TRENDS
TWO OF 11.4 MILLION HAPPY FACES. PHOTO: ONTARIO TOURISM
KAYAKING TRENDS 2015
AS THE NUMBER OF NEW KAYAKERS CONTINUES TO GROW, TRADITIONAL DEFINITIONS AND DESIGNS BLUR
Crossover Crazy: What better way to lure novice and intermediate paddlers out of their flatwater comfort zones and into the more ad- venturous niches of river, surf and open water paddling, than to build boats that effortlessly bridge the gap? Case in point, the new S14S, an efficient 14-foot sit-on-top from surf ski veterans Stellar Kayaks. “Peo- ple have a head trip about surf skis,” says Stellar owner, Dave Thomas. “They say they’re skinny, they’re tippy, they’re weird. The S14S is a boat anybody can jump on.” Current Designs also entered the surf ski crossover market this sum-
mer with the Ignite. Current Designs says the 16-foot Ignite “is a surf ski for all paddlers.” Add to this a new wave of river crossovers (see “Whitewater Trends,”
page 148) and the plethora of transitional kayaks—compact, light- weight craft that tempt recreational paddlers into the higher perform- ing realm of touring kayaks—available in 2015, and there have never been more options to get on the water. Rudder Revolution: Earlier this year, Venture Kayaks turned tradi- tional steering systems on their head with their Skudder—an under- hull steering aid that deploys like a skeg, but can be turned like a rudder. Expect more innovation for 2015 with the debut of two new rudder systems. West Coast-based Delta Kayaks’ new composite rud- der deploys faster and holds position better than its aluminum prede- cessor. Meanwhile, Kayak Distribution designer Felix Martin looked beneath the sea to create the unusual-looking rudder that will be
180 KAYAKING || Annual 2015
available on Boreal Design and Riot kayaks. “It is bio-inspired from a humpback whale flipper,” says Martin. “They have the shortest turning radius for whales.” Sweeter Seat: Light-years from the hard lunchroom seat pans and meager foam back nubbins of classic sea kayaks, today’s plush seat sys- tems bring the comfort of the couch to the cockpit. With manufac- turers striving to get more butts in boats, it is no surprise that kayak seats are a focal point for eye-catching—and posterior-pleasing—in- novation. New seats in Necky Kayaks and boats from sister brand Old Town curve ergonomically from the bottom pad into the backrest to relieve back fatigue. Point 65’s AIR Seat features an inflatable cushion to quickly customize fit. And pedal drive pioneer Hobie Kayak’s new Vantage Seat is a high-back, fully breathable, mesh chair with nearly as many positions as a zero gravity lounger. Great News for Newbies: According to the Outdoor Industry Associa- tion, of the 11.4 million Americans who went kayaking last year, nearly 30 percent were trying the sport for the first time. With so many new paddlers testing the waters, manufacturers and retailers work hard to ensure first-timers find the perfect fit. “We’ve seen a decline in more performance paddlers and an increase in the number of rec paddlers in 14-foot boats,” confirms Kelly McDowell, owner of paddlesports shop The Complete Paddler. “This is now 90 percent of our customers. For these folks, fit and performance are not as important as stability and comfort.” Virginia Marshall is the editor of Adventure Kayak magazine.
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