Nick said: My main reason for wanting a folding kayak is not so much its portability, but because so many of you mention how it puts you in more intimate connection to the sea. Reply: If the opportunity presents itself, you might want to build a skin on frame boat. I've built two with Superior Kayaks of Wisconsin, perhaps there are traditional kayak building schools in your part of the universe. The traditional boat, mine are canvas covered, has that live feel but gives a bunch of extras: 1. The boat is built to your own dimensions and for your own preferences. My new one is a west Greenland type that is 18.5 feet long to give me the speed I like. And it is 17.5 inches wide to give me the snug fit and boat control that I like. 2. You learn soooo much about what wisdom the inuit had. 3. You get, at least in my case, a tiny bit of a spiritual connection to the ancient inuit who devised such wonderful boats. 4. You get an emotional, perhaps spiritual, connection to the boat you built to fit your own body. 5. You get a lot of attention when you paddle it. 6. In my case at least, I learned a little about sawing wood and a lot about lashing. I love my Feathercraft K-1 and my Feathercraft double, but the connection between the water and the boat I've built is stronger. My new, narrow, kayak has not hit the water yet, I'm waiting for the paint to dry. But the one I built in 1998 has that wonderful, flexible feel in the water that my Feathercrafts don't have. Perhaps other folders are better in that regard, but I can't imagine any folding boat can equal the feel of a traditionally built one. Whatever you do, you're obviously going to have fun. Jim Tibensky _________________________________________________________________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Jan 18 2002 - 06:18:32 PST
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