RE:[Paddlewise] Boat Inertia (was Magazine out-Article by Doug L)

Doug wrote:
>>>That was a good letter you sent him at the time Matt. I remember it, and
I remember Derek's response at the time: "Who in the hell does this Matt
guy think he is, to tell me how to write my books." Ahh, for the old
days, Matt! <<<

Funny he should have said that. In 1982 I asked Frank Goodman (Nordkapp
designer for those who don't know) who I'd just met at the first sea
kayaking symposium ever in Maine, "What's with this Derek Hutchinson"? I
won't repeat what he said here but I still remember it. I have a lot of
respect for Frank.

Actually I wrote Derek an 8 page letter with comments on his manuscript to
try to help him write a kayaking book I could wholeheartedly endorse. The
only thing he changed as a result (that I could tell) was that he removed
his recommendation to store food in the kayak when in bear country to
protect the food. I told Derek the bear would still get the food and destroy
your mode of transportation in the process. It was fine with me if he wanted
to ignore my advice but what really ticked me off was that he put my name in
the acknowledgements as though I'd helped him and endorsed the book. Then he
had the gall to tell me he wanted to make more changes based on my
suggestions but the publisher wouldn't let him. The publisher told me he
could have made any changes he wanted to.

Doug again:
>>>>Hey Matt, what's with all the old quotes of yours being
pulled out of your personal archive files recently? Thought engineer
types were always improving on previous efforts, or are they heavy
weight examples of well-engineered statements?. <<<<

Just trying to be efficient. Why spend a lot of time on something I had
already spent a lot of time on previously that is precisely what I wanted to
say. Actually, I was into science in high school and college but due to a
language requirement in science I did try Engineering for a few quarters.
Didn't like it at all (at least as taught in the U of W engineering school).
Went back to science but then dropped out of college altogether after 3
years to study what I was interested in (at precisely the time I was
interested in it) rather than chase the grade and degree carrots.
Matt Broze (college dropout)
http://www.marinerkayaks.com

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