C-Forum

Family fun on the Petite Nation River in Quebec. I'm the only one with a canoe in this video but if M. Chassé reads this, I know two ten year old kids who would really like to paddle a small OC1 made especially for them! (hint, hint)

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJwUJzbl-QU

There are a few "Splash" OC boats in the Ottawa region (none for sale that I know of), and some at the Gull. I think you kids would really enjoy that boat and would fit their size for sure. The other alternative is to take a course at MKC - they have splashes for rent.

On the subject of kids boats, I know Mohawk is looking into it, and I have one in the works right now due to demand from my 7 year old cousin. I think that kids boats may well be the next major boat innovation o come through. For a ten year old, tho, I think he might like the ion. He might grow out of a splash very soon, but that wouldn't be a problem with the ion, and I think they would be able to handle it. At light weights it's surprisingly dry and stable.

The problem with the "Splash" is the price, 1,700$ for a kid's boat is just way too expensive. I think that if we want to get kids in open boats it is imperative that the price be about the same as a kid's kayak, period (under a 1,000$). A small lightweight Royalex boat with the choices of two colours... I don't know, maybe a flashy orange for boys and a purple one for girls.

leclercraven wrote:The problem with the "Splash" is the price, 1,700$ for a kid's boat is just way too expensive. I think that if we want to get kids in open boats it is imperative that the price be about the same as a kid's kayak, period (under a 1,000$). A small lightweight Royalex boat with the choices of two colours... I don't know, maybe a flashy orange for boys and a purple one for girls.

And there's the rub -- I don't think it is possible for the manufacturers to build a Rx boat at that price point and still make money. For Mohawk with direct sell, it would be tight, and for Esquif with a dealer network, even more so.

Kayaks have the advantage of a market that is huge compared to OC. Most OC manufacturers will tell you that they are in the business because of a love of the sport, not for the money.

I think you can wait around for a sub $1000 boat for a LONG time. Better to buy a beater, cut it down to something smaller (in height and length) and stitch it back together again with lots of Gflex (take inspiration from Scriver & Mason's cut-down Ocoee's back in the day).

That's too bad because I think that would be the only way we could properly introduce kids to open-boating. I guess we could always convert their little kayaks to C1s.

h2sk1 wrote:

leclercraven wrote:The problem with the "Splash" is the price, 1,700$ for a kid's boat is just way too expensive. I think that if we want to get kids in open boats it is imperative that the price be about the same as a kid's kayak, period (under a 1,000$). A small lightweight Royalex boat with the choices of two colours... I don't know, maybe a flashy orange for boys and a purple one for girls.

And there's the rub -- I don't think it is possible for the manufacturers to build a Rx boat at that price point and still make money. For Mohawk with direct sell, it would be tight, and for Esquif with a dealer network, even more so.

Kayaks have the advantage of a market that is huge compared to OC. Most OC manufacturers will tell you that they are in the business because of a love of the sport, not for the money.

I think you can wait around for a sub $1000 boat for a LONG time. Better to buy a beater, cut it down to something smaller (in height and length) and stitch it back together again with lots of Gflex (take inspiration from Scriver & Mason's cut-down Ocoee's back in the day).