Re: [Paddlewise] Evolution Kayaks

This is a good point. It is important to remember the environment a  
kayak must operate in includes the market place. A boat can have  
features that appeal to the market place which may or may not have  
anything to do with how it responds to a head wind.

The Evolution can be well adapted to a marketing environment  
regardless of it adaptation to the water. Saying things like:

     "... the groove (where you sit, the cockpit), just like on a ski
       (where the binding & boot are located), is parabolic, so
       the shape aids in turning."

  can appeal to the market place even though the words are  
essentially meaningless. Relating the kayak to something people are  
familiar with makes spurious logic appear insightful to otherwise  
ignorant customers. Parabolic skis turn easily, this kayak is  
parabolic, therefore it will turn easily, seems perfectly logical  
even if it is a bunch of marketing clap trap. To start with, this  
assumes the kayak is actually shaped like a ski, which it doesn't  
look like it is. But, it doesn't really matter, as long as it gets  
people to buy the boat, and as long as they are reasonably happy with  
how the boat turns, which they will be since the probably won't have  
spent time in many other kayaks, the ruse may work.

On May 10, 2005, at 8:54 AM, Keith Wrage wrote:

> Not sure this adds much to the discussion but as it relates to the  
> market and evolution of design...For mass marketing this may be a  
> great design.  The masses aren't necessarily looking for cutting  
> edge performance.  Shops and big box stores sell a lot of the Old  
> Town Loon-type boats.  The Evolution may offer the masses things  
> like ample cockpit space (appears to have really high volume ahead  
> of the cockpit) and also things like big cargo hatches and lots of  
> cargo capacity.  For the folks who don't mind strapping an igloo  
> cooler on the back deck, a monstrous cargo hatch may be a hot  
> button.  Many people in shops use boat color to help them determine  
> which one to buy!
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