intelligent, older, post-secondary-educated pro- fessionals, not 20-year-old, wet-behind-the-ears whitewater punks (who, despite their cockiness, can actually brace and roll in rough condi- tions).
No, sea kayakers are mature. They live well and reside in desirable neighbourhoods. They drive Volvos and drink mocha-frappuccinos produced by environmentally conscious coffee- roasting companies. Sea kayakers have dinner reservations at Le Jardin and opera tickets for next week. Their lives are good. They should be highly motivated not to die. But most sea kayakers don’t find the time in their cosmopolitan lives to learn to paddle well. Instead, they try to buy safety. And they are abetted in believing they can do this. There’s a veritable raft of rescue gear out there promising to keep them safe, even if they know nothing about kayaks or the movements of the ocean. So where did this blind faith in equipment and the false sense of security it instills come from?
Sea kayakers live well and reside in desirable neighbourhoods. They should be highly motivated not to die.
Perhaps it’s just part of a wider trend in a society bent on effortless accomplishment: find the most corrosive bathtub cleaner on the mar- ket so you won’t have to scrub, start a diet that starves your body of fuel so you won’t have to be active to burn it off, buy a Volvo (there’s that word again) and be safer on the road without having to slow down or change your driving habits.
Then again, it might have something to do with the fact that the vast majority of paddling instruction is offered by kayak retail businesses. This presents a conflict. It’s great that a store can offer instruction, but don’t expect that there won’t be a mandate to sell gear via the instruc- tional programs. After all, it’s a lot easier to sell a bit of kit rather than the concept of conservative good judgment. You can’t buy good judgment, you can’t really teach it, and you definitely can’t bottle it for sale. If you could, I’d buy a two-four of it every weekend.
— Alex Matthews is the co-producer of the instructional video, The Ultimate Guide to Sea Kayaking.
New
Maximum Comfort, Control and Beauty.
Dirigo 140 - 14’
Ever see a duck tip over? Complain about cramped knees? Or back-aches? Neither have we. And from here on in, we expect to see a lot less of it from kayakers, too.
Introducing Dirigo, the breakthrough new recreational kayak that offers such high levels of stability, comfort and control, it makes paddling seem as natural to you as it does to them. Its exclusive features let you focus on why you’re out on the water, not how. Ready to spread your wings?
Also available in 12’ and 10’6” models. • Stabil-form™ hull for easy maneuverability, tracking and stability.
• Open cockpit control panels to free your knees to help stabilize the boat.
• Integrated cockpit console with accessible dry storage. • Extrasport®
Outfitting System with 3-way adjustable seat.
$99 Value
www.oldtowncanoe.com Hurry! Limited Time Offer.
$85 Value
Buy a Dirigo & get an Old Town Rolling Cooler or Camelbak Cloudwalker™ Hydration Pack & Old Town Cap Combo. See Your Dealer for Details.
ADVENTUREkayakmag.com 17
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