RE:[Paddlewise] Death of Louis Catlin Gills

From: Matt Broze <mkayaks_at_oz.net>
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2003 16:00:34 -0800
     The Struer Fenga 75 (and 85) were 17-0 by 20" wide according to the
1975 Canoe magazine Buyer's Guide. For the Fenga 75 the Buyer's Guide listed
its use as "CR" which stood for "casual recreation" (but it was probably at
least an Olympic trainer if not an outdated full on Olympic Flat Water
Sprint Kayak). Most likely, like the Struer Slender, it was 5.2 meters long
(~17' 0.7") by 52cm wide (~20.5"), the Olympic Flatwater racing kayak
dimensions. I have paddled a Slender. It is very tippy for a sea kayak, but
not nearly as tippy as most Olympic Flatwater kayaks. The Slender is
considered an Olympic Flatwater trainer.

I hope that if I ever reach the age of 82 that I'll still be able to keep an
Olympic Flatwater kayak from tipping over for a few seconds at least. This
seems to be a totally inappropriate kayak for anyone of that age. Was it his
only kayak? Did he paddle regularly in it from this location? Had he just
gotten some bad medical news? My mother has advanced Alzheimer's. As tragic
as this kayaking "accident" may be there are a lot worse ways one can
expire.

Matt Broze
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/
***************************************************************************
Received on Tue Dec 02 2003 - 16:00:19 PST

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:31:11 PDT