OC1 HATE??? WHAT THE?....

[TheKrikkitWars]

Now... would you be making all those purchases at once? that's got to come to near enough $4000.

I suggest you get quotes for the purchase you want to make from all nearby paddling stores, then tell the owner how you were treated, that you've been offered a competitive offer from other retailers (compare it numerically to his offering), and ask if he can do something to keep your bussiness...

That might turn that frown upside down.

[leclercraven]

Now... would you be making all those purchases at once? that's got to come to near enough $4000.

I suggest you get quotes for the purchase you want to make from all nearby paddling stores, then tell the owner how you were treated, that you've been offered a competitive offer from other retailers (compare it numerically to his offering), and ask if he can do something to keep your bussiness...

That might turn that frown upside down.

No, not all at once. The kayaks are on sale right now. A 500.00$ river runner/creeking style canoe for my wife, a 400.00$ used Jackson 1 1/2 for my daughter, and a l'Edge in the fall.

Make that a kayak for my wife...not a canoe, sorry.

[TheKrikkitWars]

Now... would you be making all those purchases at once? that's got to come to near enough $4000.

I suggest you get quotes for the purchase you want to make from all nearby paddling stores, then tell the owner how you were treated, that you've been offered a competitive offer from other retailers (compare it numerically to his offering), and ask if he can do something to keep your bussiness...

That might turn that frown upside down.

No, not all at once. The kayaks are on sale right now. A 500.00$ river runner/creeking style canoe for my wife, a 400.00$ used Jackson 1 1/2 for my daughter, and a l'Edge in the fall.

Make that a kayak for my wife...not a canoe, sorry.

Ah, that seems like a more reasonable figure... though I guess you lose some of the leverage, still worth a try to get some extra discount if you can

[Kev]

Is it just me or is there a lot of kayakers out there hating open-boaters? Just recently, I've been at a boat store here in Ottawa looking at some creeking style kayaks, (for my wife, she finds kayaking easier) and the 20ish salesperson just basically told me I was a fool when I told him I was an OC1er. C1 were ok though, he told me.

Why all the hate!???

Hi lecrcraven,

I am glad that someone has brought your experience to my attention! My name is Kevin Cook and I am the manager of Ottawa Paddle Shack or now known as "Trailhead Paddle Shack"

As an open boater and c1 paddler exclusively I could not believe that this happened to you in my store!

The majority of our staff are whitewater kayakers and i have personally paddled with them all and there is no animosity what so ever towards open canoeists with any of our staff.

My staff and I do occasionally give each other a hard time all in good fun on the river as the kayaker vs open boater seems to never get old.

That being said, I have spoken to all my staff about this incident and the employee who you were talking to has stepped forward and offers his apologies over the miscommunication, as he was honestly joking with you about being an open boater. He has nothing but the up-most respect for paddlers in general and we all feel that it doesn't matter what craft you choose when your on the water as long as your having fun.

If you have any concerns don't hesitate to call, email, pm, or post.

Cheers,
Kevin Cook

http://www.ottawapaddleshack.ca" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Johno]

I can vouch for Kev's response - Trailhead Paddle Shack is definitely a canoe friendly store and carries on the traditions that Wally Schaber and Chris Harris started long ago. http://www.trailhead.ca/history

Also the offending staff member is a good friend of mine who puts up with my open-boating ways all the time! He's the kayaker in my video here: http://youtu.be/EpIPHnvhPNA.

I'm sorry his mediocre sense of humour has caused offence. I'll be sure to seek revenge by pulling his skirt the next time we're in an eddy above a big drop! Also, he might be coming over for a bonfire tonight so I'll push him over in the snow.

Johno Foster

[leclercraven]

Is it just me or is there a lot of kayakers out there hating open-boaters? Just recently, I've been at a boat store here in Ottawa looking at some creeking style kayaks, (for my wife, she finds kayaking easier) and the 20ish salesperson just basically told me I was a fool when I told him I was an OC1er. C1 were ok though, he told me.

Why all the hate!???

Hi lecrcraven,

I am glad that someone has brought your experience to my attention! My name is Kevin Cook and I am the manager or Ottawa Paddle Shack or now known as "Trailhead Paddle Shack"

As an open boater and c1 paddler exclusively I could not believe that this happened to you in my store!

The majority of our staff are whitewater kayakers and i have personally paddled with them all and there is no animosity what so ever towards open canoeists with any of our staff.

My staff and I do occasionally give each other a hard time all in good fun on the river as the kayaker vs open boater seems to never get old.

That being said, I have spoken to all my staff about this incident and the employee who you were talking to has stepped forward and offers his apologies over the miscommunication, as he was honestly joking with you about being an open boater. He has nothing but the up-most respect for paddlers in general and we all feel that it doesn't matter what craft you choose when your on the water as long as your having fun.

