[Paddlewise] Modern history of kayaking (was: Folding Boats)

You know, Ralph Hoehn's brief history solved a curiosity I have had for 
years.  Working in the aerospace industry for years, and also have in big 
interests in aircraft design and history, I always thought it was kind of 
odd that a company like Grumman would make canoes and light fishing boats. 
 They seem to me to be totally different technology and market categories 
than their main business which was making some of the most advanced combat 
aircraft in the world as far back as WW 2, super advanced for their times 
the A-6 Intruder and the F-14 Tomcat just is worlds apart from canoes.  And 
personally I saw nothing particularly innovative about their hull designs 
in terms of hull performance.

But Ralph's mention of the post war boom of manufacturing inexpensive water 
craft made the connection for me.  Like all of the giant manufacturing 
firms after the war, they had to find some other market or simply close 
down, which many of them did.  What better way to make use of all that 
surplus aluminum and expensive tooling and factories that the government 
had already paid for than make consumer products?  I know two of my 
previous employers Northrop and Boeing had tried making commercial ships 
and rail cars in their factories after the war (both were financial 
failures, I have read, I am not old enough to know first hand).

So likely it was Grumman that used the tooling and cheap surplus aluminum 
to make canoes and light fishing boats.  I would presume they were 
profitable since they have retained that market for many years.  It is 
difficult to imagine tooling up to build aluminum canoes in a relatively 
small market and making it profitable unless much of the factory costs and 
materials were basically free or a fraction of their original costs.  It 
would also put what I imagine was an innovative new way to make a canoe on 
the market fairly inexpensively, opening new markets for all paddle and 
motor powered water sports.  I do not remember hearing or reading about 
aluminum canoes prior to WW 2, perhaps others who know more can comment.

It also seem to me that the first wide spread us of fiberglass for both 
boats hull and other consumer products also started about the post war 
period as well.  And if you takes Ralph's comments about plastic hulls 
referring to fiberglass, not roto-molding, than his statement would be 
accurate.  After all epoxy and polyester are plastics.  And I can not think 
of when the first fiberglass sea kayaks were built, but I'm sure it was 
after WW2 as well.  Perhaps Matt or Cam would know the answer to that.

Were there any commercial sea kayak manufactures prior to 1960?  If so, 
prior to WW2? [except the folders of course] And what were they making them 
out of. ISTM that all of the ones I have seen prior to about 1970 were 
homemade skin on frame, or fabric folders.  If not than I would say it was 
the post WW2 canoe and light boat makers that made the current boom in sea 
kayaking possible.

Does either Ralph or Matt Boze or anyone else know of any factory kayaks 
besides folders prior to 1960?  Were there any fiberglass sea kayaks made 
before 1960 or WW2?  It would confirm that there was no viable business in 
sea kayaks prior to the current interest.

Peter






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