> If you want to cross your lines so that
> you can lean and steer at the same time, do it! Just let people who
> paddle your boat for the first time that it is different. You would
> be amazed, though, how fast we as humans can adapt to a (seemingly
> significant) change like that. You start to push the pedal one direction,
> feel the boat going the wrong way, and can instinctively push the
> other pedal to steer the other way. I'm sure that anyone can get used
> to either way in a matter of 5-10 minutes. (Although I wouldn't advise
> going out in really rough water in an unfamiliar setup--those instincts
> need a bit more prior honing!)

> just my $.02

> Shawn

Have you ever seen the (PBS, I think) program on perception and motor skills? They put a pair of glasses with prisms on person. The prisms in the glasses were oriented so everything the person saw was upside-down. She lived ith them for a week or so, doing all sorts of complex motor-skills like traveling on her bike, pouring coffee in a cup, etc. She had no problems with these activities after she had acclimated to the glasses, which only took a short period. It took considerably less time to switch back to normal (upside-up) vision.

The point is, a person can adapt to situations of unusual perception or motor-skills very quickly. Furthermore, the fact that she could ride her bike with those confounded glasses shows the unusual setups aren't all that detrimental.

KTK