hmmm
open to both. Exactly my point all along. I am going to the gulf side on Monday to be assessed for my BCU three star. This is specifically for directional control rather than G style paddling. And yes I probably will go for the 4 star soon as I am really interested in the navigation aspects and open water.
On Sunday i will be at Matheson Hammock with Larry Baker in my SOF and we will be rolling and bracing and sculling and watching the manatees all morning.
Yep. Open to both. And yep the proof is in the paddling!
Paul
Traditional Mentoring…
Qajaq USA mentoring at the current events covers more than just rolling. In addition to trying to instill some cultural appreciation, you will find boat building, paddle making, forward strokes, bracing, direction control (English gates at Delmarva), sculling methods, rescues, rolling and “purely traditional” stuff such as harpoon throwing, rope gymnastics, walrus pulls, etc. This is still growing, some of the newer events include surfing and rough-water paddling.
That said, Qajaq USA is certainly not trying to be a “one-stop-shop” and is just happy doing what it does best. It’s true that you won’t find much about expedition planning, leadership training, etc at the typical mentoring session. When it comes to instruction, the more information you can acquire the better, even if some of it conflicts. Take the good, discard the bad.
If you really want to learn kayaking, try teaching it. You will learn as much or more than your student(s). That’s one thing that I really like about mentoring – as you work in a group you are encouraged to play the role of both teacher and student in a fairly informal setting.
Greg Stamer
Matheson Hammock
S Miami/Coconut Grove area?
Staying broke and going show and go
will only subject the participants to added risk of litigation.
Since the club has no money, the riders have the deep pockets. It can be shown by a good lawyer that an experienced rider should have been aware of a particular risk and done something to avoid it, therefore he’s guilty of negligence and potentially liable.
In kayaking, having any type of certification could set you up as an expert.
I would be excited
and entertained by any crowd of paddlers where surfing and rough water play was included. Sign me up!!!
I understand what Paul is saying,
but for a complete lack of peers try learning BCU ACA or Qajaq Skills in upper northeast TN!
OK, that aside let me tell anyone with an ear something I picked up at Sweetwater that has/and is paying dividends in my other life-the hiking life…besides paddling I have a certain obsession with the Appalachian Trail, in fact just returend from yet another week on it.
While at Sweetwater the Qajaq people would gather round for stretching…of course flexibility is key to the Greenland skills…so each day before beginning the roll clinics we would stretch…(interesting that the Euro paddlers were instantly off to paddle)…I have taken this home and incorporated into my daily life. Before each hiking day I would stretch and every 2-3 hours during the hike I would stop and stretch again. Now back at home for my work week I have incorporated the same stretching routine into my swimming and resistance workouts, but doing the stretches in the steam room. Will I ever get as limber as Greg, as Freya, or Dubside? probably not but I can tell that it is something I’ll be doing regardless of kayaking for the rest of my life.
Now back to where we get the knowledge…like Paul said I dont care if it is Mother Goose either 
Greyak
– Last Updated: Jul-14-06 3:05 AM EST –
yep. want to join us? We put in right at the sign that says "Caution crocodile habitat" Larry tells me that there is a bull shark named "Willy" that lives about a half a mile down the coast also.
:)
Paul
Boy is that true!
“Try teaching it”
You find out in a hurry just how much you don’t know!
Maybe someday I will be able to do some mentoring…for now, I want to be a sponge and will help out wherever I can.
paul (aka grasshopper)
It’s not nearly as easy…
– Last Updated: Jul-14-06 8:03 AM EST –
...as you make it out to be to make someone in a group liable for accidents or injuries that may occur. Most "show and go" activities fall under something legally known as the "Common Adventure Model", which essentially means that the participants are responsible for their own safety and assume the risks of the activity. If there is no defined leader of the group, there is no specific liability for anyone in the group unless someone does something that's obviously reckless or negligent. This has been upheld in numerous court cases. It doesn't prevent someone from suing you (which can still be costly), but it does make it difficult for them to prevail.
Qajaq USA
I have received some very good instructions on paddling strokes, paddle extension, sculling and rolling from Qajaq USA members. Like most things if you want to learn something new you have to keep looking and trying new things but I wouldn’t put such a narrow label on a group that has so much to offer.
I think that might be…
… a bit too far for me to paddle right now. L
No, I won’t horn in. You’ll get more out of a 1 on 1 and I can always pick your brain another time.
excited…
Keith,
Did you see the PC-TIKS (Pacific Coast - Traditional Inuit Kayaking Symposium) photos at http://www.capefalconkayak.com/pctiksphotos.html ? Although events like this will probably remain small (not necessarily a bad thing, IMO for surf/coastal practice), it’s exciting to see “traditional” kayaking events move into new areas.
I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to make it!
Greg Stamer
SOF
I hae the Peter Strand SOF which is vey very low volume. I did take it out onto the ocean with some moderate swells and was amazed at how well it did compared to flat water. Completely different boat that handled superbly.
I am seriously considering getting another sof with slightly higher volume as a day boat that I can play a bit more with not just a dedicated rolling boat. The choice is whether to go SOF or composite.
Paul
Respect for culture
– Last Updated: Jul-15-06 11:38 AM EST –
Is what this is all about isn't it? Why else would we build skin on frame boats, wear Walrus suits (as Scupper Pro Frank calls my tuiliq) and wave a skinny stick around while propeling our craft.
I would be willing to bet that most Greenland hunter or fisherman, except for traditionalists have a Chris Craft or something with a motor. That is progress I guess.
Learning is learning. All learning is good. Respect and knowledge of the Greenlandic culture as well as respect for the growth of sea kayaking in Great Britain, the West Coast, and in Wisconsin all contribute to an incredible knowledge base. I am just fascinated by all of it and am willing to go to great lengths to immerse myself in the cultural aspects of kayaking no matter where it is coming from or how it is presented.
I might prefer one way to the other, but that certainly is not going to stop me, or put me into a corner where I will only absorb knowledge from one philosophical point of view. Team Zero, ACA, BCU, local paddle shop rolling class, whatever. It is all good. And I hope to keep developing and borrowing from each faction to make myself a better kayaker.
Paul
Cultural aspect
I’m sure this is a big part of it for most G-stlyers - but I must confess to a different sort of motivation.
I began using a (commercial carbon) GP out of curiosity and a sense that it had something to offer my paddling. I continue to use them because they work so well for me. I’ve carved a couple of my own now too as it lets me customize/vary for different needs - and was nice to have self made paddle to compliment the SOF.
I built my SOF as a means to an end. I wanted something with dimensions and performance specs that was not available so I designed my own. Given current living/building arrangements SOF methods made the most sense. At some point I’d like to take what I’ve learned from this and do a strip/composite with bulkheads, softer chines, hatches, skeg or rudder, etc.
Building has deepened my respect for the qajaq men of the North - and their examples have been invaluable. The culture is fascinating, but I’m not trying to recreate any of it - or thinking that I’m honoring it through my self serving efforts. It my appear that way since the gear does appear “historical”. That’s fine too, but it’s a side bonus - not the impetus. If any Greenlanders enjoy seeing/hearing of someone in S FL building and paddling these sort of tools, that’s great too.
Team Greyak
don’t you mean
team Brownyak?
P
I mean “It’s all about me!” L
It may not be pretty, or PC, but at least it’s honest.
Another uniform of non-conformity
Dogmaticus
No I hadn’t seen that event
it looks like a gas though.
If I could offord to fly out to the west coast I would love to go.
I’d love to do some surfing on the west coast.
Nice clean breaks are in my sleep.