Re: [Paddlewise] Flutter

It's ironic that one of the most exciting branches of modern sea kayaking is
the return to its arctic roots. Even though I'm annoyed by the way my GP
performs, there are enough really good paddlers around who use them to make
me realize that it's mostly me and not the paddle. Although, since I built
the paddle, it's probably the paddle too; at least in my case. <grin>

I didn't realize that Chuck Holst's classic .pdf about carving a GP was
based on an article John Heath did in SK. But I am so glad he wrote it. The
references to that .pdf are all over the Internet. I'd call that a major
achievment. And not a week goes by that I don't go to Harvey Golden's web
site, either. I just wish I had a high ceiling to keep kayaks. My wfie won't
let me pile them against the dining room wall any more.

When I returned to sea kayaking after a couple decades of sailing and then
white water kayaking I was disappointed to discover that there were,
basically, two forms of sea kayaks: the expedition form with huge carrying
capacity; and the British form with very little initial stability (somehow
Mariners had escaped me). At that point I thought that the greenland kayaks
were simply an even less stable paddling platform. It took quite a while for
me to learn to appreciate that the skin-on-frame model is so versatile that
you can make almost anything you want for not very much money and without
putting in years of time. How cool is that?

Even better is that we don't actually have to be in one camp (SOF,
stitch-and-glue, strip-built) or the other (Brit boats, expedition boats,
Mariners) but we can mix and match to our heart's content. Brian Schulz even
showed me how he can built a SOF boat to the performance he wants. He's
built a classic modern surfing kayaking in SOF as well as an almost perfect
copy of a Mariner Coaster.

I didn't realize how many people are intrigued by SOF boats until I started
hauling the F-1 around and going out to fast food outlets for breakfast.
I've watched dozens of people just walk around that boat which, because it's
mounted high on my pickup, clearly shows that it's a ribbed frame with a
fabric coating. If I come out while they're looking they always have a bunch
of questions and always start out with, "Did you build that kayak?"

Jeez... I dunno where I'm going with this and now breakfast is ready and my
wife is tapping her foot. I think I just want to say "thanks" to Chuck Holst
and Harvey Golden and all the rest for hanging in there and keeping these
forms in front of us. And also to the various teachers who are holding
workshops where you don't just learn a skill but you go home with a new
kayak.

It's great to see this exchange of ideas being batted around too.

Uh oh... I gotta go eat.

Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
www.nwkayaking.net
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************