John Lull wrote; > I'm just curious why boat designers aren't interested in this style of kayak. Designers, like boats, come in all kinds of shapes, sizes and objectives. Some design just what they like assuming or hoping that the world will agree with them and buy lots of their boats. Some design just what the customers orders and if the market rejects it they shrug their shoulders and say, "Well, you asked for it." Some try to do what passes for market research in a small business sort of way and then try to create a boat that will fit the results. Some decide what the customer should have and then create it. If it doesn't sell they assume the customer lacks the knowledge or sophistication to recognise its infinite perfection. There may be other approaches. In any case, designers like Matt and Cam Brose for example, can call more of the shots since they also sell and assemble their boats. Others don't build or sell so are guided (to some extent) by the people who do those things. The designer may have some influence but not as much as he might like. If the builder doesn't want a boat or see the need for it then it may never see the light of day. Some customers, believing that their idea is worth the effort, have paid the costs of developing etc. I know of some examples that paid off but a lot more that didn't. Some builders (the kind I like ;) ) develop products and then try to convince the buyers that they have to have it. Others wait for customers to ask for a thing before they risk building it. Customers have the final say. Builders and designers ignore their messages at their peril. Regularly I hear from people who say that such and such a boat that I designed is a water pig. Fortunately enough people like them to pay my bills. The fascinating thing is that so many who don't like a boat act as if the designer had committed a personal offence. Sort of, "How dare you design such a boat?" Experts are the worst in this respect. I just ignore them, hold on to the love letters, throw the hate mail in the trash, and deposit the cheques. :-) Cheers, John Winters Redwing Designs Specialists in Human Powered Watercraft http://home.ican.net/~735769/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Oct 14 1998 - 07:20:59 PDT
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