Hi, I'm the Tom who started the "What Should One Know About Paddling A Double" thread. I paddled with Ralph Hoehn Saturday in the Manhatten Island Marathon Swim. It was my first time paddling in a double, and this is only my second season of kayaking. A couple of days before the event I posted that thread just to get some miscellaneous imput although I trusted Ralph H. was an experienced paddler with doubles and otherwise; and I was comfortable that he could fill me in on most of what I needed to know on the go. Ralph is the Manufacturer's Rep. for all the U.S. and some other places for the German made POUCH Folding Kayak Company. It was not a very strenuous paddle anyway as we only had to keep up with a swimmer. And as it turned out, the swimmer we accompianied, Eric Blakely, finished last in 9:46:xx. A fine chap, who flew in from the UK for the event with his girlfriend who also competed, Eric is known for his endurance but not tremendous speed. This 28 miler was a mid-length event for him. He was going steady and strong at the end, and had the race gone another lap, I think he would have placed in front. We were the only double in the event and the only kayak outfitted with a mast flying a pendant with the number of our swimmer. Bringing up the rear, our vessel was widely recognized as the class of the paddling fleet. We were the subject of numerous photos taken both professional and amature taken by tourists on passing Circle Line tour boats and even had news helicopters hovering over us for a while. At the finish line, a number of boats manuvered into parade formation to greet our arrival and sounded horns as we passed. Personally, I made out pretty well under Ralph Hoehns tutelage; and also because I brought a copy of Ralph Diaz's (the other Ralph's) book on folding boats with me. During the lightning breaks I read from the chapters on doubles although the rain gave the tome such a soaking it was hard to separate the pages at times. I also read some other chapters as I was in the back; and as I had been accurately advised by some other helpful paddlewisers, I only had to paddle when Ralph looked back or the photogs were around. Tom Dowling Brooklyn, NY --------------- Original Message > 22 Jun 2001 "Joy E. Hecht" <jhecht_at_erols.com> > RE: What Should One Know About Paddling A Double? > Who's Tom? Did he start this thread? > And how is it that there seem to be two folding kayak > gurus out there and you have the same name??????...... > Joy Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 6/26/01 10:42:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time, tombrooklyn_at_yahoo.com writes: > ... Personally, I made out pretty well under Ralph Hoehns tutelage; and also > because I brought a copy of Ralph Diaz's (the other Ralph's) book on > folding boats with me. During the lightning breaks I read from the > chapters on doubles although the rain gave the tome such a soaking it was > hard to separate the pages at times. I also read some other chapters as I > was in the back; and as I had been accurately advised by some other helpful > paddlewisers, I only had to paddle when Ralph looked back or the photogs > were around. Actually Tom is is being far too modest: I perpetuate with purpose and vehemence the myth that, even when I'm pulling strongly on a Greenland type blade, I leave almost no surface vortices behind. Rather than being a drag on the propulsive side of the operation, it was in fact Tom alone who paddled us around the island, while I merely "waggled the stick back and forth"!! By the way, I'm glad that we did not roll the double folding boat to avoid lighting strikes, as it turned out that our "submersible" masthead light filled with water just from the rain alone. (Will refrain from naming the brand since I have not yet proven conclusively to myself that there was no operator error involved.) Best regards, Ralph Ralph C. Hoehn Ralph_at_PouchBoats.com www.PouchBoats.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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