Re: [Paddlewise] Costco selling kayaks

(We have one medium sized "outdoors" shop in
Annapolis that sold about 300 kayaks last year!  Most were "entry
level", and some will get used once and then put away.  But some
will be used by people, and many of these folks will not see the
need to acquire any training.)

        What I'm doing in this area is a short (30-45 mins) equipment  and
slide presentation available to scout groups, retail stores, outdoor clubs
that don't emphasize paddling, etc.  It covers some basic ideas about
lowhead dams, hypothermia, pfds, some rudimentary water reading, etc and
enough other things to maintain their interest.  I usually get a positive
response from the viewers---   but I'd also gotten a really negative
response from one scoutmaster  who viewed pfds as training bras and none of
HIS boys would have to wear one, they were better than that.
        Invincible ignorance, you see.

    >>You need to act locally.  You need to organize your local paddling
groups to provide an outreach to those who need training in at least
the basics --- and not just operational info: you need to get across
the concept of risk management and the importance of group and
<individual> responsibility for safety.  <<<<<<

        Now these we do to some extent here....  but they go over much
better with organized paddling groups.  In this area we have such
organizations as the National Canoe Safety Patrol whose members are also
part of the clubs here.   So this message gets across very easily here.  But
as you pointed out,  it's the non-members who are at risk.

>>>>>>The Chesapeake Paddlers
Association (CPA) will be hosting a workshop in April, and the
plans are just coming together now.  If you want to leverage on
what we're doing in our area for the "newbies", let me know, and I'll
send you information on what we're doing as we're doing it.  No
copyrights here --- just info, and the more it gets out, the better we,
as paddlers, will be.<<<<<<<

        I should mention I'm Vice Chair of the Delaware Valley Division of
the ACA.  We will be hosting the Round Valley Roundup in late May here in
NJ.  This is a camping weekend of instruction, workshops, swaps, trips,
maybe some vendors.  This is the second year we're doing it and we're going
to be publicizing it as widely as we can so as to reach the casual paddler.
Last year we were fortunate to have a scout camporee going on next door so
we invited them over for demos (and that slide show above).  I think we did
well on that...


>>>>>>>I don't know if we have a moral
obligation to share information with newer paddlers, but I'm driven
by the realization that I, personally, do have an obligation to others
newer to the sport than I am.  It takes time and effort, but, from
experience, it's worth it!<<<<<<

    I am always happy to see someone with that attitude, and I must say that
I see more reaching out and helping among paddlers than I do from many other
outdoor groups.

    No, we don't have a moral obligation to share info;  in fact I know of a
few horrified insurance agents who see only the potential litigation in
that.....    Nonetheless any death diminishes us, and the (uninformed)
response of the powers-that-be is often to restrict access or activities.
So we do have a stake in this.

Joe Pylka

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