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As I am sure you know, boat manufactures will confirm that sales of whitewater kayaks pale in comparison to their recreational, touring, and fishing kayak sales. Whitewater kayaks may only account for 10% of their overall sales (my guess). Frankly, their is plenty of marketing out their reaching each target market.
After 28 years of enjoying this sport I can suggest that Whitewater Kayaking inherently involves a sense of self preservation to any person that tries it. Additionally, nearly everyone who wants to try it is receiving some amount of instruction, either professional or from a friend, as they pursue the sport. No one is picking up their first boat and hitting class V to start. Some are progressing quickly to that level, maybe some a bit to quickly, but they are the exception and are few. Again, most people will hear the inner voice of self preservation suggesting to them what is within their interest and ability. The sport has a quick way of weeding out those whose eyes are bigger than their hearts.
IMO, more concerning than the advertising industry's portrayal of an extreme image for our sport is the use of internet chat rooms and blogs to disrepect others and support immature motives of self proclaimed stardum. The sport used to be only about our own personal connection with the experience, fun, and excitement. Now it seems that their is a lot of malicious acqusations and disrespect towards others over trying to out do another or be the first to do something, etc. Code names, passees, crews, rivalries, etc., have replaced friends and courtesy. The internet can be very useful for good information. However, in all aspects of life, the internet is often being used in damaging ways to our culture. Now that I just used it in this forum makes it difficult to say that I think we would be better off without emails, blogs, chat rooms, etc. for recreational or social communnications and that it is best reserved for corporate enterprise use. Much like NASA originally developed it for. But, I digress.
Time to head out boating. The sun is shinning and the river is up today. Cheers!
Kent,
Why are you so interested in this subject? Are you trying to determine market perception so that you can get more business for your instructing class? I'm not sure why you would care exactly.
Dsunluva - lighten up man. His post is legit and I'm pretty sure Kent hasn't traded in the beat up Subaru for his new Landrover from revenue he's raking in.
That said, I think KSC hit the nail on the head. I sort of like the fact that Kayaking is a tertiary, "extreme" sport. It filters out the knuckleheads really quickly. It also keeps the rivers quiet and uncrowded, but there is enough awareness of boaters now to keep things like river restoration projects, whitewater parks, and clean water efforts at the forefront of legislation.
Frankly if the rafting companies want to keep the sport looking "extreme" to draw in the adventurous, they make the sport better for all of us through more revenue and innovation yet they keep the neophytes on specific river sections so that we can enjoy the rest of it.
Is our goal really to convince the world that kayaking is safe and fun and for everyone? If your livelyhood depends on the commercial industry of the sport then perhaps the answer is yes (nothing wrong with that). I for one don't really care if the "general public" wants to try it or not - that's why we made rafts and duckies.
I for one don't really care if the "general public" wants to try it or not - .
you should care because if there's no public to buy the kayaks, there's no one to design them, manufacture them, no one making paddles, sprayskirts, etc. There needs to be a certain amount of public involved or we'll be back to making our own boats out in the back shack like it used to be.
All those people buying the $200 rec boats are the ones funding the design and manufacturing of the hottest new designs of creek boats and play boats.
BTW, studies have shown that the average kayaker (person who considers themselves a kayaker) is out on the water 8 days a year!
you should care because if there's no public to buy the kayaks, there's no one to design them, manufacture them, no one making paddles, sprayskirts, etc. There needs to be a certain amount of public involved or we'll be back to making our own boats out in the back shack like it used to be.
Exactly. Maybe I just have a different perspective from working in the paddling industry, but to me the future of quality whitewater gear always seems to be hanging by a thread. As the economy continues to decline and the sport continues to shrink, it's a no-brainer that paddlesports companies are going to focus more on the larger markets (touring), the lower price point/higher margin markets (rec), and be forced to leave whitewater R&D by the wayside in order to stay in business. Making sure we bring new people into the sport at least at the same rate that we're losing them to economics and attrition is the only way that whitewater related businesses are going to remain viable.
That aside, I'm all for peace and quiet on the rivers, but there is a lot to be gained in advocating for river preservation if we get more people on the water to develop a connection with the rivers to the point that they are willing to stand up and fight to save them. If you think there are enough of us (even though our numbers are shrinking) that we're going to be able to continue to win the fight against hydropower and pollution as the inevitable energy crunch increases, I suggest you need to think a little harder and research a little more what the fate of our rivers is likely to be without a strong voice speaking for them.
Dsunluva - lighten up man. His post is legit and I'm pretty sure Kent hasn't traded in the beat up Subaru for his new Landrover from revenue he's raking in.
That said, I think KSC hit the nail on the head. I sort of like the fact that Kayaking is a tertiary, "extreme" sport. It filters out the knuckleheads really quickly. It also keeps the rivers quiet and uncrowded, but there is enough awareness of boaters now to keep things like river restoration projects, whitewater parks, and clean water efforts at the forefront of legislation.
Frankly if the rafting companies want to keep the sport looking "extreme" to draw in the adventurous, they make the sport better for all of us through more revenue and innovation yet they keep the neophytes on specific river sections so that we can enjoy the rest of it.
hey thanks to Ken for starting this thread! i doubt most buzzards realize how unimportant our little niche is in the grand scheme of things. i've heard of the numbers being this, the WW industry = 10% of the whole and creek boating (the extreme portion) only 1% of the WW portion. kinda makes you feel a little insignificant, eh?
so i'm hearing the market is shrinking do to economic strain... i'll take that as meaning gas prices??? yeah i can feel that pinch and see that happening more and more as our little sport is wholey dependent on driving four wheel drive vehicles far and wide every weekend. that's the part of our little insignificant sport that saddens me. sometimes i feel like we're the last generation of boaters b/c our carbon foot prints are going to be too big to fit in our wallets. sorry, that's another thread entirely...
back to Ken's post... so why are the 1% of the 10% become the ambassadors of the sport? i think it's b/c sex sells... you know, that beautiful girl is like a class V drop. selling the unattainable.. the taboo.
__________________
"I would drag my balls across broken glass just to hear her fart into a walkie talkie" -Jay Drury
Here is a follow up question… How welcoming is our sport to a kayaker who simply wants to paddle Class II or easy Class III water? Do people try the sport, but somehow get into water beyond their interest level? Anything we can do to better allow those folks a home in the sport?
Exactly. Maybe I just have a different perspective from working in the paddling industry, but to me the future of quality whitewater gear always seems to be hanging by a thread. As the economy continues to decline and the sport continues to shrink, it's a no-brainer that paddlesports companies are going to focus more on the larger markets
If you think there are enough of us (even though our numbers are shrinking)......
Leland
Leland,
When you speak of declining numbers I am sure you have some stats somewhere to support this. From my perspective ( no numbers at all and I am looking at all whitewater not just kayaks) every river that I run is getting harder to draw permits on. More floaters almost every year of all types and it seems like kayakers are more common in town here through anecdotal evidence.
Is it your view that whitewater kayaking is declining or some other reference? Not being confrontational here at all, I am unaware of any stats or numbers that would indicate this.
I don't have an interest to promote or benefit from the growth of ww kayaking. Likewise I don't go out of my way to get people into the sport as it is a very serious commitment to get into a kayak and be flipped upside down in moving water. I charged hard when learning to kayak and swam out of almost every major rapid in central Idaho. It is only through the grace of God that I did not die.
I snowboard the steepest, rockiest terrain I can find without much thought at all. Kayaking is much more of a commitment than that and self-regulating at the extreme end of the spectrum. If you don't have the skills and keep doing it you will either get better or you will not be around long.
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