I’d rate my self
as a 3 star single malt scotch drinker, I know I could be drinking more, but just don’t have the guts.
Total "BEGINNER!"
I get buzzed on one ale. Haven’t taken hard liquor since I can’t remember when.
sing
me too.
Since I stopped drinking regularly after college, I’ve become a total lightweight. Plus I turn bright red after one drink which my friends get a kick out of.
…what is this thread about again?
“Asian Flush Syndrome…”
yeah, i’ve got it bad
if i’m drinking hard, my whole body (down to the toes) starts glowing like Rudolph’s nose. Heck even the smell of alcohol starts to make me turn pink!
Awww, shucks…
Thanks for the Silver Paddle! I had no idea there was such a thing… :))
why the humility?
so many of you on this site are advanced paddlers with intermediate rankings. go ahead and say it, all together now, “yes, i am an advanced paddler”. expert is relative. many people i know call me an expert. to them i am. i doubt i will ever reach expert, since i know a couple.
but it doesn’t take more than a few years of dedication to be advanced in paddlesport; of which most of you have.
You Got A Great Thread Going
I’m an expert, until the Coast Guard or mortician shows up. Then I’m a “rank beginner,” novice, or fool. I wonder if there are kayaks in heaven. Have fun, paddle well, be safe.
Ya know, I was just thinking that…
if you’re still alive at the end, you’re doing ok… And if you’ve been doing it over 20 years, there must be something good going on between the ears…
Speaking for myself
Because the humility isn’t humility, it’s honesty. I paddle with some real die hard folks whose skill I will never attain and use them as the role model. Compared to that model, I’m nothing more than an advanced beginner or low level intermediate. Plus, I switched to kayaks after paddling canoes for 20 years (but usually not in terribly difficult situations - Class III max), so much of my useful knowledge now is in reading water because I’m back to beginner learning skills for the boat style.
- Big D
There needs to be a fourth exp level
I think in addition to beginner, intermediate, and advanced, there needs to be an “expert” level added in for experience level.
Frankly, I see a few paddlers on pnet claiming only intermediate status that I think should be advanced. They would never assume to claim advanced because they are thinking relative to the paddling greats. However, I don’t think one needs to be a Hutchinson or Foster to claim “advanced.” Those people are experts. Compared to 99% of the paddling community, some of the “intermediates” here are truly advanced, and I don’t think there should be any stigma attached to acknowledging that.
humility is a beautiful thing
Many of these talented kayakers either don’t care about their ranking or they see how much there is to learn in the paddling spectrum and in their eyes consider themselves beginners in comparison. I wouldn’t be surprised if Maligiaq (Greenland National Kayaking Champion) came on this board and listed himself as a beginner. Like Albert Einstein said (paraphrasing Isaac Newton), “I see far because I stand on the shoulders of giants.”
I take notice of the varios personalities here and if a person has a track record of being knowledgeable, helpful, and concerned for others’ safety, I’m all ears.
Ther is one great americal brandy
that makes an affordable bottle. I forget the name right now. What can I say, I like distilled grapes.
OK-OK, I’m ADVANCED already…
…are we still talking about whiskey?
A little clarification
No, it’s not likely that I would ever assess with the BCU, not just because I don’t care about having a certification, but because I don’t paddle in their prescribed manner and I’m not going to change paddling styles just to get a cert. To me, there’s something disingenuous about that.
As for the figure 8 vs. rolling thing, the question is one of priorities. Boat handling is important, no doubt, but are the more esoteric aspects of boat handling more important than the ability to roll reliably? My OPINION is no. The BCU feels otherwise. There are other skills such as hanging draws that I find to be less useful than a good roll as long as you have other maneuvering skills, but the BCU feels they’re more important too. Their priorities don’t match mine, so why should I subscribe to them?
For that matter, if they taught people to really understand boat handling the way Nigel Foster does, rather than just teaching rote stroke techniques, wouldn’t that be a superior way to go?
Since you paddle with a Greenland stick, you know that there are variations in technique that work better with it than the Euro-paddle-centric techniques the BCU teaches, but they’re not allowed during assessment. Sure, you can pass the assessment with a GP, but what’s the point if you’re not going to use the techniques that the assessment forces you to? This simply speaks to the relevance of the curriculum to the paddler’s needs.
I see great value in training, regardless of the source. It seems to me that by the time a paddler reaches a 4* equivalent level of proficiency, they’re ready to broaden their learning horizons and develop a real understanding of paddling dynamics and seamanship, and should be past the basics of strokes and rolling. I suggest that’s the point where flexibility should become part of the curriculum, since by then, the paddler should have a good idea what works best for their body, boat and paddling environment.