Subject: RE: baidarka native paddles
From: Chuck Holst (CHUCK@MULTITECH.COM)
Date: Tue Mar 21 2000 - 11:00:11 EST
>>
When Mr. Hutchinson saw our native style paddles He reacted with
scepticism and scorn. He said that kayakers go through a stage of making
and useing these paddles but that we would grow out of it.
>>
I got the same lecture from Hutchinson about my Greenland paddle. However,
after I politely stood my ground and demonstrated that I could paddle,
brace, and roll adequately with it, he retreated a bit, and grudgingly
accepted my preference for it. One of the things he said or implied was that
he himself had experimented with Greenland paddles. However, it must have
been long ago, for he also told me I would have a much better feel for the
paddle if I wore pogies instead of gloves. In fact, one of the things I like
about the Greenland paddle is that the shape of the loom and blade root
gives me a very good feel for its orientation even when I am wearing gloves.
One of the ironies about all this is that his heavy, expensive, Toksook
paddle is advertised as being based on a native design!
BTW, Hutchinson got in trouble with my wife for humorously disparaging East
Anglian paddlers during his North Sea crossing talk. She told him so the
next day, pointing out that that her father was from Yorkshire, and she
herself was born and raised in Chingford, Essex (now part of Greater
London). He must have thought it was safe to tell the story that way in
America!
I should add that after learning that Linda and I were planning to take the
BCU Four Star assessment, Hutchinson was kind enough to loan us his copy of
a new BCU instructor's manual to make notes from. Not many people get to see
Hutchinson's kinder, gentler side; most only get to see the showman side.
I think the best way to get Hutchinson's respect is to show competence as a
paddler, whatever way you do it.
Chuck Holst
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