Paddle Dippings

We have added two more lines of boats to our inventory for this season.

Beacon Boats
Beacon Boats has been building small fiberglass dinghys and prams for many years, but now they have added to very nice traditional rowing craft that we are excited about for our 2007 line-up. The Adirondack Guide Boat has the classic guide boat lines that became famous in the Adirondacks for use by guides and their hunting and fishing clients. This will be an ideal rowing craft for lakes, ponds and quiet rivers. Can’t you just picture a couple enjoying an afternoon picnic or a beautiful sunset while enjoying a peaceful row?

Or how about also rowing in a quiet harbor or estuary in another classic design? The Whitehall 13 has the graceful lines and excellent seaworthiness of the classic Whitehall design. Again, just imagine the feeling of gliding along with each pull of the oars and enjoying a beautiful day whether it be spring, summer or fall.

We have both of these boats in our demo fleet just waiting to hit the water.

Native Watercraft
Andy Zimmerman (former co-owner of Wilderness Systems kayaks) has started a new paddlesports company with a very innovative line of kayaks. Fresh concepts in hull design, stability, seating comfort, and the ability to accessorize for fishing are the strong points of these designs. Whether for fishing, photography or just paddling, these kayaks have received a lot of attention and favorable comments in the few months since their introduction. Again, our demo fleet includes the Ultimate 12 and the Ultimate14.5 .

Other New Models
There are several other new models from our usual list of manufacturers that will be described under our soon-to-be-added “Models - 2007″ page. Some of these models include the Eliza from Necky, the Cayuga 110 and the Cayuga 130 from Old Town, the Prowler Big Game from Ocean Kayak, the Santee Expedition and Phoenix 130 from Hurricane, and the Fathom from Eddyline. Please check our upcoming “Models - 2007″ for further information on these and other models.

It’s hard for me to believe this, but, this is our 21st year in the paddlesports industry! Just seems like yesterday that a close friend and I talked about starting a “little part-time canoe and kayak” business. Tom realized the insanity of that decision early on and, for the past 18 years, has led a normal life. I, on the other hand, obviously have not come to my senses yet and have continued the “little full-time kayak and canoe” business. (Please note how the priority of the business has changed from canoes to kayaks.)

At benchmark years, such as the beginning of a twentieth year for instance, one tends to ask, to use an old Dionne Warwick song, “What’s It All About, Alfie?” (I told you it’s an old song!) Well, that amount of time is difficult to compress into a few sentences, but I’ll try to hit the high spots and sum it all up in two sentences. First, the folks that have come through our door are the best! I am convinced that only nice people use a kayak or canoe paddle. Secondly, whatever we have learned in the first twenty years about paddling, the techniques, skill and enjoyment, is probably half of what we could learn and experience in the next twenty years. Every time we push off from shore, it becomes a new, rewarding, and re-energizing experience, even the “not-so-good” paddles.

I would like to thank all of our customers over the past years that have made this a worthwhile “trip” for us. You have served us well, and I sincerely hope we have done the same for you. To those of you who may “come through the woods” to find us, we will do our best to serve you as well.

And so…on to 2007

Every year it becomes more difficult trying to figure out which new model kayaks to carry in our already expansive line-up. It is tough at times to decide what model to promote and which of the models to let go or pass by. As best we can, the issue is approached from two perspectives; as paddlers ourselves and as a customer coming to our shop looking for accurate information, experience and honest recommendations. We represent approximately twenty kayak and canoe manufacturers and many more accessory lines. We have many models in our normal inventory at any given time. Even more important, we are a shop that believes that a customer should try before he or she purchases a boat. Each model will feel a little different to each of us. Whether it’s the fit, comfort, stability, handling characteristics, or the boat’s designed purpose…it is critical that someone just coming into the sport tries out several models so as to be able to make the best decision at that time. For over twenty years we have believed that the ability to try out boats at our shop on Billington Sea is our obligation so that each person can make the wisest choice. We have tryouts every Saturday and Sunday and have a demo fleet of approximately fifty different models. We also offer kayak instruction as well as kayak and canoe rentals for use on Billington Sea. And so on to 2007, here we go….again.

The staff of Billington Sea Kayak: Doug, Pat, Ross, Bob, Ben, Steve, George, Ellin, and Joel