Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
October 14, 2008

For Craftsman, Kayaks Are Way of Life
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EB663C:A6F02AD83191E16062EE3A071E1C89BD5C6F54A6CF9DC2CA&
 
VOA's Zulima Palacio finds for aficionados, wooden kayak is Rolls Royce
of light, fast boat 
Chesapeake Light Craft, has shipped thousands of small boat kits around
the world and says kayaks are the most popular For more than 1,000
years, kayaks have fascinated people young and old. The long, narrow,
boats were originally designed by Eskimos for hunting seals in the
arctic. They are mostly covered, with a small opening in the center and
are propelled by a double bladed paddle. They made it to Europe in the
early 1900s and spread around the world, used for hunting, pleasure and
competition - in rivers and seas.

 Tourists who kayak mostly use mass produced plastic models. But a
wooden kayak is the Rolls Royce of this light and fast boat. Producer
Zulima Palacio spoke to a craftsman who has spent a lifetime designing
kayaks. Carol Pearson narrates.


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