L

a) NAME:
Laesch, Brad

b) CONTACT:
Email {blaeschBOAShotmailDOTcom }

c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled):
Current Designs Gulfstream, Nimbus Seafarer named Big Bird (wife's)

e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Bike racing, all outdoor self-propelled activities

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
very little-- new to kayaking.

g) STRONG OPINIONS:
don't get me started

h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
Prince William Sound from a mothership.

a) NAME:
Lammers, Mel

b) CONTACT:
mslammersBOASearthlinkDOTnet Dayton OH

c) KAYAKS:
(Owned or Paddled): Feathercraft 1997 K-Light; K-1 now main 'yak and it's great

e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Lake and Bay paddling, computers, science fiction; mysteries

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
computers, program management, general engineering, things mechanical

g) STRONG OPINIONS:
Life after 62 is still good, Foldable kayaks are hard to beat, white water is for adrenalin junkies, a bad day paddling beats a good day in the office

h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
Paddling out of Los Alamitos Bay into the Pacific and into 4 ft swells, along with 2 ft waves from power boats and 15 knot wind.

i) BIO:
62 yrs old, married (37 yrs), wife not into kayaking but doesn't mind my doing it as long as we do some of her things also. Seems fair. Industrial Engineer, retired after 32 yrs working for Air Force. Program Manager, currently Management Consultant for Steven Myers & Associates, Newport Beach. Work all over the country and take my Feathercraft with me. Live in Dayton OH, 50 lakes within 2 hrs of home.

--Mel--
Mel Lammers, Associate
SM&A Corp.
Web: : http://melskayakpage.homestead.com
E-mail: mslammersBOASearthlinkDOTnet ;

From:

Landis, Chuck {clandisBOASgateDOTnet }

I'm Chuck Landis. This thread is too much for even a dedicated lurker like myself to resist, a great idea. I began paddling a canoe 55 years ago when I learned the canoeing merit badge. A five-day canoe trip with my son in the Boundry Waters in June of '98 made me determined to spend more time on the water.

I live in southeast Florida about ten minutes from the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. I imagine I am one of the newest and the oldest on the list. I have been kayaking for about a year, and I will turn 69 in mid December '99. I launched my new K-Light on New Years Day and have been paddling three or four times a week, mostly on the Intracoastal and nearby lakes and canals, and have paddled over 500 miles this year. I have been on two overnight trips, and look forward to more of those experiences. Those of you who share your kayaking experience through Paddlewise have been a major source of learning (and humor) for me. Also, I met Bob Denton through his Paddlewise posts and really enjoy having him as a paddling companion.

When folks ask "Why a folding kayak?" I reply, "Just lucky, I guess." With reasonable care the "skin" of my K-Light will last for 30 years, and so I won't have to replace it until I'm 98!!! :-)

a) NAME:
LeBlanc, John

b) CONTACT AND LOCATION:
Bluecanoe2BOASaolDOTcom
S E Texas where Texas, Louisiana & Gulf meet

c) KAYAKS (Owned or paddled): & PADDLEBOATS

A 12' Cajun Pirogue

Old Town Loon 138 Kayak

Old Town Canadienne 17' Kevlar Canoe

1959 Grumman 17' Canoe my dad gave me in 1959 for making Eagle Scout

1963 Grumman 18' Whitewater Special Canoe dubbed the "Queen Mary"

I later found out Bill Mason had this same boat when his kids were young and called his the "Queen Mary" also. There is a reason for that and if you paddle one, you understand.

d) INTERESTS:
Woodworking, metalworking, canoeing, canoeing, canoeing

e) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE
35mm Photography with my old manual Nikon F

f) STRONG OPINIONS:
Ya gotta do what's right

g) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP
Sabine River between Texas and Louisiana, 38 miles in two days alone

BIO:
BS in BIOlogy-Freshwater Ecology, taught Public School BIOlogy for 12 years, currently work in a water laboratory for the chemical industry.

