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| Becky Mason - Classic Solo Video Reviews |
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Classic Solo Canoeing with Becky Mason An instructional video for the solo canoeist by Laurie March. © Outdoor Adventure Canada 2004 Last summer we took a friend on his first canoe trip and he decided to go it solo. He had a bit of trouble when we were on the windier lakes. We suggested that he turn the canoe around and sit in the bow facing the stern. I think he thought we were a little crazy and he was reluctant to take our advice. I wish we had him watch Classic Solo Canoeing with Becky Mason before that adventure as it might have made his trip more enjoyable and it would have reduced his frustration. Set in the Gatineau Hills of Quebec, the forty-minute, how-to video is a comprehensive guide to solo canoeing. Becky demonstrates many useful paddle strokes for the soloist. She includes advice on where to sit in the canoe and discusses balance. There are great tips for choosing a paddle and for waterproofing your gear. Essential safety information on capsizing and recovery was a good review. I really enjoy the way Becky instructs. Her manner is relaxing and she is definitely in her element. Of course, I would not expect anything less from the daughter of Bill Mason. I even recommend Classic Solo Canoeing for tandem paddlers, as you never know when you might end up in a situation where you have to solo a canoe. It is a great video for a beginner who wants to learn about the basics of canoeing or the intermediate canoeist who needs a refresher on paddling strokes. Becky's video is definitely worth watching by any paddler. Laurie March wrote this review for Outdoor Adventure Canada, www.outdooradventurecanada.com. Laurie maintains and writes for this website. |
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Critical Acclaim Booklist, 2002,
"This visually impressive solo canoe primer gracefully partners veteran canoe instructor Becky Mason with a red cedar and canvas canoe. Filmed in scenic Quebec, the video spies early morning mist rising from a lake as trancelike melodies back Mason deftly maneuvering her canoe in a series of effortless acrobatic twists and turns. Various popular paddling strokes are demonstrated before slow-motion footage accents the techniques. The video also addresses canoe and paddle safety, care, and maintenance, as well as portage guidelines, packing essentials and wilderness relaxation tips. For adventurers who appreciate the physical, sensual, and spiritual aspects of solo canoeing," - Carol Holzberg |
Green Teacher, 2002,
"Watch Becky Mason's 40-minute video Classic Solo Canoeing and you will be enticed to head with your canoe to the nearest waterway. Demonstrating how easily a canoe can be handled by one person, she explains clearly why each paddling stroke is used and what to do with your body during each stroke. Both beginner and intermediate paddlers will appreciate the skills review and clever tips offered, but will also be moved by the aesthetics of paddling: an additional pleasure is watching her red canoe glide and turn in scenic lakes and streams as if it is dancing with water." - Marcia Klein |
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WHERE Ottawa, 2002,
"...Mason's excellent video, "Classic Solo Canoeing", can be purchased as an adjunct to the course and will serve as a reminder of all you've learned." - Melanie Scott |
Cottage Life Boating, 2001
"...If you love a quiet paddle around your lake but lack the skills to go it alone, who better to teach you than Becky Mason..." - Patricia Maitland |
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Kanawa, Canadian Recreational Canoeing Association, 2001,
"... You, too, can learn to dance on the water ... Becky has that special gift only a few teachers have: the ability to put you completely at ease ..." - Kevin Callan |
Wooden Canoe, 2001,
"... the photography and music are more that first rate, they are superb!... provides much useful information for all levels of paddlers ..." - Jim Mandle |
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CHE-MUN, 2001,
"... From the moment Becky and her ever-present blue hat, rolls into frame in her beautiful cedar/canvas Prospector, we know we're in for a treat ..." - Michael Peake |
Canoe & Kayak Magazine, Canoe Journal, 2001,
"... includes technique and a wonderful dose of canoe philosophy, in both an empty 16-foot Prospector tripping canoe and one fully loaded for the woods." - Jeff Solway |
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Nastawgan, 2001,
"... With this video Becky has proved to be a true chip of the fine old Mason block: first-class paddler and excellent teacher. She followed her dream and did it right by showing us again how beautiful canoeing can be ..." - Toni Harting |
The Open Canoeist, U.K., 2001,
"The video shows a method of exploring further the possibilities in the already versatile general-purpose canoe." - Andrew Bien |
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Bushwhacker, 2001,
"... Becky uses a relaxed, gentle style of paddling... an underwater recovery so the grip hand is held not as high and paddling is less tiring ..." - Boris Swidersky |
The Ottawa Citizen, 2000,
"... For the past 12 years, Mason has been sharing her ideas through a program of semi-private canoeing instruction..." - Richard Todd |
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Voyageur Mag., 2000
"... The 40-minute video would make a great Christmas gift for a paddler..." - Abbie Allen |
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