On Thu, 18 May 2006 08:27:34 +0200, Wilko wrote:

Oci-One Kanubi wrote:
Probably 12 years ago, here in r.b.p, there was a thread on the
Coleman... wait, let me back up. EVERY year, here on r.b.p, there is
at least one thread about how bad the Coleman is.

snip
The message I will probably never forget, from around 12 years ago, in
one of these Coleman-bashing threads, was from an ordained minister in
Florida, who bought a Coleman for stillwater fishing

Thanks Richard, that's one story that I will never forget. Every time
these green Coleman hulks come floating down our local stream (they are
used by a local rental company), I think about those discussions on RBP.


I think about a couple of good ol' boys I saw take one down a
combination of class II and class III rapids. It was their second
Coleman. The first they'd had for many years but had to leave wrapped
on a rock and when they came back to tow it off, they found tire
tracks and no canoe.

Between the guys they might have had a bit less than one full set of
teeth, but they were full of good cheer and stories about rivers and
rapids they'd been on. The green Colemans had done well by them.

Not that I'd recommend a Coleman for anything but Class I and flat
water, but they aren't absolute death traps. They're cheap, easy to
buy many places, last a long long time for the occasional weekend
paddler and generally pretty harmless. I've paddled in one a friend
had. It was adequate for the job. They're excellent for rental
stuff, too, though my fav local place preferred aluminum. I didn't
buy either Coleman or aluminum when I got around to getting my own
boat, but I had enough money by then to go for better than the
cheapest.

--

r.bc: vixen
Speaker to squirrels, willow watcher, etc..
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless. Really.

Don't ask me what time it is lest I'm of
a mood to tell you how to make a clock.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli