Re: [Paddlewise] Dancing in a double

Thanks, Ralph.  You can always lighten up a heavy discussion with some
down-to-earth philosophy.  I really chortled over your response.

Joan

On Fri, 10 Mar 2000 23:49:20 -0800 ralph diaz <rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com>
writes:
> Matt Broze wrote:
> 
> I doubt if I will ever convince Matt or anyone who is dead set 
> against
> doubles of the virtues of paddling one but he enumerates nicely some
> complaints that actually bring out a whole litany of positive points 
> for
> this type of boat:
> 
> > I would rather tow my partner than have to paddle in a double from 
> either
> > position. Then I won't have to deal with:
> 
> > 1)paddle splash--I put on my
> > Sou'wester rain hat, difficulty communicating,
> 
> Man (and woman) were put on earth to suffer, at least that what my 
> R.C.
> catechism said.  Paddle splash, as such suffering goes, isn't all 
> that
> bad.  It certainly bits hell and brimfire.  A plus side: the world 
> takes
> on a surreal, hallucinatory look when seen through salt encrusted
> glasses...and it is all drug free and free.
> 
> 
> > 2)paddle clash--and the
> > tension of trying to avoid it for the stern paddler,
> 
> The nice thing about paddle clash is that it is so easy to blame the
> other person.  How often in life can you feel so justifiably
> self-righteous and be certain you are right?...paddle clash is always
> the other paddler's fault.
> 
>  3)wet ride for the bow
> > paddle--as a double being longer and with more weight out towards 
> the ends
> > does not rise as well to the seas as a single although (I'll give 
> Ralph a
> > freebie here) folding kayaks that flex can be somewhat 
> dryer--other things
> > being equal)
> 
> A freebie is always welcome but in truth the person in the bow even 
> in a
> folding double gets splashed but that also means they act as a
> windshield...rule one of paddling a double: get somebody big and 
> wide in
> front and you, the stern paddler, will be as dry as toast.  Of course
> you won't see very much around the hulk sitting in the front.  Have 
> some
> reading material pinned to their back.
> 
> , 4)so wide you feel like you're about to give birth in the
> > stirrups just to work the rudder pedals,
> 
> Gynecologists have been wrestling with what advance to give pregnant
> women who still want to keep paddling.  Matt, your observation holds 
> an
> answer to this question. 
> 
>  5)longer paddles (less efficient
> > and more difficult to control) are necessary--so the stern paddler 
> can reach
> > over the boat and so the bow paddler doesn't set too high a stroke 
> rate for
> > the stern paddler to keep up,
> 
> Longer paddles are actually good things to have as they make for more
> headroom when you use them to hold up a tarp (Greenland storm paddles
> are the worse).  Working out that ratio of paddle lengths for the bow
> and the stern is good for learning higher mathematics;  college-bound
> students can rate advanced math placement if they have paddled a 
> double.
> 
> 
> 6)having to agree or negotiate every decision.
> 
> Do you realize that companies pay big bucks to corporate trainers and
> facilitators to instill such skills in employees on every level?  How
> much cheaper and more enjoyable it would to take such lessons out of 
> the
> classroom and put them on the water.
> 
> > NO THANKS!
> 
> Matt, this has been just great.  The challenges and objections you 
> raise
> have opened a whole positive side of paddling a double that I never
> envisioned.  YES, THANKS!!
> 
> :-)  ralph :-)
> -- 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 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."
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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