Saw more kayaks than canoes, and although I couldn't readily ascertain canoe materials, saw many of the rec boat and stubby SOT types of kayaks. That said, we saw a couple pairs of fairly lengthy composite tourers, and several equivalent plastic ones as well.
While the majority were as you noted, a fair number in this admittedly decidedly unscientific survey were more advanced, non-beginer boats.
Most -about 75%? -were southbound...
There is still hope, I hope, for the next generation of paddlers who want to move up and on in the boats they buy -and in the waters they ply -as they
I like canoes. If I spend too much time thinking about it, as can happen on a long drive, I guess I also feel a bit of disappointment when I see nothing but kayaks (often cheap ones at that) going down the road. It makes me worry a little for the future of our sport. But there are other trends I think I see in paddling that I find more disappointing. I have to remind myself that what I see on the road also depends greatly on where I'm driving.
I often see quite a few sea kayaks, many of which look pretty high end, when I get near Lake Michigan or Superior especially when it starts getting seriously warm outside. I see more canoes as I get nearer to the BWCA or the northern Wisconsin lake country. This morning I spent some time at a diner that sits on the road which runs along the Wisconsin River. From the window I saw about equal numbers of rec kayaks and canoes going down the road toward the landings. Not many of either, but in about equal numbers... As I recall the canoes were all Wenonahs of various models. Not bad boats at all. In Madison proper, which has a number of lakes in the town itself, I see a lot more rec kayaks.
What I find a little more disappointing is when I'm driving near decent paddling water and see empty racks with no boats at all. Its been cool up here until about two weeks ago, but when I don't see any boats at all I find it a little sad to think that apparently now a majority of paddlers are put off by cloudy 50 degree days. Lotsa' folks missing lotsa' good paddling.
So far this year I've paddled on three popular rivers in three sates on weekend days and on two of them encountered no other paddlers at all. That's fine in a way and I enjoy the solitude, of course, but it seems a little strange also. Are there really so many paddlers that now think paddling is something that is only done on hot days in July?
And I also find it disappointing when I see boats loaded to capacity with beer, captained by loud intoxicated folks. I can't help thinking these folks are missing the point of being out in the natural world, the joy of being on the water and, of course, they can be a hazard to themselves and others.
I find it disappointing when I see folks with a boat riding at a 25 deg angle on the tailgate and roof of a pickup secured by one long amidships strap attached to the bed and a couple bungees on the back. I've seen three such rigs in the last two days.(Even a 2X4 rack cobbled together for the rear with pads and a window strap costs almost nothing and would be sooo much more secure. Not even doing that much seems like a such a flagrant disregard for safety that it reflects poorly on paddlers in general.)
But none of this is anything new... always been that way, and I expect there always will be some of it. It is what it is. And I do have some hope that the individuals engaging in this kind of stuff may either outgrow the behavior or move on to golf or something. Sooner would be better than later.
I wonder I might wonder how disappointed or excited someone is to see me going down the road. Now a new bright yellow Old Town canoe on the roof. Inside the car a cheap SOT for the kiddo.
In a dream world I would have owned an Eddyline Merlin XT since 1999. As a fresh college graduate a $2500 boat wasn’t in my budget. It still isn’t. I saw one recently on Craigslist for a reasonable price but no surprise it sold within 24 hours and before I saw the ad.
I will continue to upgrade my kiddo as she grows. She is a natural on the water and can paddle my solo canoe with ease. In order to get to use my own boat I got her an intro SOT. If she sticks with it as I suspect she will then I will upgrade her gear as she grows and matures. For now though, she can bang the crap out of her $88 SOT and I can let it go as her just being a kid. If she was letting a “real” kayak or canoe bash against the launch area from wake waves I would pull my hair out.
I also see lots of cheap plastic boats lately. What I also see are couples and families and kids NOT in front of a TV. I see them outside, laughing,playing, and making memories. Good for them I say. Their kids won’t remember if they were in a $300 boat from a dept store. They will remember when they found a baby snapping turtle though and all the giggling going on as wake waves rocked them like a carnival ride in 12" of water at the launch site.