[Paddlewise] Reply to carrier spam

With a website like kayakplace.com, I suppose it means that people think
I'm in the kayaking business. I'm not, but today I received an e-mail from
a manufacturer of kayaking gear that, to avoid any semblance of
commericialism, I will refer to as "XXX". Apparently, they thought that I
build kayak trailers, from my web page on the subject, I guess. I thought
paddlewisers might be interested in my reply.

-- Wes

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At 08:02 AM 12/10/02 -0500, you wrote:
>Dear Sirs,
>
>XXX is a company that currently services approximately 150 stores with kayak
>and canoe carrier systems.

Normally, I just delete a piece of spam like this, but in this case, since
XXX is a respected manufacturer rather than some fly-by-night that sells
penis enlargements or investment opportunities in Africa, I thought I might
as well make a response.

I've used XXX paddles, and like them, and think they're very well built,
although rather heavy. However, I'm very unimpressed with your racks, and
for a number of reasons. 

The biggest thing is that they sit up too far. I can barely get my van into
the garage with the custom low-level racks I've built on top, and I have to
make sure that the garage door is ALL the way open. Also, sitting the boats
on their sides makes for a huge increase in crosswind sail area. A friend
has a set of XXX carriers on his Toyundi (or whatever piece of far eastern
junk it is -- I'm from Michigan, when we talk about hunting, we mean
Toyotas). I've watched him be blown all over the road by passing semis or
crosswinds; while similarly loaded on my low-level custom rack, my even
higher van rides steadily.

Having a van, combined with the height of the XXX racks, would mean that I
would have to absolutely carry a stepladder in order to use the complicated
tiedown system. In fact, I think my friend has one.

Now, normally, I use a trailer to carry my boat, rather than van-top them.
If we start at the same time, I can have my boat on the trailer, tied down,
and can sit on the gear locker and smoke a cigarette or two while my buddy
is still fiddling with the tiedowns on the XXX racks. (Yes, I'm politically
incorrect, as well.)

I will admit that the racks on my trailer are very expensive and hi-tech. I
think I spent about $3.49 plus tax at the lumber yard for a couple of 2x4s,
and spent half an hour with a table saw cutting them to size. They're
covered with carpet that blew off some dude's pickup truck when he was
going past the house on the way to the dump. The carpet is fastened to the
2x4s by some complicated fasteners called "roofing nails". However, the
racks fit my boat perfectly and I have had no hint of gel coat damage in
three years of using my current boat, which is more than my friend can say.

I think, therefore, that you will percieve that XXX carriers are not a
priority on my purchase list for next season. As I am not a manufacturer,
and do not intend to build another trailer unless the current one gets
sadly bent out of shape by collision with some large, heavy object, I see
no need for volume purchase.

Sincerely yours,
Wes Boyd
http://www.kayakplace.com
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