I am a died in the wool canoeist. About a year ago our family attended the Southwestern Canoe Rendesvouz near Hoiuston, TX and my two daughters (age 13 & 21) fell in love with kayaks. This prompted Santa to put a Loon 138 (good beginner boat) under the Christmas tree (no easy feat). I work shift and get to paddle that thing during the week and have taking a likeing to it.

So this at the Vouz, I got to trying out all sorts of kayaks looking for one for me. You might know the one I really liked was the Dagger Sitka, a pretty high priced boat.

I am now looking for one of similar design in a stitch and glue kit or plans for one to build myself.

And this is the story of me. But if you wanna talk canoeing, then that has been my life's history since I could pick up a paddle. I've paddled canoes from where they would not even float to where only ships are supposed to go.

Actually, all I ever wanted to be was a Boy Scout because they went camping in canoes

14th July 2002 - Bill Lee

NAME:
Bill Lee (61 years old ; Single widower)

CONTACT:
6075 third street, Clermont Harbor, Bay St Louis, MS. 39520
phone - 228-467-9987
email bill_leeBOASintuDOTnet

BIO:

Low level of experience.

Lots of flat water paddles.

Offshore islands (5-7 miles)

Several rivers empty into Bay St Louis, Biloxi Bay and others.

Two outfitters within 10 miles.

I can put up 2-4 people for short time.

Would love to paddle with you!

a) NAME:
Leister, Marvin (MarvL)

b) CONTACT:
mclBOAScompDOTuarkDOTedu

c) BOAT:
Queen Charlotte XL- "the Queen Mary"

e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Sea Kayaking, Golf, Photography

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
Computer System Interfacing (HW - SW), Magnetic Resonance

g) STRONG OPINIONS:
none

h) MOST INTERESTING TRIP:
Circumnavigation of Isle Royale in Lake Superior

i) BIO:
I'm a big (6'2", 200lbs), 50 year old married guy, who lives in Arkansas. My sea-kayaking goal is to leave NW Arkansas via kayak, and paddle to the Gulf of Mexico by using the White, Arkansas, and Mississippi River Systems.

a) NAME:
Leonhardt, Bill

Here's my BIO.
I've met people through this and other lists and have had the pleasure of meeting visitors to my area and accompanying them on some local trips. My job has times when I absolutely have to be here but many other times when I can take off for a days paddle.

b) CONTACT:
I live on the south shore of Long Island, NY, USA
WJLeonhardtBOASbnlDOTgov (monitored all the time)
WJLeonhardtBOASworldnetDOTattDOTnet (monitored every once in awhile)

c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled) :

Current Designs fiberglass Solstice GT (my current boat)

Wilderness Systems plastic Sealoution II (wife's boat)

2 ea. MI Designs plastic MI-415 (guest boats)

A folding boat is a future purchase possibility

In the distant future I hope to build :

A single baidarka skin boat

A single west Greenland skin boat

A double S&G

A folder

e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Kayaking, woodworking, marquetry, philately, backpacking, some sports.

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
Some aspects of mechanical engineering.

g) STRONG OPINIONS: (I doubt we'll have any of those:~)
I try to be reasonably open minded but, from time to time, strong opinions may be voiced. You'll know 'em when they come by.

h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
It's hard to point to any one trip. In addition to paddling locally, I have had occasion both from work travel and vacations to paddle in BC, CA, CT, FL, ME, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA and once in England. It really is great to hit a city, look up the local paddling shop, talk with the folks for a while and then paddle a new place, oft times with a different boat. I find it hard to decide whether paddling beneath the Great Lady in NY harbor is more interesting than paddling with the sea otters, seals and sea lions in Monterey and am pleased to have had the chance to do both.

i) BIO:
Male, 53 years old, married two years, wife paddles with me at times, 4 great kids from the combined families and NONE of them live at home (yes!!!).

