> I've been monitoring and learning (thanks Nick) from this BBS for over a
> year now. Before my time, something motivated this head-butting strength
> thing purportedly over kayaks. It is NOT about kayaks, for those of you
> who have recently tuned in. Read recent posts like "Kayak Meets the
> Asphalt"; these boats are incredibly strong. Yes they can be holed.
> Even intelligent people ski into trees or drive motorcycles or cars off
> the road into trees. That tells us nothing about the necessary strength of
> the human body or our vehicles. If you like, you can test various
> composites and Yes, George has some interesting ideas. Still, it matters
> little how many decimal points you can work the relative strength thing
> out to...the basic premise is incorrect: they're already strong enough.
> The BEST kayak is one that gets you out on the water and away from garbage
> TV. What water? Still water to start with, learn your limits, increase
> your skills and then hit the big stuff when you're ready. Around here,
> Puget Sound, there are plenty of people who end up outside of their
> perfectly-sound, bulletproof kayaks and into the ice water. I exaggerate.
> It only feels like ice water. Kayak Strength (a nebulous term anyway)
> pales in comparison to real concerns, like hypothermia. That's my
> perspective.

> I'm waiting for a real design guru like Mike Allen to design a foot pump
> out of PVC or ABS that keeps your hands on your paddle when you really
> need them for control.

Very well said....thanks