Re: [Paddlewise] Safety in Recreational Kayaks

At 02:21 PM 4/18/02 -0700, Jackie Fenton wrote:
> > On 18 Apr 2002 at 14:09, ScanSport wrote:
> >
> > > I am only trying to find a way to make recreational boats safer for
> > > the "uninformed". But you are touching on my main problem here: How 
> do we
> > > define what is a recreational kayak vs non-recreational?

I think I can up with a reasonable definition but whether or not anyone 
else agrees with it is another story.  It's fairly easy to define a 
recreational vs. touring kayak based on length and width specifications and 
start adding features such as bulkheads.  Basically, if it's under 12' 
long, more than 26" wide, and has one or no bulkheads its's a recrational 
kayak...unless it's a whitewater kayak.



>I thought that unless you are a professional kayak guide/tour operator
>(IOW: ability to take a tax write-off on your kayak), then all other
>kayaking is recreational. ?

As far as I know, Doug Lloyd doesn't get paid to kayak.  Would you consider 
Doug a recreational paddler?

I don't think making the distinction between recreational vs. professional 
works either.  I've been on a couple of guided tours where the "guides" 
were paddling a Keowee or something like it.


I like the definition that Canoe and Kayak magazine uses:  casual 
recreational.  It implies a casual interest in paddling rather than someone 
that takes it seriously enough to do an expedition or develop the necessary 
skills to paddle in difficult conditions.

It's sort of like the difference between someone that jogs just for 
exercise and someone that starts training for and entering 10K races.  When 
I used to ski downhill a lot I was on a corporate racing team.  We'd often 
meet to run practice gates or get into a racing clinic.  When we were 
skiing we were focusing on the competitive aspect of the sport rather than 
the recreational aspect although one could say we were still participating 
in recreation.  An interesting term that some would use to describe the 
time when we were not actually running race courses or practicing racing 
technique was "free skiing".  In a sense, non-recreational kayaking is sort 
of competitive. even if you're only competing with yourself.

>However, some professionals would argue
>that their "job" still falls under the category of recreational as
>defined by the following definition :-)
>
>Recreation (from dictionary.com):
>The act of recreating, or the state of being recreated; refreshment
>of the strength and spirits after toil; amusement; diversion; sport;
>pastime. n : an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates
>
>We could handle it like our US Homeland Defense... color code kayaks
>for - safe, sorta safe, risky, downright dangerous to be out in on
>water (yellow is already colored for being shark-risky :-)
>
>Maybe the paddler should be color-coded instead.

What does it mean if you've got the Paddlewise logo tatooed on your butt?
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