10) "Luckily, we don't have to listen to that annoying guy if we pick up the pace to faster than he can go". A couple of women in a club once told me they were glad we didn't sell the faster kayak (he wanted) to a club paddler with an inferiority complex that irritated them often with his annoying bragging. They hoped to continue to be able to paddle harder and leave him behind when he got too annoying. 9) "I refuse to be towed." My ex-wife turned what could have been a two hour paddle into an exhausting five hour struggle into the current this way. 8) "I like to get a vigorous workout" vs. "I like to smell the starfish". 7) Overconfidence in the skills of an expert paddler who is expected to easily catch up if left behind. Once I was in a rental kayak that I had reported to my paddling partners had a seriously leaking bow hatch (in steep wind waves during a five mile crossing). They paddled off ahead and left me behind anyway. When I confronted them for abandoning me to sink in the middle of the crossing, they protested that although had I told them my kayak was leaking and I had to stop to pump, I hadn't made it clear just how fast it was sinking and they were confident I could take care of myself. Luckily, there was no front bulkhead in the kayak so I was prepared to deal with that situation solo from the cockpit but I couldn't both stop and pump often and also keep up with two fast paddlers with a goal. 6) So many directions one can go on the open sea with no specific road to get there on. (Plane vs. line freedom--it's a good thing kayaks can't fly) 5) Different kayak models have different angles that they can most easily maintain in various sea conditions, even small angle differences soon have the kayaks separating a good distance over time if maintained. 4) Misunderstanding of the goals of the group by some members of the group. 3) Disagreement about the easiest way to reach their agreed upon destination (especially by groups already spread too far apart to easily communicate or unable to agree on the best route). "Come over here." "No, you come here." often done with alternate "come here" arm motions at a distance. 2) Different paddling skills, strength, endurance, or paddling efficiencies between paddlers. 1) "It's hard to look back over your shoulder in a kayak long enough to see all the group members behind you". Matt Broze, Seattle http://www.marinerkayaks.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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