about > matching experience to voyaging. > I have not read the redoubtable doctor's book [ hard to get in Australia ] > but I wonder whether Ralph has any background on Lindemann's previous > kayaking experience before he made The Crossing. > did Lindemann have many years of experience kayaking in Germany or > elsewhere? What ocean experience did he have? And is it so that Lindemann > disappeared on a subsequent voyage, in the Caribbean perhaps? Lots of questions all at once. First, let's deal with the last one. Dr. Lindemann is still very much alive. He made quite a showing at the major sea kayaking symposium in Port Townsend, Washington in September 1993. His book, which has a fresh reprinting at the time, was bought by about half of the 800 participants at the symposium and he spoke extensively. He also danced the night away with his wife among all the hot blood yahoos (affectionately phrased) at the big dinner and dance night. The fellow who disappeared while Kleppering from Africa to the US was Captain Franz Romer in 1928. He crossed the Atlantic in a custom made 19 foot Klepper. He survived several hurricanes on his way to Puerto Rico. He then decided to continue to the US Mainland and also decided to attach a motor to the Klepper. He disappeared in a third hurricane on that leg, probably the victim of untried gear and thrown-off boat trim. Lindemann's previous kayaking experience? Scratch any German in pre-WW II years and he will likely bleed some Klepper or other folding kayak blood (there were 80 manufacturers of these vessel between the world wars). He had extensive experience and extensive voyages in folding kayaks. More important he also had lots of small boat experience as well in sailing and open water voyages. Indeed, when he decided to cross the Atlantic in a Klepper similar to those of his teenage years, he bought it without fanfare and corporate endorsement and had it shipped to him in the Canaries where he was a doctor (he did a lot of doctoring in the Third World and later wrote some seminal books on alternate medicine and medical practices that were translated into umpteen languages). When I asked Dr. Lindemann what was the hardest point of his voyage he answered "Buying the Klepper. I had little money!". A few years prior to the Klepper transatlantic voyage, Dr. Lindemann did the same trip in an African dugout cargo canoe of I think 23 feet long or so. He decided to repeat the trip in the smaller folding kayak for a variety of reasons that probably only Doug of BC would understand. :-) The one thing about Dr. Lindemann that continues to strike me is his great inquisitiveness and fierce questioning of common beliefs and anybody's claims on anything. After meeting him and sharing many hours of beer and conversation, I have all sorts of examples of this, some of which I covered in a subsequent article in my newsletter. One example, I was sitting with him and his wife and a psychiatrist reader of my newsletter. The conversation went in all directions a lot of it discussion of mental attitude and discipline, which I wish I have been able to tape record. Some where as a side conversation, I let out that I know Portuguese (we had already established my Cuban roots). Lindemann said nothing. But about 5 minutes later he turned to me and in perfect Portuguese asked me something. I responded in Portuguese and as I did I could see a glint in his eye. He was testing me. Underlying the two voyages across the Atlantic was his adamant questioning of a Frenchman's theory about drinking saltwater as a survival tool for shipwrecked sailors. Lindemann disagreed and made the voyages and experiments with disproving the theory upmost in his mind. Even when speaking in 1993 at the symposium you could still hear the fire in his voice as he addressed the issue again. Anyway, I was glad I had an opportunity to interview him on the phone and write an article in Sea Kayaker and several in Folding Kayaker. And I was glad to meet the living legend himself for several days. 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 - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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