I have now managed to pull together all the materials I need to build that home-made paddling machine I spoke about some months ago. I believe it was Hans Freidel who revealed to me that it is a similar machine to what the Finnish olympians use to train on. Are you listening, Paul, I'm thinking at an olympic level; does that worry you now? Hey, don't worry, Judy (the wife and fambly critic and justifier) called me "old gerbil cheeks" today after I suggested that you would be seriously worried about my new exercise regimen. She said I had a lot of work to do to get rid of my pouchy rodent face. That was a burn but I kept my confidence in tact by imagining how buff I would look by April. 
The materials for this machine are as follows: hooks, to screw into the wall studs of my garage; rope, (not sure about mm's) to connect a paddle loom (have to make one) to weights; metal pulleys with 12"'s of steel cable/collars attached, (metal bushing, no bearings although bearings would be better); milk jugs, to hold water (which will be ice in this part of the north) into which can be added increasing weights of water as my abdominals are slowly transformed to Adonnis-like strength and appearance; an old rowing machine that will substitute as a kayak seat and footpegs (close approximation, I got the thing for free so I will use it).
The hooks will be screwed into the wall studs; the looped steel cable with pulleys attached inserted onto the hooks; two lengths of rope - one piece threaded through each pulley using enough length of rope so that paddling motion can be simulated without the jugs hitting the floor while allowing for a full stroke motion; rope tied to milk jug handles and loom - one weight to each end of the loom; rowing machine seat bolted into place appropriate for my leg length and footbraces positioned to approximate footpeg position in my TK-1 racing kayak, the Raven.
I should have this machine installed in my garage by tomorrow, once done I'll post a few images of the setup with me paddling it to demonstrate how it is used. I will not be doing this demonstration topless - makes no sense for me to cause riotous laughter replete with knowing finger pointing even if I can't hear it. My 5 1/2th sense might pick up the vibes and cause me uncertain consternation
Robert N Pruden
