Re: [Paddlewise] Kayak Surfing

Yeah, good kayak for fishing. Whatever the real design concept was and 
whatever the boat really excels at, which I'm sure it does have some good 
attributes and uses ( like fishing) are the things he should concentrate his 
advertising around. Just an observation.

Doug Lloyd.

> On Sep 3, 2009, at 07:30 AM, Joe P. wrote:
>
>> Not a surfer
>> Not a paddler
>> Maybe a fisherman.
>>
>> And he's a huckster.  He's hyping what he can to sell his product  but 
>> doesn't know enough to realize how far off he is.
>> It's just not a kayak.
>
> This is all a little harsh. How can we as a group of kayakers  "reserve" 
> the words paddler and surfer and kayaker for that matter.
>
> He is out there paddling and he is out there in the surf.
>
> As for hucksterism, I just call that marketing. In this case it is a 
> little crude and obvious but he is just a guy running a little  business 
> out of his basement. I have heard BS from much bigger kayak  companies 
> that is more subtle but equally exaggerated. Every kayak out  there is 
> super fast... Like the Garrison Keiler town where everyone is  above 
> average.
>
> I live in Seattle but went back east and made an effort to meet this  guy 
> and paddle his boat. He was very cordial. This is a very low  budget 
> operation. And his boat is very different with the good and  often bad 
> that comes from wandering off the mean. But I enjoy people  who are doing 
> things out the the ordinary rather than another sea  kayak that is 
> indistinguishable from dozens of others except for the  claim made for it. 
> At least his boat is actually different.
>
> He is a dreamer and an "original". He originally designed two hulls  that 
> you strap to your feet and walk on the water. Not very practical.  He 
> evolved into his current design from that unlikely start.
>
> I guess I am a lumper not a splitter. I am happy to call him a paddler 
> and a surfer.
>
> _________________
>
> As for his boat, it is less stable than one might think. Fun and easy  to 
> get in and out off the shore. Symmetric like many ferries so you do  not 
> have to turn around if you go from one shore to a nearby one. I  would not 
> want to paddle great distances in it.
>
> And it is made of that plastic stuff that I dislike but which a  majority 
> of people paddle now. Wobbly and squishy.
>
> I think he sells mostly to fisherman. You are sitting in a position  that 
> is overall more comfortable than sitting in a classic kayak --  for older 
> folk.
>
> I was over in the kayak forum kayak building thing that Guillemot  kayaks 
> runs. There is a guy there who just made a catamaran kayak with  all the 
> problems that that creates. But it is interesting. I would  like to paddle 
> it. I do not think that it makes much sense. But you  have to have people 
> who are willing to do the far out.
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