Yup. Expensive seakayaks in particular. You need to be in a certain demographic of having enough money and time to devote to the hobby. Younger folks seem to aim toward more adrenaline producing fun. The seakayaking boom market is aging out of activity. I spend a lot of time in Utah and in Southern California at a beach town. In utah people who used to canoes now paddle rec kayaks , lots of fishing and SOTs in SoCal and SUP. I have a few friends who are still heavy into seakayaks but most of that crowd has moved into surfski racing, SUPs or back to whitewater. You mostly see people 60 yo+ with full on seakayks now.
I paddled canoes to start, then moved to sea kayaks and then to an elite surfski. It’s taken over 40 years and I’ve enjoyed them all. When I want a thrill I’ll go snow skiing or say something that’ll make my wife angry. Both are on a fast downhill slope. Although surfskis can be challenging I’ve never felt like I was going to die. Most young people I know do nothing but eat and play video games when they’re not going to college or work. Those of us who do anything outdoors are a great minority, part of me likes that and the other part wants me to see everyone experiencing how wonderful it is. I’ve taken many first-timers out in a kayak and they’ve always enjoyed themselves but except for a couple of them they never picked up the hobby.
For anyone who might be interested, Alder Creek is having their 26th annual Spring Paddle fest this coming weekend April 28th and 29th at Vancouver Lake just outside of Vancouver, Washington. This event is all free and is a great chance to try out a bunch of boats and attend some classes.
I’m seeing a lot of new paddlers in beginner boats, so maybe there’s a chance some will step up to sea kayaks. I try to do my part by getting out there as often as I can to let folks see what a sea kayak is capable of. The comments I hear most of the time is, Gee, that boat sure seems to cut through the water and it’s fast.
In whitewater kayaks are doing just fine. I was with a group yesterday - 3 canoes, 43 kayaks.
@magooch said:
I try to do my part by getting out there as often as I can to let folks see what a sea kayak is capable of. The comments I hear most of the time is, Gee, that boat sure seems to cut through the water and it’s fast.
I like the theory but I’ve been finding that it doesn’t hold up in practice. People see me in my boat and think they can do the same stuff after a trip to Walmart. I almost feel guilty knowing that those guys paddling near me in jeans, a sweatshirt, and the latest Pelican that was on sale, have no clue what’s going to happen when they accidentally go for a swim in the still near freezing water. All they’re probably thinking is that they were able to “get into the sport” for a few hundred dollars.
@Sparky961 said:
@magooch said:
I try to do my part by getting out there as often as I can to let folks see what a sea kayak is capable of. The comments I hear most of the time is, Gee, that boat sure seems to cut through the water and it’s fast.I like the theory but I’ve been finding that it doesn’t hold up in practice. People see me in my boat and think they can do the same stuff after a trip to Walmart. I almost feel guilty knowing that those guys paddling near me in jeans, a sweatshirt, and the latest Pelican that was on sale, have no clue what’s going to happen when they accidentally go for a swim in the still near freezing water. All they’re probably thinking is that they were able to “get into the sport” for a few hundred dollars.
oh yeah… Ice is not entirely out yet and the fleet of rec kayakers is afloat locally. Sitting on their PFDs proud that they are obeying the law… Im not having any luck on FB convincing them to wear the bloody things. 999 times out of a thousand they get away with it but all it takes is once and then kayaking is deemed dangerous…
Operator error is never considered.
I even suggested that if they dunk in the lake they are one hand short of holding on to everything ; while they try to get the PFD on with the non existent third and fourth hands…
I think that big box stores ought not to get away with uninformed sales people
I just returned from the Charleston Outdoor Festival. It is definitely NOT the East Coast Canoe and Kayak Festival, any more. The event lost it’s way, a few years ago. I do not expect the festival to survive, another 5 years. They tried to re-invent festival ~5 years ago, and ruined it. They tried to bring in other venues, like archery, mountain biking, frisbee golf and outdoor games stuff. They did that, to appeal to casuals and millennials. But they drove away their base customer. As the crowds have gotten smaller , the vendors have disappeared. To compensate for lost revenue, they have raised the prices on vendors and festival admission. This resulted in even fewer vendors and paddlers.
There where only two vendors with sea kayaks. Sea Kayak Carolina had P&H and NDK kayaks. Current Designs had the other sea kayaks . Even EPIC skipped the festival. (EPIC USA is based in Charleston). The other big paddle companies had SOTs, Rec boats and fishing kayaks. They where represented by Bonafide, Hobie, Jackson and Wilderness Systems. There where a couple start up companies as well. That was basically it.
