Let's Samba!

Kayak Academy's Whende Keatts, smilin' & stylin' Eddyline's latest new boat

Eddyline Kayaks introduces its newest model, with performance features for everyone to enjoy.

At just under 14 feet, and 44 pounds, it’s a responsive, playful kayak designed to stylishly update the hugely popular Merlin LT design. I paddled this little guy, all 6’3”, 215 pounds of me, and loved it… wished the conditions were a little burlier than Lake Sammamish; even tried to flag down a passing ski boat to get a good wake to ride.

The boat is designed for the smaller paddler though. Whende and Barb jumped in it at Kayak Academy in Issaquah, and came away with big smiles.

Kayak Academy co-owner Barb Gronseth, dancing the Samba beat

Big, but not as big as the grin on the face of Samba Sue that evening at Alki Kayak Tours, where Sue and her husband Stu came by for a test paddle on their way to a romantic sunset dinner. Sue was the first potential customer to paddle the Samba, and she left her name on Alki’s wait list for the new boat! She loved it!

Smilin' Samba Sue

Speaking of wait lists, production is scheduled to start in a couple weeks, and the boat will be MSRP’d at $2,199. Color options are red, blue, yellow, white, and a limited run of Eddyline Orange. Hulls are white, or can be in color for an additional charge. Talk to your local Eddyline dealer today, and grab this new little bundle of joy!

Olympic Raft & Kayak, Port Angeles

Popeye’s Marine, Everett

Boston Harbor Marina, Olympia

Alki Kayak Tours / Mountain to Sound Outfitters, Seattle

Kayak Academy, Issaquah

Olympic Outdoor Center, Port Gamble

Seakayakshop.com, Anacortes

Ahhhhhhh….. just another lovely evening in paradise.

Demo Kayak Sale

Ruby Creek is rotating the 2010 demo boat stock out for the season, so we can get a whole shiny new fleet next Spring! Now’s your chance to grab a good deal on a lightly used kayak. The links shown here go directly to the manufacturer’s web site so you can pick up all the specs. All of these prices are at least 25% under MSRP for these models when new.

Take a look at the videos below for an idea of the excellent condition of all these boats.

Please contact rubycreekboathouse@gmail.com or call Ruby Creek World HQ at 206-940-6269. Cash or checks only.

Eddyline Kayaks:

Eddyline Fathom LV (low volume), red over white --SOLD (MSRP new $2,669)

Eddyline Equinox, red over white --- $1,399 (MSRP new $1,999)

Eddyline Journey, light blue over white --- SOLD

Eddyline Sandpiper, light blue over white --- SOLD (MSRP new $1,349)

…and another Eddyline Sandpiper, NEW and still in the wrapper (shipping error, came back to us), --- SOLD .

Here's a new vid showing all 4 Eddyline boats for sale.

Emotion Kayaks:

Emotion Bliss, lime--- $345 (MSRP new $499)

Emotion Exhilarator, blue --- $370 (MSRP new $499)

2009 Emotion Mojo, yellow (w/o folding seat; older style hatch) --- SOLD (MSRP new was $649)

2010 Emotion Mojo, yellow (w/ folding seat) --- $490 (MSRP new $699)

Emotion Edge, blue – --- SOLD

Emotion Charger, lime --- $290(MSRP new $399)

Emotion Glide, yellow --- SOLD

Emotion Tandemonium, tangerine --- $499 (MSRP new $769)

Emotion AdvantEdge, tangerine --- SOLD (MSRP new $599)

Emotion Grand Slam, blue --- $590 (MSRP new $829)

Emotion Spitfire, red --- SOLD (MSRP new $250)

Emotion Comet, blue --- $200 (MSRP new $280)

Emotion Temptation, blue --- $440 (MSRP new $579)

You can pick these boats up at Ruby Creek’s warehouse at 9117 Molly Lane, Anacortes WA 98221 or we’ll work out a delivery.

Ruby Creek has a large selection of 1-2 season-old pfds and paddles too. Working on a list – check back soon!

