Ralph Díaz: Folding Kayaker Newsletter
Ralph Díaz is the author of the Complete Folding Kayaker as well as the publisher/ Author of the Folding Kayaker Newsletter. He serves as the NYC kayaking representative on the Hudson River Watertrail Association.
His articles have appeared in many outdoor publications. Also of note, he introduced the publisher of 'A Salty Dog' - JP - as well as several thousands of new boaters to the joy of Sea Kayaking (for which many of us owe him a great deal of gratitude!).
We welcome him and are happy to include his inspirational articles in 'A Salty Dog' - the Sea Kayaking Webzine!
Paul Theroux - the acclaimed author wrote:
In the Foreword Paul Theroux wrote to my book, The Complete Folding Kayaker (McGraw-Hill, 1994, 1-800-822-8158), he said of me: "Ralph Díaz is a solitary but resourceful evangelist. I was impressed when he started the first folding kayak newsletter. I am delighted that he as written the first complete guide to these boats. It is valuable, plain-spoken, and best of all, exhaustive. I am happy to help launch this book. God bless it and all who paddle the seas."
Reply from Ralph Díaz:
Amen on that last sentence. We need God's blessings. It is a jungle out there for us sea kayakers, especially in busy waters. Writing a newsletter on folding kayaks, I've felt a special need to address ways to survive paddling in traffic since so many folding kayakers are urban dwellers and likely to be in the thick of it. And Salty Dog, in its wisdom (or wackiness), has chosen to pick up the newletter articles I have done on avoiding becoming, as the Salty Dog publisher so delicately puts it, "Barge Roadkill."
That's one of the many areas covered in the newsletter, Folding Kayaker, now in its sixth year of publication. Every issue of the periodical, in a lively personal way, explores subjects of importance to folding kayakers such as modifications, techniques, boat and equipment reviews, news from the industry, etc. When it comes to folding kayaks, you are likely to hear it first in the newsletter rather than anywhere else in the print media. The paddling magazines are just too broad based to do much on this very special breed of seaworthy vessel with a long pedigree of proven performance from Pole to Pole and everywhere in-between.
If you want to be savvy on folding kayaks and their uses there is only one reliable source, aside from the Complete Folding Kayaker book, and that is the newsletter. See for yourself. E-mail me your postal mailing address and I'll send you a back issue as a sample.
Also e-mail me your questions or phone me (212-724-5069). If you are weighing what folding kayak to get, or even if you should get one at, all, ask me. I'm plugged in on all the available folding kayaks and will try my level best to help you decide what model best suits your style, needs and wallet. I've helped thousands of people through that decision process and the folding kayak industry isn't paying me a dime to do so. I just like the boats. And, as Paul Theroux said, I am an evangelist.
Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz@ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."