BUZZBAIT
A FAMILY DISCUSSION: THE JACKSON DESIGN TEAM MIXING IT UP OVER
THE NEW BIG TUNA. PHOTO: DREW GREGORY
«« COOSA NAPKIN SKETCH,
COMPLETE WITH TABLE STAINS. PHOTO: DREW GREGORY.
[BOATS]
HOW FAMILY SQUABBLES LED TO THE FIRST PURPOSE-DESIGNED RIVER FISHING KAYAK
THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE
BY PAUL LEBOWITZ “I
want the world in every kayak design,” Drew Gregory says. Jackson Kayak’s fish
guru is showing his determined, obsessive side, the one that’s made him one of the most recognizable faces in kayak fishing. The man with the too-cool title of Fishing Concept De- signer is dishing on how the Coosa—the first purpose-designed river fishing kayak—went from coffee shop napkin sketch to reality. Tony Lee is Gregory’s foil. A human reality
check, it was up to Jackson’s Head of Research and Development to implement Gregory’s ambitious ideas. Lee, who designed his first watercraft at the age of 13, didn’t know much about fishing from a kayak when he met Greg- ory. His specialty is the art of the possible, of what works in a manufacturing setting boat after boat. Creative conflict was inevitable, but with-
out the heat, fire and sparks of the forge, nothing new sees the light of day. At first, it
20 …KAYAK ANGLER EARLY SUMMER 2012
was challenging for two minds from different backgrounds to mesh their visions. “When somebody has a concept, when it’s
their baby, they can see in their mind’s eye what they want. Mind’s eye and reality are two different things,” Lee remarks. Gregory worked through it. “Tony always
says we’ll butt heads on ideas. It’s good we’re doing this; it makes a better design. Tony’s done it so much longer, the main thing is teaching me how it works,” Gregory says. Jackson’s design process smoothed the way,
providing common ground between design guru and fishing savant. Gregory, Lee and the rest of the team ranked the notional Coosa’s design characteristics from top to bottom. The ability to stand rated a nine out of ten. “We had to make certain compromises to
the hull to allow that to happen,” Lee says. Lee played with the rocker and tweaked bow vol- ume quite a bit. “Going through substantial
rapids, bow volume is needed so once you hit the pile you’ll surface,” Lee adds. Only once the hull was set was it time to take
on the Coosa’s fishing features. Lee says fishing rigging and paddling performance work to- gether but they’re separate things. That’s good; you can have your cake and eat it too. “The hardest thing [to get across] is just
how critical certain small things can be to an- glers,” Gregory says. Things such as a stand- up assist strap or a little piece of webbing. Or a drag chain / anchor recess. “I couldn’t wrap my head around the whole
drag chain concept. I still have issues with us- ing a drag chain. I had to put the issues aside,” says the kayak design mastermind. Gregory got most of what he wanted, but
not everything. Lee, who has been in the business long enough to know, says boats are among the most difficult products to mold. “You could make a boat that could do every- thing you want it to do, but it could be impos- sible to manufacture,” he says. And conflict resolution. How’s that work? “If they can beat me at arm wrestling they
get what they want,” Lee jokes. “We’re a family. You beat on your brother
and sister but at the end of the day you love and respect them,” Gregory says.
DIGITAL EXTRA: To watch an interview with Drew Gregory, go to www.kayakangler. com/0021 or download the Kayak Angler app.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56