ralph diaz said: >>What it means is that while there are certainly orthodox ways of paddling and perscribed gear, etc. this is not the only way of meeting the challenges. That guy's experience with his old faded Klepper, clothing, etc. worked well for him.<< >snip< Ralph, I've come across a number of these types of guys in the last couple of decades -- usually in Kleppers, often each one has been in a double, alone (using sails very often). I've also had marine service workers, marina owners, an others describe these canvas n' frame elderly adventures, describing said paddlers with lively enthusiasm and admiration. I've also come across elderly couples in Kleppers, still enamoured with each other and the sea. They are almost always "low-tech," well-adjusted, sea-savvy paddlers. They usually, from what I could quickly ascertain, seemed...well...connected with nature in a special way. I don't know how else to put it. I hate to admit it (because I love stiff kayaks so much) but I think the Klepper paddler (Foldboat, Feathercraft, etc.) have a sensation with the rhythm and undulations of the sea that I just don't get to experience. Now don't get going on an evangelical outpouring ralph, about better performance, 'cause I ain't buying into that; it's just that folks in folders seem to enjoy an essential, elemental privilege that hard-shell users miss out on. At least, it seems that way to me. I've also bumped into a few eccentrics over the years too (and unfortunately, novices wearing T-shirts and blue jeans, etc, out on the open coat. I was just reading SK Mag where the editor recounts an interesting encounter with someone that sounded a little more than just eccentric, but wise with the ways of the waterway. It would be interesting to hear from Paddlewisers about some of their more interesting encounters with other paddlers. Doug Lloyd Victoria BC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ "Whatever can be said at all can be said clearly and whatever cannot be said clearly should not be said at all." Ludwig Wittgenstein ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ *************************************************************************** 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 Mar 07 2003 - 18:26:41 PST
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