Don Rumrill here, I'm 51 and have been canoing or kayaking for 39 years.
I
started downriver racing in aluminum boats in 1973 and in kayaks in
'74 ('cause
of partnering problems). I've done class IV in open boats and kayaks,
but no
longer prefer to seek it out. I do marathon races now, including the
Gen.
Clinton 70 miler. I live about a 1/2 mile from the Susquehanna R. near
Binghamton NY and these days do most of my rec paddling there or on the
"cricks", lakes and rivers near my camp in the southern Adirondacks. I
had a little heart problem late last fall and although I had no heart damage,
the by-pass operation has left me with a healing but very tender breast
bone, so no Clinton race this year. Did 7 miles at a fair pace on Sunday
and was a little sore but much better than 2 weeks ago. I have a wonderful
wife who likes to canoe as much as I do and a 15 yr old daughter that's
tough as nails.
We have: 2 Grummans, the oldest active Wenonah Jensen marathon boat
in existence (I think it was built in 1968! great shallow water boat),
a V1A mixed cruiser, a J-200 (called the Gamma Double Dot for the time
rate change of roll that it exhibits), an old glass kayak, a 7 1/2 ft dinghy
that I built and a Sunfish. The vertical
pronoun has been overused in this missive so we'll say goodbye.
Don
