Pelican has acquired Confluence Paddle Sports. Not sure, what to make of this. Pelican kayaks, tend to be lower quality entry line kayaks. I hope this acquisition, does not bring down the Confluence line.
“Confluence Outdoor is a portfolio of six premier watersport brands including Wilderness Systems®, Perception®, Dagger®, Mad River Canoe®, Harmony Gear®, and Boardworks®.”
Also hope the Pelican acquisition has no negative impact on those good brands.
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Acquisitions
take position
they’ll soon make more making less,
as a quality
becomes hard to see
as buy a sellout there’s regress,
and a decline
in product line
often badged with new disguise,
ramped-up production
for mass seduction
is oil can of corporate guys
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So true…
I fear it may be another nail in the coffin, for small shops and dealers. Pelican maybe selling Tsunamis and Tarpons, at Dicks and Wally World. The local shops can’t compete, with their prices.
My paddle partners today we’re former Mad River representatives. They say Mad River was done in on the first "merger. "
I always get the feeling the purchase was accountant and MBA driven and not done by paddlers.
Ugh - mergers and aquisitions seem to always be bad new - you lose your job, your product or store/restraunt goes away, selection diminishes - I will refrain from listing the flood of examples in my head. Too bad I can’t think of an example of a positive merge…
I had no idea these guys were all related - thanks for adding this info.
Good words, duckheads! I always think of Mellencamp’s words when shtuff like this happens:
And there’s winners
And there’s losers
I guess I identify especially with Mellencamp 'cause we’re from the same part of the country and by sheer luck (age and years of service) I was a winner when my employer got acquired. Lots of folks lost. I feel sorry for them.
Little Pink Houses
Ain’t That America
(And I always thought Mellencamp should have been acquired by the Traveling Wilburys)
Well, with George-Roy-Tom now rolling on, perhaps a new, Wilburysomes (…at the end of the line) might form-up (although Dealin’ with Dylan could become an Off-Broadway smash for Mr. Lynne featuring Mr. Lin-Manuel), thus accommodating the once Cougar. Hell, lets throw in John Eddie, Leon Bridges, and…hmmm, how about Smokey or Jimmy Cliff, just to put a little sugar into the whiskey-coffee cup.
Pellets canned
once hully plan,
“We flotsam,” their rebuttal.
Stood on end by Dicks,
Cabellas turn their tricks,
launching fleet to world in scuttle.
(a river less mad more a muddle)
(a universe within a puddle)
Sad to read this news.
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Most of the Confluence boats, if not all, are built right down the street from me. I may be glad that my 3 Confluence boats are pre Pelican
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Happy our Dagger Alchemy, WS Pungos and Tsunami, are pre Pelican. Not sure I would want any kayak, that is made under Pelican. They make fine storage boxes and flashlights. Kayaks, not so much.
Pretty sure these are not the same company…
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Symantec quote. Pelican cases are better quality, than Pelican yaks. Regardless, who makes them .
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I never realized that Pelican was THAT large … to be able to acquire conglomerate like Confluence 
Pelican canoes were previously called “Coleman” and I am not sure if the company is the same. I really like several things Coleman made (coolers, stoves), but those old ram-x canoes were some of the worst-paddling craft ever created. I have no recent experience with Pelican, and it could well be that they have made improvements. Also, they are pushing the envelope by sponsoring this pro team: https://paddlingmag.com/stories/columns/profile/the-world-of-whitewaters-first-semi-pro-pedal-boater/ We’ll just have to wait and see I suppose.
Hey, ya never know. Maybe Pelican will assign some reverse engineers to the Confluence stock, and thereby learn how to actually make a proper kayak–They may even discover bulkheads!
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I have two tandem Pelican rec kayaks for the family outings and although made well and inexpensive they are like paddling a barge. Heavy as an oak tree but very stable for jumping in and out of and going fishing. The kids and wife love them.
I can keep up with those. I think.