From rsk@rockandwater.net  Mon Aug 29 05:42:44 2011
From: rsk@rockandwater.net (Richard Kulawiec)
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2011 05:42:44 -0400
Subject: Fwd: Passing of John Berry Sr.
Message-ID: <20110829094244.GA28836@gsp.org>

Forwarded message:

> From: Larry Woods <cboater1@yahoo.com>
> Sent: Sunday, August 28, 2011 6:26 PM
> Subject: Passing of John Berry Sr.
> 
> 
> ADK WW Paddlers,
> ?The following is from a post by "KAZ" on the Northeast Paddlers Message Board.?
> http://www.npmb.com/cms2/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?181014?
> It can also be found on?the CBoats Forum.
> http://www.cboats.net/cforum/viewtopic.php?t=7965105
> 
> ?John Berry's?company "Milbrook Boats" was based in Riparius, N.Y.,
> where many of us put in or take out when paddling the Hudson River.
> The current owner John "KAZ", has not only?continued John Berry's success
> in designing and building boats, he is also a many time National Champion
> himself.?  ??  "A true Legend"?  A pioneer, adventurer, boat designer,
> friend, mentor.  John L. Berry, 86, of Belchertown, MA, died peacefully
> on Thursday, Aug. 11. He was 86. Berry lived in Bethesda, Maryland and
> was an outstanding whitewater canoeist and competitor during the 50's and
> 60's. He began racing in 1956 at the Brandywine Slalom and was National
> C-1 and C-2 Champion many times. In 1961 he was a member of the first
> US team to compete at the World Championships. The races were held in
> East Germany and what he and his teammates learned there inspired huge
> advances in American whitewater sport. As a member of the Canoe Cruiser's
> Association of Washington, DC he explored much of the Potomac and Cheat
> headwaters during the 1950's. He also made several early descents of
> the Lower Yough. In 1957 he and his long-time C-2 partner Bob Harrigan
> lead the first descent of West Virginia's Cheat Canyon. The trip took
> 2 days with Berry solo paddling a half-decked wood-and canvas canoe. In
> September the pair lead one of the first trips down the
> New River Gorge, taking three days to go from Thurmond to Fayette
> Station. During the mid-sixities he also led several trips down a
> pre-dam Gauley River. He completed one run at very low water but was
> forced to abort the second run because of high flows.
> 
> Berry was a leader in the early stages of decked canoe and open canoe
> development. In 1960 he designed one of the first closed-deck C-1's
> made in this country. It was barely paddleable, but he knew he was
> onto something. He began offering his canoes for resale in 1965 as
> "Mad River Canoe & Kayak". Most paddlers back then built their own
> boats, and he offered one of the few ways for a non-builder to get on
> the water. Mid-States paddlers like Bob Burrell and Charlie Walbridge
> used his "Modified Czech" C-1. a In 1970 he moved from the DC area to
> Waitsfield, VT, changing his name to " Millbrook Boats", because the
> name "Mad River Canoe" was already trademarked. In 1975 Millbrook Boats
> moved from Waitsfield to the Hudson River in Riparius, NY. Here Berry
> designed his legendary open canoes: the ME, the Flasher, the Flashback,
> and the AC/DC. He was active in open canoe slalom and wildwater racing
> and his designs revolutionized the sport. Anyone who paddles a
>  whitewater canoe today owes much to his innovations. In 1988 Berry sold
>  the business to John Kazimierczyk, who continues the Millbrook legacy
>  of innovative light-weight designs.
> 
> A resident of Belchertown, MA since 1989, Berry paddled on the nearby
> Swift River daily until this past year. His beloved wife of 63 years,
> Janet Berry, passed away a year ago. He is survived by his three
> daughters, Katharine L. Berry, Rebecca Berry Creswell, Virginia Berry
> and son John Berry, Jr., four grandchildren and a great grandson.
> 
----- End forwarded message -----