Odd that Epic didn’t show up.
oh yeah… Ice is not entirely out yet and the fleet of rec kayakers is afloat locally. Sitting on their PFDs proud that they are obeying the law… Im not having any luck on FB convincing them to wear the bloody things. 999 times out of a thousand they get away with it but all it takes is once and then kayaking is deemed dangerous…
Operator error is never considered.I even suggested that if they dunk in the lake they are one hand short of holding on to everything ; while they try to get the PFD on with the non existent third and fourth hands…
I think that big box stores ought not to get away with uninformed sales people
I could tell them a story, not that it would matter, about being in a marine collision. Injured and semi conscious my sailing harness had enough flotation to keep my head up until I was pulled from the water.
All it would take is a jetski or even a paddle clunk in the right place to put you in the water disoriented.
I think EPIC may have taken all their crew to Wilmington, this year. There was a world class SUP & Ski race ;at Wrightsville Beach, this weekend as well. More of Epics target customers, than at the festival now . In past years, they have worked both events. The Charleston Festival may not be worth their time, any longer. The Carolina Cup is growing, while the festival is withering away.
My first surfski paddle was at James Island many years ago and I never forgot it. Now I paddle one. Giving those who never get a chance to demo one can open doors of business. I understand going to Wrightsville but they should have done both.
in wv fishing kayaks and rec kayaks are booming, while flatwater longboats and canoes are a rarity. Ww kayaks are still a common sight. Commercial rafting is down 40% from its heyday (the mid 80s). Ace Whitewater sells way more fishing kayaks and rec boats than ww boats. Been like that for several years now…
Rec boat based events have really taken off (tour de coal, kevin’s lazy river float) and there is also big upswing in fishing tourniments. Gauleyfest (ww) is holding its own. Local paddle board sales have petered out. In ww some length is returning to kayak boat design. Cheaper inflatables made by rocky mountain and star mean more locals own their own duckies and rafts on the river. ww sit on tops are also seen. Sea Kayaks, well the only thing I can say is I’ve seen one or two passing through on route 19, perhaps headed to florida. Never actually encounted one on a waterway exceptin’ Captain Thurmonds Challenge where somebody takes one down class IV ww. Some serious skills to do that.
There are some crazy “hair boaters” in the SW Pennsylvania region who take old plastic sea kayaks down the Class IV and V sections of the Youghiogheny. Call me a purist but when I had a couple of older boats in great shape for sale a few years ago (a 17’ Dagger Magellan and a 16.5’ Aquaterra Scimitar, both from the '80’s) I refused to sell them to the “hair boaters.” Why anyone would take a boat that long through rock gardens is beyond me, but maybe they bridge big hydraulics better? All I could imagine was getting wedged crosswise in one of the chutes…
When I do my summer vacation down at the beach in RI, I see more paddle boards than sea kayaks, but there are penty of dedicated sea kayakers around here. We did our local paddle club meeting at one of the local paddle shops last month. He said that he sells mostly sit-on-top fishing kayaks and foot-powered boats like the Hobie Mirage (see plenty of ads for that here).
I like the peddle kayaks but not SUPs. I think it’s a fad that won’t last. It’s awkward and you’ve gotta stand. Not that they aren’t fun, it’s just not something I would want to do very often.
@DrowningDave said:
I like the peddle kayaks but not SUPs. I think it’s a fad that won’t last. It’s awkward and you’ve gotta stand. Not that they aren’t fun, it’s just not something I would want to do very often.
I’ve read that a SUP offers a great full body workout. Have never tried it, but hope to this summer.
It’s a workout all right but so is a surfski since you paddle with your entire body. I’d rather sit.
Like a sit-on-top, a paddle board has the advantage of being easy to get back on, so people take them out into open water where I wouldn’t go alone with my canoe - like this guy heading out into the bay.
For surfing and open water I think paddle boards will be around for a long time. For whitewater probably not…
https://vimeo.com/266274311
Surfskis look like fun too, but I’d pass on the peddle kayak - they are big and heavy.
Hey willowleaf,
“There are some crazy “hair boaters” in the SW Pennsylvania region who take old plastic sea kayaks down the Class IV and V sections of the Youghiogheny. Call me a purist but when I had a couple of older boats in great shape for sale a few years ago (a 17’ Dagger Magellan and a 16.5’ Aquaterra Scimitar, both from the '80’s) I refused to sell them to the “hair boaters.” Why anyone would take a boat that long through rock gardens is beyond me, but maybe they bridge big hydraulics better? All I could imagine was getting wedged crosswise in one of the chutes…”
that’s pretty much the same crowd that does the longboats on captain thurmonds challenge- I think they just like the challenge of running longboats through ww. They feel the need for speed and running tight lines from top to bottom. The skillset with that bunch is pretty unreal but if you’re looking for role models then I agree, you should look elsewhere. My necky looksha is a casuality of the New River Gorge, dragged it out from underneath a river shuttle bus and bought it from the owner oil canned and heat patched (on the stern) but the price was right, $200. For me it’s about the water and not the boat (I’m the same with cars) but I realize it’s different for others. Nothing wrong with taking pride in your ride and wanting to see it go to a loving home.