On 13-Oct-2005, KMAN wrote:

Why are you moving away from the question that was posed?

The question posed was nonsense from KMAN. You keep avoiding the
issues surrounding your claims. I pointed out how the professionals
will instruct a new paddler in WW. You made a reference that ignored
what I had already stated. I'm just trying to get you to realize that
you can't seem to follow the discussion.


A self-taught paddler (as you seem to
understand from your question above) would indeed follow a similar path as
they would be led down by an instructor.

How would this self-taught paddler know what path to follow? How do you know
they won't just plunge into class 4 WW - after all, that's what they see on
TV.

I've spoken to some myself who are quite
honest in saying that they know many a fine self-taught WW paddler.

Name them - and these magical students.

I've taught many sports over the years and have yet to find these magically
skilled self-taught athletes. I've come across lots of folks who can do
a mediocre job of imitating the experts but need a lot of work to get good.
On rare occasions, I meet someone, usually an accomplished athlete in another
sport, who learns particularly well or quickly from watching others, but that;s
not the same as learning, as you say, " experiment, make observations, make
adjustuments[sic], and repeat".


So it's about having an
experienced person standing by? Once again, you never asked me anything
about this. Had you simply said "Don't you think, in a challenging WW
environment, that it makes sense to have an experienced person standing by?"
I'd have replied in the affirmative.

Which goes against your position that one learns adequately on one's own.

Do you have any evidence to suggest that the rate of injury of self-taught
kayakers exceeds that of those who receive "professional instruction?" If
so, I'd like to see it.

Since it is you who espouses the non-standard view, perhaps you should be the
one offereing proof. You constantly insist that self-taught are safer and as
good as otherwise, but have never offered one iota of proof.