First there were skin-on-frame and glass sea kayaks and open canoes.
Then plastic whitewater kayaks (along with plastic sea kayaks and canoes) appeared and evolved.
Then recreational kayaks exploded on the scene (including sit-on-tops).
Then whitewater boats and sea kayaks and canoes all diminished, under the onslaught of recreational kayaks.
And finally, paddleboards exploded on the scene.
Are paddleboards the “end” of human-powered paddlecraft?
I submit that all of the above has been an inexorable evolution toward one thing: paddle-powered watercraft that most people can afford, are easy to transport, and easy to carry to the water.
Inflatable SUPs are really the pinnacle of this evolution—there are no paddlecraft with a superior combination of portability and affordability. iSUPs are also highly versatile. They can be used as “portable docks” for swimming, as “floating beds” to relax or nap on, as platforms for doing yoga or fishing, as glorified swimming pool floaties, as water transportation for kids and dogs, or as serious paddlecraft.
Will there be something new in the coming decade?
Will we ever see a resurgence in the popularity of sea kayaks or open canoes?
Or are human-powered paddlecraft ultimately doomed (like human-powered bicycles) by what will inevitably be the exploding popularity of electric-powered paddlecraft? (Already, there are electric motors being made that can be strapped to existing SUPs. This is only the beginning.)
Discuss!
(And by the way, I neither like nor dislike paddleboards—the purpose of my post isn’t to promote paddleboards…I’m just examining the 30,000’ view of the paddlesports industry and trying to imagine what the future holds?)
It is difficult to be objective after 62 years of paddling canoes. I tried sea kayaks for a few years in big water, but where do you put the dog and the Coleman stove?
I have never tried a paddle board. I see videos of people camping over night with them and running some rapids. I don’t get it but they seem to like them.
Drop-stitched inflatable paddleboards are a great invention for sure. They’re easy to transport and store, and relatively inexpensive, but judging by the rental fleets, I think most casual paddlers still prefer kayaks for exploring. It’s hard to see recreational canoes making a big comeback either for the same reason.
Sea kayaking, whitewater paddling, canoe tripping, and racing are enthusiast activities that require a bigger investment and more commitment than casual paddlers are willing to put into the sport. The rise of recreational kayaking didn’t swell the participation rates in those activities, and if there is a shift from recreational kayaking to paddleboarding it may not cause a decline in those participation rates either, I hope.
Maybe the end will be an inflatable SUP with an integrated inflatable BarcaLounger and electric motor for propulsion. The SUP should have retractable powered wheels to get it to and from the water.
Agreed on “difficult to be objective…”, as we all like what we know, and know what we like, to varying degrees.
But to answer one of the original prompts, as to whether there is an end to human -powered paddlecraft in sight, I believe (and hope) the answer is NO. There will always be those among us who appreciate both simplicity and a way of interacting with the water.
Regardless of whether we are seen as reactionaries or purists ( my tribe sees itself as neither - we just like room for a wicker picnic hamper, in line with Kenneth Grahame’s Water Rat, see the “simply messing about in boats” quote, if not already on your wall/fridge/family crest).
Humans are clearly improved by direct exposure to bodies of water; amen to however that happens.
The only problem I have with paddle boarders is that so many of them seem oblivious to the dangers of cold water. They head out with lifejackets strapped to their boards or no lifejackets at all. Even in Puget Sound with 55 water temps in July. Even on Lake Tahoe in winter dressed in street clothes. Even with little kids. They need to raise the awareness level by a lot.
I should add that even though we see paddle boarding as a new thing, it has been around for years in surf culture, and you could probably argue similar standing paddling has been around for millennium.
Ya know, in this great big watery blue marble of human mischief 'n redundancy, why should the Canadians, with their Chasse Gallerie, have cornered the market on flying canoes? Seems to me, what with all those devlish temptations that could make a man like Gaugain lei down with Tahitian beauties, and paint the town, that folks racing to make the latest luau might strike deals with the demons of air traffic control:
A hoe my fellow paddlers.
Ama gonna tell,
ya all about with arms outstretched
wa 'a once under sail,
a storied piece of over reach,
you might say quite muku,
and with fly’n jib my crew ad-lib’d
lolo Mana’ Soar Va’a flew
(some may be tempted to say, "Bless you.)
There was an oracle of coracle,
shedding light to situation.
Sort of monk-in-trunk less weighty steampunk
adding saintly sense during inflation.
But alas, too pedantic whilst crossing Atlantic,
holier-than-thou released principled airs,
and it came as no-shocker that Davey opened his locker.
Oh Brother where art thou when Argonaut tears?
