Joshua wrote; > Dear Friends: > (Major SNIP) What a shame so much misinformation has become part of the "Common Wisdom" . "Narrow" does not necessarily mean "fast", "tippy", "sporty", "low volume", etc. etc. etc. Nor does "British" mean "fast", "tippy", "sporty", "low volume", etc. etc. etc. Wide does not necessarily mean "Slow", ""stable", "high volume", etc. etc. etc. nor does "American" mean "Slow", ""stable", "high volume", etc. etc. etc. Most importantly none of this means "seaworthy" either more or less. Skilled (and unskilled) paddlers will enjoy the boat that satisfies their needs and requirements. These requirements don't always match the requirements (or prejudices) of a BCU (or ACA or CRCA or whatever) trainer. I think you will serve yourself best by seeking out the boat that: Has enough storage for YOUR gear plus a treat or two for when you become down. Has the stability characteristics that keep YOU comfortable in the boat even at the end of a long day. Has a reasonably low resistance at YOUR cruising power output when loaded. Has the maneuverability and directional stability to match YOUR skill level and ambitions. Has a cockpit that fits YOU even if you have a bigger (or smaller) butt than the average Englishman. Comes from a builder with a reputation for quality. Comes in a color YOU will still like next year. Stirs YOUR soul. Etc. Etc. Etc. but not necessarily in this order of importance - well, excepting the YOU part that always comes first. Ignore the boat's national origins whether American, British, Italian, Polish, German, Greenlandic, French, Canadian, French-Canadian or Tibetan - unless, of course, you consider national origin more important than good sense in which case........... When you find yourself up to your butt in trouble the ocean will not calm while Poseidon rises from the ocean to ask you about the national origin of your boat. Cheers, John Winters Redwing Designs Web site address, http://home.ican.net/~735769 *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon May 15 2000 - 08:19:39 PDT
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