If you have any concerns don't hesitate to call, email, pm, or post.

Cheers,
Kevin Cook

http://www.ottawapaddleshack.ca" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No hard feelings I assure you... I just found the whole thing kinda funny since I was there to look at kayaks! It was the second time...I got the same kind of comments from somebody else at your other location this summer. It didn't stop me from buying a pair of shoes and other things. I realize that the comments were made by young high performance thrill seekers and I understand their point of view. I was 20 once! Anyway, I'll go back don't worry.
That being said, I will probably go back to your store with my wife this time as soon as I get the time

[leclercraven]

I can vouch for Kev's response - Trailhead Paddle Shack is definitely a canoe friendly store and carries on the traditions that Wally Schaber and Chris Harris started long ago. http://www.trailhead.ca/history

Also the offending staff member is a good friend of mine who puts up with my open-boating ways all the time! He's the kayaker in my video here: http://youtu.be/EpIPHnvhPNA.

I'm sorry his mediocre sense of humour has caused offence. I'll be sure to seek revenge by pulling his skirt the next time we're in an eddy above a big drop! Also, he might be coming over for a bonfire tonight so I'll push him over in the snow.

Johno Foster

Ha ha... Oh my god! I didn't mean the get this guy in trouble! Honestly! I'm a very new OC1er and I didn't know that there was this kayaker vs canoeist thing that's all! Please tell this young lad that there is no hard feelings...really! Tell him that the main reason I can't kayak is because I have a bad back. Canoeing forces me to use better posture. I sometimes wish I could kayak though, things would be a lot simpler! Chow.

[Scriver]

The trailhead/paddleshack crew all know their stuff and have a good sense of humour to boot. I just looked outside and now it's snowing after freezing rain and then rain so I guess the ottawa crowd doesn't have anything better to do clack away at their computers and when the weather improves we'll all be back outside sharing the same eddy or ski trails again. oh wait are you a skate skier or classic, snowboarder or skier.......
Marko

[hazardharry]

I know some kayakers don't like to paddled with OC1ers, due their size blocking their downstream view and they don't like to wait for bailing. With that said, I paddle with a lot of kayakers that are good folks! I don't see much hatin going on in Colorado.

i like to wait with my boat full of water until a kayak pulls inti the eddy next to me. they seem to like to hold onto my canoe. thats when i hit the bilge switch and give them a tsunami1200 shower.

[TNbound]

Ha ha... Oh my god! I didn't mean the get this guy in trouble! Honestly! I'm a very new OC1er and I didn't know that there was this kayaker vs canoeist thing that's all!

Little did you know what were getting yourself into!
All in good fun. Mostly.

[drrpm]

Any real boater can paddle more than 1 kind of boat. I've paddled OC1, OC2 and K1 and C1. The kayak is definitely the easiest and it allows me to paddle rivers I can't handle in a canoe. Paddling the canoe is more of a chess match with the river, thinking several moves ahead and having a very different feel of the river.

[windowshade]

This thread is sooo funny!

I came back from Paddle Shack, where I just bought an Esquif Detonator (they had a much better price than the other Esquif retailer across the river...). I've been shopping at Paddle Shack for more than 10 years now. The reason I keep going there is that the staff are super friendly, knowledgeable and always provide good advice no matter what you paddle. I belong to an Ottawa paddling club (CdB) and yes, there is always a friendly rivalyry between open boaters and kayakers. Canoeing, kayaking... it's all white water to me!

Cheers,

Paul P

[TheKrikkitWars]

To paraphrase William Nealy's comprehensive works on whitewater terminology on the matter:

• Canoe:A craft paddled with a single blade, kneeling. Despite what they think "out west" a canoe is capable of anything a kayak is; canoeists however are somewhat sensitive about the capablitites of their chosen craft. It is the sworn duty of kayakers to tease canoeists mercilessly

(I loaned my copy of "Kayak" to our lass, so I couldn't copy it out verbatim)

[johnd]

Let this be a lesson to you. An experienced canoeist should have an inventory of snappy comebacks for kayakers. Something like, "Better a fool than a river maggot." Or, "someday you'll lose the training wheels, junior, and move up to a more challenging boat."

Some times it's best to be on the offensive from the start. Like from the minute you enter the paddling store. I don't think I would have waited for the annoying comment, really. This does not apply, of course, if the store people like you and give you discounts.

[Yukon]

You really should be proactive from the start. and a very good way is to click on CBOATS.NET STORE and get a ball cap, t-shirt and bumper sticker and if that does not work carry around your canoe paddle like u mean to use it