Subject: Re: baidarka Inuit boat plans - any firsthand experience?
From: 735769 (735769@ican.net)
Date: Thu May 04 2000 - 17:00:33 EDT
Peter wrote;
(SNIP)
>
> Since most of use can not demo a native design before we build it, using
> other peoples opinions is about the only thing we got to go by, as
> imperfect as that is.
True enough. The important thing is that you recognise the flaws in personal
opinions.
> Sea Kayaker reviews are mostly opinions and impressions, other boat and
car
> magazine reviews are no different, movie and restaurant reviews, etc. you
> name it. Are home made kayaks so different? Are you guys being too
> snobbish to help us out, come on, give it a try. Instead of making a
bunch
> of technical objections just try it and let us make our choices at our own
> risk, at least we would have something more to go on than we have now!
It isn't a question of snobbishness. It is a question of not wanting to
mislead a person into spending many hours building a boat that will become a
disappointment or worse. My purpose in pointing out the problems with
subjective opinions will, I hope, impress upon people the risks inherent in
opinion polls and encourage them to dig a bit deeper. I would consider it
irresponsible not to point out the risks.
I have spent over thirty-five years in boat business and have heard more
horror stories from home builders than I care to recount here. Many of them
resulted from taking bad advice from well meaning people.
If you don't have or want to spend the time doing more than an internet
opinion poll then you can ignore my advice. At no time have I suggested that
you ignore the advice of others nor have I suggested that you not make a
decision on your own. I have suggested prudence.
Good luck building your boat.
Cheers,
John Winters
Redwing Designs
Web site address, http://home.ican.net/~735769
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