FEBRUARY's "Who We Are" ENTRY

Hello List,

I very much am enjoying reading and learning about the others on this list. After someone posts for a while, I think it's natural to sort of get a mental image of what they must be like. With the "who we are" responses, I find that there's a lot more interesting things to learn about our fellow list members. I find it fascinating to note all the similarities and differences. So....it's my turn:

My name is Bill Leonhardt, I'm 52 years young or old or whatever, and I grew up in the middle of Queens, NY culturally, if not geographically, far from boats. I've lived several other places in the US but have been on Long Island, NY for the last 22 years. I live in East Patchogue, less than 1/4 mile from the Great South Bay which is a great place to paddle, especially for beginners. Long Island is about 125 miles long, 20 miles wide at the widest part and is said to have about 1000 miles of coastline. Lots of great paddling places to explore, all less than 1 to 1.5 hours away.

Apart from scout experiences and a Delaware River experience during college, I started "adult" paddling around 1985. I bought a Coleman Canoe on sale at Caldor's and paddled a lot with my sons on local lakes. The boys grew and departed and the canoe now awaits grandchildren. In 1988, my SO gave me some kayak lessons as a present and, after my first experience with a moonlight paddle on Moriches Bay, I was hooked. (BTW, my SO, Pat, became my wife about 1.5 years ago.

In 1990, Pat and I each bought plastic kayaks made by MI Designs of England and really got serious about being on the water. These first boats, while truly for beginners, really got a lot of use and are now our "guest" boats. Currently, I paddle a Current Designs Solstice GT (fiberglass) and Pat paddles a Wilderness Systems Sealoution II (polyethylene). At present, I paddle year round, however Pat limits herself to June through October locally.

In addition to paddling locally, I have had occasion both from work travel and vacations to paddle in BC, CA, CT, FL, ME, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA and once in England. It really is great to hit a city, look up the local paddling shop, talk with the folks for a while and then paddle a new place, oft times with a different boat. Sometimes I do travel to places where it's not easy to find a paddle shop and/or rent a boat, therefore I'm saving my money for a Feathercraft K-Lite.

I've mentioned the four kayaks and one canoe we already have and the folder I hope to buy. But it doesn't end there. I would also like to build (in the future some time from now) a "stitch-and-glue" tandem and a single, skin covered baidarka. Well...we all need goals and/or fantasies.

I have the equipment and have done a fair bit a backpacking but, while I own a boat that can haul a good deal of stuff, I've not yet been able to set aside the time for a multi day trip. I have high hopes for 1999.

Like backpacking, I find that I enjoy paddling with others AND I enjoy paddling alone. I think the alone time is greater than 50% but who's counting. Safety issues set aside (and respected), there are times when one (meaning me) needs to be alone on the water.

Ok Bill, let's wrap this up! I work as a mechanical engineer building "stuff" for particle accelerators, and I also enjoy philately, marquetry and I participate in a few sports, BUT I'm really passionate about kayaking!

Glad to be associated with such a group as ours,

Bill

ps. I rolled once and may do it again.

1st March 2002 - Jim Lewis

a. NAME:
Lewis Jim

b. CONTACT:
paddler12BOAShotmailDOTcom or jnlewisBOASakDOTnet

c. KAYAKS OWNED:
Wilderness System CapeHorn17, Walden Sports15

d. BOAT NAME & CALL SIGN:
Not applicable

e. SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Camp cooking, Nutrition & Health, River Whitewater Canoeing

f. SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE:
River Whitewater Canoeing & River Rescue, Ocean Navigation

g. STRONG OPINIONS:
There is no substitute for Safety planning and practices

h. MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
While visiting relatives in Wasilla, Alaska in August 2001 I went on a Sea kayaking trip through Resurection Bay in Seward Alaska with my cousin and a group from Habitat For Humanity. The scenery was awesome with plenty of Bald Eagles, Puffins, Sea Lions, Sea Otters, Pristine Forrest, and of course Salmon everywhere.

i. BIO:
52 years old, male, 30 years river whitewater canoeing (Class IV+) & local paddling club(s) instructor for 25 years. Began sea kayaking two years ago and love it. Began teaching sea kayaking to local clubs stressing safety and ocean navigation. 32 year Coast Guard service.

