I am sharing the following with a wide list because I always get questions about folding kayaks and where to learn more. Fares are cheap as is the event. Apologies to those who subscribe to two or more of the lists and are getting repeats of the message. ------------- Any one who wants to get a thorough look at folding kayaks including in-depth discussions on assembly, usage, travel, modifications and other tips as well as try out leading models on the water might want to check out the Folding Kayak Symposium being organized in the San Francisco Bay Area by BASK, the Bay Area Sea Kayakers group. The full-weekend affair, which runs Friday May 5th to Sunday May 7th, is planned as a way for folding kayak members of BASK and those who want to know more to get together in a learning experience about this surprisingly complex breed of vessel. BASK members had until March 15th to sign up and it is now being opened up to other participants. I am the featured speaker/catalyst for the weekend and am providing extensive program materials from selected articles in Folding Kayaker as well as making available boat reviews, etc. It starts with a get-together on the Friday in the late afternoon, early evening with a planned talk or slide show. Saturday and Sunday will combine paddling trips one half of each day and discussions the other half; also an evening program on the Saturday night. Peter Schwierzke of the Western Folding Kayak will be there with boats and gear. Peter and I combine years of experience in folding kayaks and this is a great opportunity to pick our brains. Also, a number of the attendees have done things with their folding kayaks that they are willing to share and show-n-tell. The base for the symposium is the group campground at Samuel Taylor State Park, an hour or so north of the Golden Gate Bridge; paddling and demos are at Tomales Bay State Park’s Hearts Desire Beach. Costs? Highway robbery! $35 for the entire weekend that covers two nights of camping and the symposium charge. Bring your own tent, food and a potluck dish to share at the Saturday dinner get-together. If you bring a folding kayak that you are willing to let others try out during the weekend, deduct $10 from that outrageous $35 if it’s a single and $15 if it’s a double. I think it should be fun. When I started writing about folding kayaks in 1991, I organized an impromptu weekend get-together near Stamford, CT that had very much the flavor of this Bay Area symposium. We had show-n-tell and talks as well as boat swapping. One thing I discovered then is that folding kayaks are an on-going learning experience. I know I will walk away from this one knowing more. For more details regarding this event or to register visit http://www.walkerlawfirm.com/bask.html 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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