• We apologize for the somewhat convoluted sign-up process. Due to ever-more sophisticated attacks by chatbots, we had to increase our filtering in order to weed out AI while letting humans through. It's a nuisance, but a necessary one in order to keep the level of discourse on the forums authentic and useful. From the actual humans using WCP, thanks for your understanding!

Paddling Magazine Industry Awards

AM

Paddler
Joined
Jan 30, 2006
Messages
1,144
Location
Vancouver
For the heck of it I went through the voting process for the Paddling Magazine Industry Awards. Of the 11 categories, only one is devoted to “touring” kayaks (a nebulous term). See the nominees below.

The contest is clearly irrelevant except as a form of marketing, but it is an interesting indication of how much the industry has changed in the last 15 years (including its publishing side).

8CB65091-49D5-45D3-8062-3A559AEC9253.jpeg
 
Kind of weird to have the category combine recreation -which is very much the dominant segment- and touring which is less popular and a completely different bag of chips.

Regarding paddleboards with a seat, it is a growing segment. Sitting is awesome. But why not do it in a kayak? Is it because a paddleboard is "cooler"?
I don't know what the rationale is. But I hear from a handful of people every month that they want to attach a seat to their board. We even sell an inflatable boats that comes with a seat. It's been quite popular.
 
Kind of weird to have the category combine recreation -which is very much the dominant segment- and touring which is less popular and a completely different bag of chips.
I agree.
I don't know the categories for 2021, but the 2019 listing online shows the following 11 categories-only one of them is kayak specific:

  • Best Touring/Recreational Kayak (includes all touring and recreational kayaks, including hard shell, folding, inflatable, etc)
  • Best Whitewater Boat (includes whitewater kayaks, canoes, rafts)
  • Best Fishing Boat or Board
  • Best SUP
  • Best Canoe
  • Best Paddle (includes kayak, canoe, SUP, etc)
  • Best Safety & Rescue (includes PFDs, helmets and accessories)
  • Best Clothing/Apparel (includes technical, lifestyle, footwear, handwear, headwear, glasses, etc)
  • Best Rigging & Outfitting (includes seats, mounts, tracks, rod holders, anchors, rudders, etc)
  • Best Transport/Storage/Launching (includes roof racks, trailers, storage racks, boat and paddle bags, docks, etc.)
  • Best Paddling Accessory (includes products not covered in above categories)
Paddling Magazine is mostly 'product placement' articles, IMO. Sign of the times- it's a long long way from SeaKayaker mag in the days of the ancients...
 
Paddling Magazine is mostly 'product placement' articles, IMO. Sign of the times- it's a long long way from SeaKayaker mag in the days of the ancients...

Indeed. The thread I link below is worth rereading: John K saying goodbye to Coast and Kayak Magazine and noting that he could not strike a deal with Paddle Canada. That deal went instead to the Rapid Media family because it represented all paddle sports. At one time Rapid Media had a dedicated sea kayaking magazine, Adventure Kayak, that was a quality journal.

That diversity is gone and instead we get Paddling Magazine, which is exactly what John says it is: an extended advertorial. It takes me about 3 minutes to leaf through every issue and realize there’s nothing really worth reading.

Oh well, things change. If I want to learn anything, WCP usually has the best answers anyway, all delivered in real time!


Cheers,
Andrew
 
Quite the rogue's gallery of 'boats' there....

To me, it's clearly a two-horse race between 'other' and 'none of the above'.
 
I don't know what the rationale is. But I hear from a handful of people every month that they want to attach a seat to their board. We even sell an inflatable boats that comes with a seat. It's been quite popular.

I have a possible answer to your question. I am convinced that if you hung out in your kayak on Alouette Lake every day in the summer, you could practice your towing skills by rescuing SUP paddles who run downwind and then find they can’t get back to the launch. Every day.

I suspect that some of the people who are buying those seats have realized that SUP is not great in a headwind.

Cheers,
Andrew
 
I have a possible answer to your question. I am convinced that if you hung out in your kayak on Alouette Lake every day in the summer, you could practice your towing skills by rescuing SUP paddles who run downwind and then find they can’t get back to the launch. Every day.

I suspect that some of the people who are buying those seats have realized that SUP is not great in a headwind.
Paddling a SUP from a sitting position with an 8 foot long single blade must be tricky?
 
Paddling a SUP from a sitting position with an 8 foot long single blade must be tricky?
SUP paddles with adjustable length will be short enough for some people while in a high kneeling position.
But for sitting on the board or in a low seat like a crazy creek, a 3 piece greenland paddle is the best, as it can be disassembled & stored under the bungies.
 
Or a hybrid paddle that can be either a kayak paddle or a SUP paddle...
 
So often seen, a "Best" list of things. It immediately tells one that these items are not the best and don't touch them as it is simply an advertising ploy, especially when it comes to kayaks and accessories.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CPS
It's a problem with media in general. It can start with grassroots representation and someone's passionate energy but the energy can run out or success can attract the corporate financial interests. Kayaking in general has become watered down with the proliferation of all the niche types. There used to be two types. Whitewater and sea kayaks. To me there still is. It's nice to learn about new materials, models, layups etc. But i have 4 kayaks, all poly and 2 are neckys which were old when I bought them 23 years ago. I love my old narpa. It's bomb proof, agile enough and great for what i do. I don't worry to lend them out and they get regular use every season. I don't think kayaks have really improved much since Mr Neckar sold out. I don't need the latest and greatest. Mine are good enough for me, i share them and introduce others to the sport and i can afford to do other activities as well. Just my opinion. Take it for what it's worth.
 
Back
Top