a) NAME:
Limarzi, Tullia and Tim Bohen (we live tandem, paddle solo)

b) Email address:
tlimarziBOASaolDOTcom

c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled):
Aquaterra Spectrum, Prijon Seayak

e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
environmental activism, birding, travel, contemporary fiction, gardening, cross country skiing

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
Me: writing, editing, conservation issues; He: NYC government, baseball

g) STRONG OPINIONS:
Jet skis are a menace to human health and the environment. We must be ever vigilant to protect our waterways.

h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
An Everglades river trip that included a mangrove swamp with lots of alligators along the banks (and in the water!).

i) Short BIO (personal description)
We are both in our 50s, have been married 30 years and have 2 grown sons. We had our first kayak instruction at Maine Outdoor Sport in 1995. We live in Staten Island, New York. Tim works for NYC and Tullia works freelance. We enjoy leisurely paddles and nature watching. We paddle with the AMC, Hudson River Watertrail Assn. and Atlantic Sea Kayakers. Tullia is on the HRWA board and maintains its web site. We are both on the board of a local conservation group, Mariners Marsh Conservancy, and are working hard to preserve this magnificent nature preserve on S.I. We are also active with Sierra Club.

From: Lind, Anna Leena {alliBOASikiDOTfi}

I am a new member also. My name is Anna Leena Lind (aka alli) and I live in Helsinki, Finland (Northern Europe) by the Baltic Sea. I have one sea kayak.

My main interests in seakayaking is touring. Usually I paddle between three and six weeks in a summer, so I am spending all my holidays paddling. The paddling season is quite short here, only five six months, as the sea freezes in the winter. But we have a really beautiful sea archipelago, and also thousands of lakes to paddle. I belong to two or three clubs here in Finland. I am also interested in instruction and guiding.

Of course, I would like to paddle around the world! Well, the next best to paddling around the world is to hear about what people on the other side of the globe are doing with their kayaks!

Anna Leena Lind
alliBOASikiDOTfi

PS. our paddling season here in Helsinki started about 10 days ago, when the ice broke and melted away.

From: Lindberg, Chuck {chucklBOASihotDOTcom}

I have been on the list for just about a year, and purchased my first kayak last May, a double Klepper. I subscribe to Ralph Diaz newsletter and have basically been enjoying myself paddling in protected waters learning how to paddle longer and longer distances with both myself and my wife. Based on other postings I seem to be about the right age at 48 for this activity and like most of you have been involved in outdoor activities most of my life. I live in San Jose, Ca. and since I am new to kayaking have most enjoyed the threads involving equipment. In fact I am now looking for a single kayak as paddling the double solo is a real chore.

Thanks for all the contributions.
Chuck Lindberg
San Jose, California

21st July 2002 - Robert Livingston

a) NAME:
Livingston, Robert

b) CONTACT:
rlivingstonBOASmacDOTcom

c) KAYAKS (Own):
Roughly in the order acquired: Gulf Islander, Sea Otter, white water kayak (nameless), Mariner (#007), Baidarka (Hutchinson boat), Excaliber (stolen but its still mine), Baidarka Major, Ursa Minor, SeaScape II, Ursa Micro (2, one of these is a take-apart), Keowee, Ursa Major (aka Refrigerator), Mad River Canoe, Ursa 350 (6 of the latter)

e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Surfing, Family Kayak Camping, Kayak Design Software, Kayak Building

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
Neuroradiology

g) STRONG OPINIONS:
Democrat, environment, education. Doubles only if you need them. Short boats have many advantages. Light paddles are worth the money for the very young and old.

h) MOST INTERESTING TRIPS:
Portugal, Japan, West Coast of Moresby Island

i) BIO:
Born in Boston. Lived in Seattle for most of my adult life. Kayaking for 40 years since buying a Gulf Islander as a 12 yo (first major purchase:$180) Still have that boat and it paddles fine but is a great tool to teach people what weathercocking is. I presently live in Federal Way, WA. with a wife and two kids, 10 and 11. My wedding vows included the promise to teach my wife how to roll, and I finally came through this winter. My wife and kids all learned to roll. My kids can roll their kayaks with their hands, in the comfort of a pool anyway.

