Dave-- Your article triggered several discussions at the WCHA booth Denis and I manned this past weekend. I can't help thinking that such newspaper coverage-- along with exposure at shows like the "Boat, Sports, and RV" here in Marquette-- helps to bring canoes out of cobwebby corners and into a place where they can be appreciated again.
Splinter-- At this boat show in Marquette, one thing that surprised me was how clueless many people are regarding W/C canoes. When I was a kid, a canoe had wood on the inside and canvas on the outside... and there were also "those aluminum ones".
Granted, the "Boat, Sports, and RV Show" --unlike Canoecopia-- was an event where most vendors hawked huge outboard motorboats and ATVs and RVs... there were a few plastic canoes, but the general mind-set was one of "power" and lots of noise.
Our canoes made a statement that people were drawn to. I saw folks who were briskly walking suddenly stop short-- as if to catch their breath-- and slowly approach my boat... extend an arm... and run a hand along the length of the gunwale-- with a smile that grew ever-broader all the while. Maybe they'd ask a question-- maybe only nod and say "nice!"
A couple hours into the first day of the show, we realized we needed to bring a piece of canvas, a rib, and a sample of planking. "Yes-- it really IS canvas on the outside of this boat-- not fiberglass" was a frequently-spoken reply... along with, "this boat really IS used for paddling, not hung for display"... and we wowed them with, "it weighs about seventy pounds." It also helped having a copy of Bill Mason's "Path of the Paddle", demonstrating that W/C canoes aren't limited to quiet waters.
I took pictures.... and when I find the cord that allows me to connect the camera to the computer I'll share them!
~~Kathy
some how I only make the police reports...... So give us all the good dirt. Find any cool canoes, new members, etc? Fill us in. Splinter
