Anyone call a kayak shop ?

that’s good to hear
I’ve driven by that Brighton shop but have never stopped in. Will have to correct that.

I got to meet Stan
It was an honor.



I still recall his face when I heard some guy ask if the Greenlander came with a rudder.

My advice— consider the Discussion
Forum. This is a strange topic for the Advice board.

dilemma / paradox
It’s a discussion about Help!

Yes. Been good for me a a novice
Always had good experiences with the crew down at Confluence Kayaks in Denver. They have helped me with gear, paddles, and dry top repair.



I have not taken any of their classes, but heard form others that the classes were worth the money.

It’s a lecture in disguise.
I give lectures, too, but I don’t couch them in the form of a survey.

They don’t get any better…
…than the California Canoe and Kayak (CCK) stores in Oakland, Sacramento and Half Moon Bay. They’ve been here for 40 years and have sponsored and/or supported countless non-profit and informational events in that time.



Keith and Tammy have given away more advice and gear than most of us have ever known or owned, and the staff - sales, repairs, instruction - is outstanding as well.



The answer to a significant number of paddling-related questions in Northern California is simply “CCK”

Bill & Pauls in Grand Rapids has

– Last Updated: Apr-15-13 7:08 AM EST –

knowledgeable sales people that paddle, as does Powers Outdoors in Newaygo which has another store in Montegue.
These folks carry quality canoes and kayaks and BTW gd2,this post is not a "lecture in disguise". That is just your opinion. If anything, it's letting others know of knowledgeable vendors, with integrity, in areas other than the OP's.
Thanks to willih2o for posting and thanks to the others from Michigan who noted other sources as I do shop at these type of stores.
I went into the newest Cabela's store in Grandville last week and asked a couple of sales people if they had 'kayaking PFD's'. They didn't even know what a PFD was! When I told them what it was, one of them showed me to the 'life jackets' used for water skiing.
This is why many of us stay away from "big box" stores, like Dicks, Gander Mountain, etc. You can even find kayaks and canoes in some grocery stores. Go figure.
Paddling.net is much appreciated for having informative, interesting message boards.

I second that!

Funny

– Last Updated: Apr-15-13 9:14 AM EST –

Many people seem to ask for advice here,on the forum,
instead of calling their local kayak shop.

Advice, Suggestions and General Help
are only a phone call away.



why do you think that’s funny?
There are regular forum participants here who have proven expertise. Bnystrom’s vast resources regarding kayak repair and outfitting is just one example. Additionally, the website is a click away.

Local

– Last Updated: Apr-15-13 9:58 AM EST –

Usually people want to know "what works"
for where they live , their geography,
and who better to answer succinctly
than the local kayak shop people who paddle there.

Local info, local instructors/classes, local shops,
where people can touch, feel, sit inside kayak,
would have more relevance than some blurb on a forum.

you don’t seem to understand
that many people do NOT have a “local” kayak shop.



Not sure why you are making a contest out of this. You are also dissing some good kayak clubs. Is their info useless too?

what’s wrong with both?

– Last Updated: Apr-15-13 10:17 AM EST –

I've found some good local paddling locations from others in this forum, people who, again, have proven knowledge. Some of those people have even pointed me to good local kayak shops.

As for boat fit, I only trust my body.

I don't think there's any magic to a local shop that makes it necessarily more or less trustworthy than someone in this forum with a proven track record. In both cases, one is going on the advice of a stranger. Sure, one has a workplace related to the sport.

I don't understand why one cannot use all the resources available to them, rather than automatically and arbitrarily ruling one out.

To me personally this is THE most valuable resource this website has to offer (classified ads being a close second).

At no stage in my 40 year paddling
career have I found boat shop advice to be adequate to my needs. Not even at Nantahala Outdoor Center, where I have bought several of my boats.



Honestly, I thought you were trolling to reveal the useless and ignorant advice offered at many local shops, because that’s what one should expect. Instead, you seem to think that we’re wasting our time on here, asking for and giving advice, because we could get it faster over the phone at Joe’s Recreational Kayak Emporium.



Well, isn’t that special!

So this is a waste of time thread about
… what exactly? People supposedly wasting their time starting threads?



Weird.

We are blessed
with 3 excellent shops I’ve worked with in the SF Bay and Monterey Area. Someone already mentioned CCK (there is one in Sacramento as well), but I’ll add Sea Trek (Sausalito) and Monterey Bay Kayaks (I think you can figure out where MBK might be) to the list.



MBK is where I started kayaking in 1985, back when sea kayaking was pretty much unknown. Jeff and Cass ran a really nice shop and she has continued the same standards after Jeff’s (RIP) illness. It is still my favorite shop.



Rick

Anyone Call a Kayak Shop
Steve and Bonnie at Scappoose Bay Kayaking in Oregon are very knowledgeable and helpful. They can and will answer any and all questions asked.



Greg

here’s a nice website resource
http://www.paddling.net/launches/



I love this map. I’m not sure I’d find it at my local shop, but one can find it here in Paddling.net.

No dis or misunderstanding

– Last Updated: Apr-15-13 2:02 PM EST –

Most posts told me about shops in Michigan which
I'm quite familiar with and they know me.

A few people posted about shops in other
parts of the country, which may benefit the
crop of new paddlers exploring the waters in 2013.

Paddling clubs are a wealth of info and I
highly recommend paddling with other people.


MANY questions on the site could have been answered
with a simple phone call to a shop in that state.