Craig, thanks for the welcome. I guess my biggest problem is that there is nobody around me who is experienced, hence I am asking for advice here. I live in a city of 2 million and as far as I know there are only 3 places that sell kayaks of which only one specializes in them, the other two being Montbell shops that manufactures and sells all sorts of outdoor wear and gear. I haven't been able to find any clubs in my area besides the one for customers of the single shop. It seems that here in Japan, paddling was at it peak in popularity about ten years ago and there were many more shops at that time judging from advertisements in old issues of "Canoe Life" magazine. It would be great to attend a paddlefest but I guess that won't be happening in the near future, unfortunately. My paddling buddy who just got a secondhand Nautiraid Greenlander is using a paddle that came with a recreational inflatable raft. I hadn't realized that seat-back adjustment was so important. The way I have it set up now, I lean back on to it when I am paddling in a relaxed manner enjoying the landscape etc. and sit upright without using it to paddle seriously. Should I set it so my back is against it when I sit upright also? I do have my legs bent quite a bit so I can use them to paddle. I have the text on paddling technique from www.marinerkayaks.com printed out and have been reading it over several times on the bus while commuting. I even had it in my pocket while paddling although I didn't actually take it out and read it. I am eager to get on the water and try your tips, but my daughter's daycare center is moving into a new building this weekend and being low on funding we parents will be moving most of the stuff. Well, I probably will have fun doing that with the kids running around anyway. Thanks again, Shin I have a blog in Japanese at the URL below with a few pictures of the places I go. http://ssugiya.cocolog-nifty.com/blog -- *************************************************************************** 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 Sat Nov 25 2006 - 14:15:11 PST
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