15th June 2002 - Doug' LLoyd

a) NAME:
Lloyd, Doug

b) CONTACT:
douglBOASislandnetDOTcom (250) 952-3022 wk, Victoria, BC.

c) KAYAKS (Owned or paddled):
1980 Nordkapp (HS) bought new; much modified since then with deep-draft rudder added and heavy duty rigging. It has been extensively rebuilt three times as of 1999, including foredeck day-hatch, inner/outer full length keel with wear-strip, and two 1-inch seams on the outside and 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-inch tape epoxied on the inside seam (the old one was removed after the join split surfing into a log). Own a Necky Gliss WW kayak for surf (previous glass kayak broke in half in surf). Modified and rebuilt a McNulty Huntsman kayak for spouse. Will build a cedar-strip OuterIsland when my workshop is finished. Paddled many other boats. Romany's are the only other boat I like (and doesn't need a rudder), though I may get a plastic "Gulfstream" sometime.

d) BOAT NAME:
First stock Nordkapp was called "Sea Sea Rider" (after CC Rider). First Nordkapp rebuild was called "Sea Fever". Second Nordkapp rebuild was called "Sea Snoop". The third rebuild was called "Rider On The Storm" in keeping with the then coming new millennium and possible drastic global weather changes. A mild rebuilt garnished the latest name "Blustery Day" after a humbling experience in a real gnarly crossing (toned down the name).

e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Strength Training; Mountain Biking; Cycling as-a-Commuter; Hiking, Fine Woodworking; Canoeing; Solo rough-water sea kayaking; Kayak Surfing; Marine Hazards; Safety writing for Sea Kayaker Magazine; Reconciling Faith and Reason.

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
Build custom solid wood furniture, teach avocational woodworking, and do seminars/clinics on same (all part time). Full-time Medical Adjudicator by vocation for Provincial Government of BC. Do clinics on self-rescue and kayak surfing in sea kayaks for a local club. Sunday School teacher.

g) STRONG OPINIONS:
I strongly feel we should be free to choose our level of risk in any given activity, as long as one is prepared and adequately trained and has sufficient backups and knowledge.

h) MOST INTERESTING TRIP:
Yet to come, always. One memorable trip saw two of my friends and myself get in to serious trouble crossing Queen Charlotte Strait during the shoulder-season and subsequently requiring rescue off the Storm Islands due to poor communication (a soft skill we often deem too unimportant). Returned a year later to successfully repeat the crossing -- solo. Returned to solo tripping; less interesting perhaps, but safer IMO.

i) BIO:
Born 1958; just shy of 5'7" and 190 to200 1bs. -- depending on season. Conservative in most areas and habits except rough water paddling. Married. Lovely, caring, patient, talented wife. Two daughters who love canoeing in a variety of sea, lake, and river conditions with me and Mom. Mom sea kayaks with me more and more when time allows. I was born in Quebec, raised in West Pakistan (father was a civil engineer, and very adventurous). Puberty spent in California. Teen years to now on Vancouver Island. A bout with flesh eating disease around New Years of 2002 left me left me on a new "rest-of-my-life quest" for good health and habits and a much simplified belief system in my Creator.

a) NAME:
Lofton, James

b) Email address:
n5yyxBOASetscDOTnet

c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled)

1st "kayak" was a oblong wash tub(I was about 6)

folbot, super 17.5'

folbot, kodiak 15'

folbot, aluet 12'

d) Boat name and serial number if maritime radio operator
Amateur, N5YYX

e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
kayaking, amateur radio, hiking, backpacking, kites(all kinds but especially 2 line stunt), photography, astronomy, falconry, traditional bowhunting, buckskinner, primative weapons, survivial skills, invironment issues, looking into my wifes green eyes, and heck most outdoor things(except organized sports!)

