This is cross-posted to RSN since many skiers also paddle. No PayPal
acct has been established at this time.
Thanks,
Marsh

Gene Jensen, who is responsible for developing many of the designs
currently used in both canoe racing and touring canoes, is critically
ill and coming home from Florida to Minnesota to be with family and
friends. In order to get Gene home safely and with a minimum of
discomfort, he will require fairly expensive air travel and ground
transport. To help Gene, his wife Audrey and his family defray this
cost, we are asking interested parties to make a donation to the family
of whatever you feel is appropriate.
Please make checks payable to:
Audrey Jensen

and send to:
Ketter Canoeing
7878 Mississippi Lane
Brooklyn Park, MN 55444

A partial (very partial) list of Gene's designs:

Minnesota II
Whitewater II
Jensen 17&18

V1 Pro Boat (nearly 20 years old and still the standard)
V1A - 4&32 cruiser
J190-203 series of solo racing boats
SCR

For more information, please contact Beth or Kenn at Ketter Canoeing
(763.561.2208)

Gene Jensen passed away before returning to Minnesota, contributions
can still be sent in to help his widow.

Marsh Jones wrote in message ...
[ ]
Gene Jensen, who is responsible for developing many of the designs
currently used in both canoe racing and touring canoes [ ]

Thanks for the notice of the sad news.

Gene made canoeing what it is today.

That's pretty amazing.

I mean, it wasn't all coming up in several directions. It was his
idea. And many copied him or keyed off his lead into related
directions, still owing him.

Worth noting that in the early days of modern sport paddling (mid
70's) that canoes and kayaks were both popular. I don't recall that
Gene did kayaks. He invented the C1, tho, pretty much (or entirely).
And the C1 idea basically eliminated K1 fla****er amateur action---C1
fields are big; K1 don't exist. Basically the whole idea of the fast
narrow tippy see-thru golden kevlar (then black) race canoe (with foam
core in certain areas) was his idea. At first, people thought that
going down the river in an S-pattern was kinda weird, but it caught
on---and straightened out. And that's just C1...

These are just my impressions from observing the sport and its
changes. The real info on canoe development (basically a bio of Gene)
would make a good book.

Thanks, Gene, I've had a great couple decades already with your ideas.
Thanks for sharing them.

--JP