Memories of Mike Galt
By John and Cindy Bartos
Mike Galt, left, and John Bartos, right
Click on image to enlarge.
We first met Mike Galt at the Southwestern Canoe Rendezvous at Chain O’ Lakes in 1989, but we felt that we knew him long before that. Our first canoe, by pure luck, was a Lotus Egret designed and built by Mike. Being newbies to canoeing, we did our research and really only knew that one should test paddle a boat before purchase. What we were going to deduce from this exercise, we weren’t sure, but we took the Egret out to a pond to try it.
Bruce and Charles from Canoesport put it through its paces before we tried it and we were amazed by their precise and graceful moves. We decided to buy this boat and asked the guys if there was a book or anything about the type of paddling we just witnessed.
We decided to buy this boat and asked the guys if there was a book or anything about the type of paddling we just witnessed.
It turned out there was not any book but they gave us a copy of a tape of Mike Galt and Marilu Wilson paddling the Egret. To music! Wow. We were blown away and it didn’t take long for us to watch the moves on the tape and go out and try to emulate them one by one. We followed up with getting old articles that Mike had written and then current articles from Canoesport Journal.
Click on image to enlarge.
Mike was one of the few great original thinkers about the theory and lifestyle of Quietwater canoeing. From the lines of his classic yacht-like hulls to his fine hand crafted woodwork his boats to this day are the pinnacle of the craft. His vision that started the solo revolution and his promotion of couples working together in tandem made real advances in our sport. With partner Marilu, they won every early Freestyle competition and they became roving ambassadors for Freestyle canoeing. Mike was very supportive of our efforts in competition and instruction. We in Houston were very lucky to have him attend several of our Rendezvous’ and come to Texas several times to instruct. Our neighbors were intrigued to see a ratty old VW van parked in our driveway with beautiful canoes on top. Clearly the boats were worth more than the vehicle. His point/counterpoint discussion at the first Rendezvous with Cliff Jacobson was a classic.
Gruff but loveable was a term used to describe him, with the emphasis on gruff. We had the pleasure of sharing lots of margaritas with him while solving the problems of the world and our sport. We also spent some memorable days co-instructing with him and as blunt and brutal he could be to students; he could also cut through to really reach them. And he was usually (Mike would say always) right. Much of the finer aspects we have learned about paddling we picked up from Mike. There is a little thing about gripping a paddle that we always pass on to our students that has resulted in many “Eureka” moments.
Once while discussing the recovery of a forward stroke, Mike asked the students, “Did you ever see a blue heron fly? Watch the blue heron. You can see his wings as they come down, but you don’t see them come back up. That’s how quick and smooth the recovery should be on your paddle stroke back in the water as smooth as the wings of the blue heron”.
Some of the memories we have of Mike are better told in person, but we will never forget him. Canoeing is better in America because of him and he will live on in that knowledge that he passed on to others. His boats are also still out there, making paddlers smile. And remember, “In the canoe dance, the bow paddler leads.”
Mike Galt, gruff but loveable canoeing guru, died in Sebring, Florida April 8, 2003.