The first time I experienced kayaking was with my father in his inflatable. It was essentially a rubber boat with a kayak shape to it. I was around 8-10 years old then. I thought that what made a kayak different than a rowboat was that the oars were stuck together, as opposed two having to work with two pieces. It might have tracked like a barge, but I still cheered my dad on as he paddled furiously to his destination. I still remember, though, the times when he wasn't pissed about getting blown off course, the serenity of being on the water. My parents were divorced when I was ten and I moved in with my stepfather. My stepfather as it turned out, was an "old salt," and enthusiastic about boats. He had sailed across the Pacific Ocean in a sailboat he designed himself. The sailboat was a junk rig without stays, the fully battened sails gave it the name "Batwing." He had sold his boat when his grandfather died when he was in Hong Kong, and he came to Seattle where he got his masters degree and met my mother. Without a serious sailing craft, he was probably lonely. He initially bought a Pacific Water Sports Sea Otter, so he could go look at the sailboats on Lake Union and other places. When he married my mom, he sold the Sea Otter, and bought a Sissutl double and an Aquaterra Spectrum, a blue roto-molded single. On his honeymoon with my mother, they paddled around the islands north of Orcas island, in the San Juans. When my wife (then girlfriend) was living with me in Seattle two years ago, I had convinced her to get a good cycle and come cycling with me. She couldn't keep up with me and didn't enjoy being in traffic and so we gave cycling. We did go on hikes probably every other weekend, but it was turning to fall. With the snow level dropping and the weather like it was, I had the idea to take her paddling in my stepfather's Sissutl. With her being 5' tall, she was practically paddling in the bathtub. But still, she could sit in the front and enjoy the scenery, trimming the boat while I paddled and steered. We went to Lake Union or Lake Washington and stayed out until it turned dark. Coming home from a five hour paddle was exhausting, mainly because of all the arguing we did. I taught her how to properly do a forward stroke so she would be using her back muscles and torso and not tire. There wasn't much to teach otherwise about leaning, turning, etc. After about ten times out, kayaking became something she and I wanted to learn. I borrowed a stack of books about sea kayaking from my stepfather. Derek Hutchinson had a good introduction. I read John Dowd's book about twice over. I read about expedition kayaking the first time with wonder: I had read some of my stepfather's books on sailing, and the sailors seemed to be in life threatening danger more than a few times in a solid sailing craft. My stepfather had a few close calls himself. John Dowd seemed sadistic and suicidal in comparison, paddling such a small boat in rough seas. But, the second time I felt like, "yeah, I can do that too." It wasn't hard to imagine, with proper preparation, seeing myself spending a few weeks in a kayak. Some people might think that a beginner like myself might go off and get killed right away, but instead I decided first I ought to do some more reading. I got the book "Deep Trouble" as well as a stack of Sea Kayaker Magazines full of horror stories. I had also heard enough times from my stepfather that cold water kills and that currents and tide rips ruin a kayaker's day, to heed any and all warnings. I started to imagine the San Juan Islands were full of suicidal kayakers and rescue helicopters. Currently, my wife and I are looking to get single kayaks so that we can practice our skills. I got the impression folding kayaks were very convenient for people who like to travel and kayak. Additionally, having been in a Klepper and seeing them in Sea Kayaker magazine a few times in a travel article (though, I thought, why don't they do more reviews of them?) made me want to get my own. I fantasized about all the wonderful places I can travel to, and me with my kayak on the airplane to experience them with. At the West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium, I did find out that, sure enough John Dowd was just an Average Joe, with enough common sense and respect for the sea that he could experience the world by kayak; that I too could gain skills and build knowledge and decide when I was ready to do something I wanted to do, I could do it. - Elias (I meant to say John Dowd was just an Average Joe, in the sense that his success was a product of his will and common sense, not some physical or mental talent that the average person lacks.) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Elias, I enjoyed your Introduction. I spent a couple of decades sailing before taking up kayaking, so I can identify with both experiences. The Klepper, of course, will allow you to do both, in a manner of speaking. In fact, I've been thinking about getting one of those V shaped sail rigs for my kayak (regular fiberglass boat). Anyway, I liked your explanation of how you came to the sport. I, too, read the book "Deep Trouble" (whose author is a regular here), and found it very very helpful. I made my wife (then girlfriend) read it, too, and she dramatically changed her approach to the sport after that. I had been trying to get her to be more safety conscious. The book worked. Later, after she had donned a wet suit and other safety gear, practiced wet exits, and worked generally on rescue techniques, we paddled a stretch of the main coast one afternoon. It was only about 7 or 8 miles, but the wind picked up pretty strong and we had some four foot swells. It was a little hairy at times, for us at least (although we passed several other kayakers who appeared to be having a blast). Later, she said something to the effect of, "I want to thank you for making me learn all that stuff and get the wet suit and everything. I felt so much more confident out there, and safer." That was satisfying. BTW, I too dream of getting a folding boat. We were in Ireland a couple years ago, and I kept thinking about how awesome it would be to kayak in many of the places we visited. Next time we go, I plan to carry a couple of folding kayaks. That is, after I hit the lottery. . . <g>. Mark Lane *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 09:06 PM 9/19/00 -0400, \"Sailboat Restorations, Inc.\"_at_ wrote: > >BTW, I too dream of getting a folding boat. We were in Ireland a couple >years ago, and I kept thinking about how awesome it would be to kayak in >many of the places we visited. Next time we go, I plan to carry a couple of >folding kayaks. That is, after I hit the lottery. . . <g>. If you don't hit the lottery before your trip you might consider renting a folding boat. I was considering on when I took my last vacation and someone sent me a URL for a company that will drop ship a folding kayak whereever you want. I can't seem to find it righ off hand. Perhaps someone else has it? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Sailboat Restorations, Inc. wrote: > > BTW, I too dream of getting a folding boat. We were in Ireland a couple > years ago, and I kept thinking about how awesome it would be to kayak in > many of the places we visited. Next time we go, I plan to carry a couple of > folding kayaks. That is, after I hit the lottery. . . <g>. > > Mark Lane Folding kayaks are largely overrated. Tales of their utility and pleasures are largely the result of owners who have paid mucho bucks and want to justify the huge outlays they have made. They know the boats are slow, cumbersome on the water, weigh too much, will fall apart at the sight of the first wave and are a horror to assemble. Since I own three I do more justifying than the average folding kayak owner who had the good sense to quit after the purchase of the first one. Take it from an authority, don't buy one. About the only good thing about them is that they come with sponsons already so you don't have to buy them from that Canadian zealot to make your boat safe. 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." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Elias, welcome and thank you for a very personal and nice introduction! After spending 5 seasons on water and having had these "long serious talks" with my SO Rita in our double I am still looking forward the time she is able to share more experiences with me. The longest "serious talk" lasted three days/first 100 kilometres during our first longish trip shared together (Baltic Sea, I suppose it was the summer of ´97 I think). She did not talk to me at all... Cheers, Ari Going out next weekend with her (g) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I found out it is better to say nothing at all, than risk pissing her off. ari0236_at_Saunalahti.fi wrote: > > Elias, > > welcome and thank you for a very personal and nice introduction! > After spending 5 seasons on water and having had these "long > serious talks" with my SO Rita in our double I am still looking > forward the time she is able to share more experiences with me. > > The longest "serious talk" lasted three days/first 100 kilometres > during our first longish trip shared together (Baltic Sea, I suppose it > was the summer of ´97 I think). She did not talk to me at all... > > Cheers, > > Ari > > Going out next weekend with her (g) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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