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
time will tell

g) STRONG OPINIONS:
everyone can make a differance. For starters, turn off those extra lights!

h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
No brainer. Yukon river trip, 1986. A dream trip I had planned and studied on for years. When I first moved to Alaska in 1968 we drove, but this allowed me to back up and slowly go back there, the way I would have like to the first time. My only time limit was to leave on the trip when the ice went out at Lake Laberge and to get off before winter set in. It was a summer with little rain, lots of sunshine, few bugs. It was also a bad year for forest fires up north. With that said, any trip I'm on, long or short is special.

i) Short BIO (personal description)
Born 1945 on a ranch and farm that straddled the Tierra Blanca creek in eastern New Mexico. From my earliest days I can remember looking off down that draw and wondering where it went(where my wonder lust was born). I must have drove my folks crazy with worry, as I was forever sneaking off down there. My first great kayak adventure was on that creek and was almost my last one. We had gotten rains and the normally dry creek was running high and good. I launched my wash tub boat with plans to go just a ways. The good news was I didn't get killed when I got swept into the barbed wire fence. The bad news was when my dad heard about my adventure! I grew older and traveled farther down that creek drainage. In my junior year of high school I found a young golden eagle that had been kicked out of the nest by it's larger sister. The next two years with that bird probably had a more profound impact on my life than any one thing. While my friends were active with sports, girls and each other, I spent each free moment roaming the pastures with that eagle. I missed learning a lot of social skills. I learned other things. I wouldn't change a moment! Then there was a war. The eagle was set free. I joined the US Navy, "GMT". Getting out found me married and a baby on the way. Settled down in NM, got a good job, bought home, filled house with "things", played cards on tuesday nights, saturday nights was domanoes. Hated life!!!!! One year of the rat race found everything sold and headed for Alaska. Filed on a piece of BLM land in the Copper river valley, just up stream of where the Tonsina flows into the Copper river. Built a little 12X20' log cabin. Life was great! Guess she got the seven year itch. Remarried and hauled my new wife and her two kids back up. I worked LONG hours fighting forest fires (helitack) and a city girl gets lonely away from family, so it wasn't to be. We moved back to NM. Bought 25 acres of rolling grass land and manage it for the wildlife and the ecology here. It takes care of our needs. "O", married almost 25 years now to Roxie and we're soon to be GREAT grandparents!! Lastly, yes I miss Alaska (you can't escape her), and I will go back.

a) NAME:
Lowry, Janet

b) CONTACT:
-- jclowryBOASidtDOTnet and i'm in houston, tx

c) KAYAKS (Owned or Paddled)
-- it's my first boat and only had several months. a sweet k-light which is patiently teaching me how to paddle

d) Boat name and serial number if maritime radio operator
-- i'm still listening for the name [no radio]

e) SPECIAL INTERESTS:
-- learning everything. ok, i'll narrow it down a bit: water quality and conservation, trying to learn how to do outdoor recording [sound landscapes, if you will] , learning to paddle, recording vlf emissions[with INSPIRE org], wholeness, and everything else interesting. Sundials - I'm always looking for people to learn from, and I don't find too many people who have that interest. Or, who admit to it! Now, granted, I probably won't be putting a sundial on or even in my K-light, but...

f) SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE:
-- joy. and learning.

g) STRONG OPINIONS:
Can't help you here, except that I know that we do best when we consider ourselves to be part of the whole.

h) MOST INTERESTING KAYAK TRIP:
-- i've never taken any long trips. just about every paddling experience has been an adventure and a joy.

i) BIO
grew up in nyc--queens--where i could stand on the corner and look at the manhattan skyline. great place to grow up--developed the particular navigation skill useful to a kid riding subways and walking around manhattan: my reference for east and west was mostly the way that the 1-way traffic ran on the cross-town streets. came to tx--austin--in the late 60's to go to school and to warm up. houston [now #1 in ozone] is made more liveable by fact that it's near the coast and there are bayous and rivers all around. hope to soon have a moveable house so that i can be everywhere and carry my folding kayak along.