Major Milestones and Players

[2opnboat1]

Nolan Whitesell: Tons of first D's very cutting edge designs for the time.

Bob Foot

Kent Ford

Louie

Dave Simpson

Ely

Dooley


and the list goes on

Esquif needs lots of props they are the ones that really fueled this whole short boat revolution. THanks

Mohawk Canoes (we were ground breaking at one point and time)

[Craig Smerda]

Frankie Hubbard & Savage

The rotomolded SuperFly and everything after that changed my world... thanks to both of them.

[Walsh]

Old-school C-boater who literally wrote the book on whitewater safety and rescue.

[philcanoe]

All that's just secondary and incidental... that Mr. Gruman now he started something. He may of not had the best design, but he blew away everything else, up until the modern era (think Mrs Robinson and 'One word, Plastics').

Of course you might want to include Gene Jensen and Frankie Hubbard, as they really thought outside the box... much more so than the usual self promotional canoe guru's we normally hear mentioned.

[kaz]

Let's not forget John Berry. He was winning slalom world cup medals in Europe before most people here were even born. He was also possibly the first person to design open canoes made specifically for whitewater. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong here.
As Phil said, Gene Jensen is possibly the most influential person in canoe design....ever!
Jkaz

[cheajack]

Who are the people that have driven this innovation/passion/craziness and deserve to be recognized for their hard work? Paddlers, Designers, Advocates, Activists, etc...
[quote][/quote]
Certainly Frank Bell and others from the Mondamin/Green Cove era that inspired the youths of forty years ago like Jimmy Holcombe and also pioneered the limits of what was doable in the southeast for decades.

[Craig Smerda]

we've come a long way in 8,000-12,000 years... or have we really?
http://wysinger.homestead.com/canoe.html

[Lengthy]

perception HD1. Annual Red Moshannon canoe race, 43 years and still promoting the sport and getting new boaters interested and involved.

[kaz]

This year was the 76th anniversary of the continuously run "Classique" canoe race in Quebec.


Jkaz

[kaz]

And without a doubt, Serge Corbin is, was the greatest canoe racer of all time.

JKaz

[TheKrikkitWars]

Two modern ones, with more left to come:

Michal Martikan, for introducing the first round bottomed, narrow C1 race boat in some time, and pushing c1 slalom to up its game again.

Dave Bainbridge, for bringing rodeo in C1 up to a truely phenomenal standard, To a standard where he could compete with the kayaks and still place well.

[adamin]

Interesting thoughts! If we're talking milestones in design, personally I think of the "greats" that have been mentioned (John Berry, Grumman, etc...), but also of folks like Davey Hearn and Jon Lugbill, both for paddling and design.

For Cquirting, though I have much respect for Jimi, I think the real "Cquirt trophy" goes to Peter Zurflieh of Aerobat / Edge / Acrobat fame. 20 years later it is still the "go to" Cquirt for most folks.

Sue Taft touched on a lot of things briefly in her excellent book - but I'll second Louie's comment that there is A LOT more information out there... some of which may conflict with what is in the book, depending on who you talk to.


I think there are just as many innovative / driving folks in kayaks - but you hear of them less as there are more random folks kayaking.

[CosmikDebris]

Who was Gene Jensen, what boat's did he design?

[Craig Smerda]

Who was Gene Jensen, what boat's did he design?

A very influential man... http://www.jensencanoes.com/

[philcanoe]

on Gene Jensen, try this one...

http://www.canoekayak.com/features/padd ... ensenobit/

all sort of canoe designs, racer, paddle maker, re-refined technique.... ever heard of the bent shaft...