The Extreme Image of Whitewater Kayaking

[carvedog]

Originally Posted by kevintee

I am so thankful that I was not on the river with you. If you were consistently swimming every rapid that is a danger to you and all of those you boat with. If you are swimming every rapid you are over your head.

Thank you for pointing out how dangerous I am. Sounds like I could have killed all my buddies too. Good thing they were talking me into this so I didn't have to feel bad about having world class kayakers rescuing me in class 4 pool drop water my first couple of years. Oh and I didn't say I swam every rapid each time I went out. I said I swam out of every major rapid in central Idaho while learning. This was an exaggeration. But if you are looking for shit to shoot at fire away. The point I was making is that kayaking is not for everyone, it is more dangerous than most sports and you should be fully committed and willing to learn how to roll, swim and take a beating and still deal. Anyone out there who has been kayaking for a while not suffer an occasional beatdown?? I didn't think so.
While I wasn't good at rolling ( at first ) I did become pretty proficient at swimming rapids. This skill is not for every one, but it certainly did come in handy once I started guiding high water class 4+ paddle boats too. Yes I did flip a couple of boats, but guess what no one died. And I personally was really glad that I had some experience swimming class 3 and 4 before I started tackling the bigger stuff.
So after you have been boating for 15 years come back and talk to me about how what a stud boater you are for only swimming once. And don't worry you don't ever to have boat with a dangerous character like myself.

So if we are going to be literal all the time, where the hell is all this ( or any ) documentation about how badly the whitewater kayaking industry is doing?
I don't believe it for a second. I think there has been some dispersion of the market. Meaning more players vying for the same slice or pie. If those players are in trouble, then they need to do their homework more before they go into business.

The best company with the best boats and service will continue to stay in business and do well. The marginal businesses will not. That will be magnified during recession somewhat, but the basics are still there.

In snowboarding during the rapid growth of the early 90s, all sorts of marginal players entered the snowboard game and put out a lot of crap, because there was so much growth it was almost like printing money.

Now the snowboard manufacturers have been consolidated as they approach market saturation or whatever you want to call it. Burton quite making alpine ( or race or carving ) equipment a few years ago. At first I thought it completely sucked. Now there are a lot of niche alpine snowboard equipment manufacturers doing incredible stuff for not much more than Burton was charging and it's much better equipment.

[kentford]

Hmmm. 30 Replies, only one by a woman (She was in the class that prompted my posting this topic). But a great discussion overall. Thanks.

Originally Posted by kentford

We need to do a better job of distributing the scenic, social, and sheer fun images of attainable whitewater kayaking.
Kent Ford

[Gary E]

I also think it's ok to have the "pros" promoting the sports. I do not believe that what people see as "extreme" is hurting the sport. I think it's good to know what limits and places are being explored.

I mean, we don't see little league baseball, or high school basketball being played on a regular basis. We see the best of the best promoting sports, whatever sport that is.

Paddling is relative to the person. Most folks who try paddling know where they want to be in the first year. "Extreme" could be class 4 to one person while another is dropping off the face of the earth.

I think the "industry" is hurting itself and not the Image of kayaking. If anything the image is getting the sport more mainstream, IMO.

I live in Jackson, and thought I was a descent skier til my first tram ride. Just because I see a sick ski movie, doesn't mean I think I can go ski the lines. I know I might get there, but probably not. I still love to ski.

Sports images make the sport appealing to others, what they do with it from there is up to the individual.

Kent, you've been here for a long time; I am sure you have more to add?

my 2 cents

[marko]

We need to do a better job of distributing the scenic, social, and sheer fun images of attainable whitewater kayaking.

Kent,
I agree with your above statement, but who is the "we" you are speaking of? The industry as a whole? Or, just the retailers or instructors? I'm assuming that you are speaking about the manufacturers because I just don't see many retailers promoting their kayak schools showing people running huge waterfalls. I could be wrong, and if the kayak schools are promoting their schools by using "extreme" images then I would agree that that might not be the best way to get new paddlers into the sport.

As for the manufactuer: there is a place for each type of image they use with their advertising. It would make sense to show a guy hucking a waterfall with their new creek boat design. And, it would make sense to advertise a beginner/intermediate enjoying their new river-running boat.

I also think it's ok to have the "pros" promoting the sports. I do not believe that what people see as "extreme" is hurting the sport. I think it's good to know what limits and places are being explored.

I mean, we don't see little league baseball, or high school basketball being played on a regular basis. We see the best of the best promoting sports, whatever sport that is.

Paddling is relative to the person. Most folks who try paddling know where they want to be in the first year. "Extreme" could be class 4 to one person while another is dropping off the face of the earth.

I think the "industry" is hurting itself and not the Image of kayaking. If anything the image is getting the sport more mainstream, IMO.

I agree with GaryE.

-Mark