Seattle Boat Show

The Big Seattle Boat Show in February featured gear from Eddyline, Emotion, Stohlquist, Aquabound/Bending Branches, Hippo Patch and Rec Repair, well represented at booths from Popeye’s Marine, LFS Marine, and Hobie Cats Northwest. If you need any evidence that things are loosening up in our economy just a bit, you need look no further than the great results these dealers had at the show. Take a look at the great variety of gear on display below.

Many thanks to Zack and the whole crew from LFS, Dean and Bedelia from Popeye’s, and Kevin and Dan from Hobie Cat NW for your hard work getting all these great brands out there.

Popeye's Marine just picked up the RecRepair and Hippo Patch products a few months ago.

Clockwise from left - Comet, Stealth, AdvantEdge and CoMotion. All got lots of interest at the show, and helped LFS make some good sales.

Stacks of Spitfires! These and all the Emotion models appealed to yachters looking for something to keep on their deck that would be easy to get on and off their boat and into the water.

Dean and Bedelia brought an Eddyline Journey and this Fathom to the show and got plenty of impressed looks... and a few sales to go with them.

Popeye's got a little jacked around by management on their display space, but they made the most of it and got plenty of merchandise in there.

I'm not sure Dean really wants to sell this ActionFish kayak. It's way too pretty to go on the water, especially with this BB Tailwind stick.

Alki transforms to M2S

Many further congrats to Greg Whittaker and the crew at Alki Kayak Tours, firmly established as Mountain to Sound Outfitters in their new retail location at 3602 SW Alaska St. in lovely West Seattle. Skis, boots, a mountain shuttle service and a tuning shop dominate the winter scene, to be replaced in Spring by Tahoe SUP, Eddyline, Emotion, Bending Branches and Stohlquist gear for the paddlin’ season. Check out the transformation in less than a month from this…

To this…

And inside from this…

To this happy holiday scene with visitors mulling over what to buy their loved ones…

The heater in back that wanted to wack you in the head…

Still works and will still wack you in the head but it takes a little effort to get back there amongst all the cool stuff…

Greg and crew are waiting to greet you!

Alki Kayak Tours to open new location!

That sign's coming down... soon to say "Mountain to Sound Outfitters"

Congratulations are due to Greg and Kara Whitaker, our friends at Alki Kayak Tours in Seattle, for taking the big plunge and opening a retail location in their home neighborhood of West Seattle, to augment the success of their beachfront rental operation on Harbor Avenue. Grand Opening is Friday, November 27th. Hope you can make it!

Psssstt.. top secret new exterior color. Won't be a secret long.

Operating under the new name of Mountain to Sound Outfitters, Greg says the shop will leverage our seasonal outdoor life in the winter as they emphasize snow sports sales, rentals, and tuning, with plenty of resources available for paddlers as well. When Spring comes, it’s full-on paddling. Come visit any time!

The new shop is at 3602 SW Alaska Street, just West of 35^th Ave SW. It’s convenient for anyone residing, visiting, or just passing through West Seattle on the way to the ferry. Evidently Greg and Kara, who are also expecting their first baby in the Spring, decided to get all the big steps in life out of the way at once.

These pictures were taken just a few weeks before the scheduled opening on November 15^th. That’s a lot of work to do, and everyone who knows anything about this operation knows it couldn’t happen without the butt-busting efforts of Alki crew like Avery, pictured here proudly dodging incoming shipments of skis, rental boots, and of course the very first kayak in the new inventory – an Emotion Glide. Good luck to this first-class bunch. You guys rock!

Dealers & Suppliers come together for planning & partying

Our host gets set to grill up some of the 30 lbs of salmon provided by Don & Pam at Boston Harbor Marina.

Planning & partying...or was it the other way around? What a time at the officially-named "Pickin' & Paddlin' Retreat", and many thanks to my bro Ethan Ebersold for putting the whole thing together. Ethan's River House on the Cowlitz, which he maintains for events just like this one, served its purpose well for 5 solid days.

Training for a crucial boater skill... the 11-person shuttle in a 5-seat Land Cruiser.

Preliminary pictures are here (click to enlarge for a better look), provided by Tom "Big T" Strauss of Emotion Kayaks. Meeting Tom was a highlight of the event -- he definitely lived up to the hype -- and he was joined by industry giants Ed Vater of Aquabound/Bending Branches; Tom & Lisa Derrer from Eddyline Kayaks/Swift Paddles; Doug Erwin of Tahoe Board Works; and Stohlquist Waterware's Jake Wisse. Ethan's dad, Mike, helped out with grilling and general hospitality; and canoe instructor/Esquif pro boater Nick Jacob filled out the host crew.

This grin never left Big T's face.

Paddlesports dealers and outfitters from all over the Northwest and California joined in the fun for some dee-lectable food, two nights of rockin' to the Moon Mountain Ramblers, paddling in the unseasonably warm fall weather on the Cowlitz, and some gittin' down to business in the Ebersold showroom, all tricked-out in the garage.

Zack and Elizabeth from Bellingham's LFS Marine find shopping for paddling gear can be pretty fun when you bring along Big T.

If you were there, thanks for coming! If you missed it, enjoy the pictures (click any pic for better detail; more to follow) and stay tuned for the next River House function.

New friends, a festive beverage, and an awesome view of the river... yeah!

Ethan proves Tahoe Boards are rock solid!

Emotion's new Mojo, rockin' the eddies on the Cowlitz. Comfy and ultra-stable, even for a big dude. The 2010 version includes the integral seat back and a tad more width and a harder chine. Check it out.

Dig the new Eddyline Shasta!

Last week we hit the water in the new open tandem from Eddyline, the Shasta. Tom and Lisa Derrer, 30+-year owners and founders of Eddyline Kayaks, are still designing innovative boats after all these years, and this one will hit a sweet mark for people looking for something versatile, that does a little bit of everything while delivering the light weight, sleekness, and easy handling that everyone wishes for.

The boat was a comfortable, nice-gliding cruiser with a big fella in the stern seat and lightweight Lisa in the bow...

Or with two beautiful ladies powering past the camera...
Or with the designer himself paddling solo on the adjustable seat, throwing some fine strokes.

The new boat is 16 feet long, 28" wide and will be officially unveiled to your Eddyline dealer at the beginning of October. Take a look at the video Tom put together after he and Lisa invited my wife Cathy and me out for the christening, and hurry over to your dealer next month for a test paddle.

Stohlquist demo pfds on sale

Stohly's XTraxt-d rescue vest. Baaaad, dude. My XL is in red, lightly used, $113.75.
Updated 3/17/2010

Time to rotate out the old reliable demo stock of Stohlquist pfds, and get ready to bring in next year's jackets. Here's what we have at the Creek, waiting for loving homes... all are in excellent shape, zero to VERY minimal fading, all with "RCB" marked on the upper back.

These prices are 35% off the MSRP for each of these jackets. WA residents add 9% tax. You can pay me by check or cash; shipping is $8 for the first jacket and $4 each after that. Buy a used demo Eddyline boat, paddle, or any of the Stohlquist outerwear I'm rotating along with your pfd, and you might get a break on the total cost... that's up for discussion.

Click the pfd model name for a link to pics and descriptions on the Stohlquist site. These are the only jackets I have for this season, so if you want a different color or size please go to the Stohlquist site and find your nearest dealer.

Thanks,
Bill
Ruby Creek Boathouse LLC
paddlazz@comcast.net
206-940-6269

See also the blog pages showing Eddyline Kayaks and Bending Branches Paddles.

Model, size, color, price (this is 35% off MSRP)

M's Getaway L/XL Mango $ 52.00

Nemo Child Yellow $ 32.50

Nemo Infant Blue $ 32.50

Escape Youth Blue $ 32.50 (2 available)

Drifter Youth Mango $ 58.50

Wedge L Mango $ 65.00

Fisherman S/M Moss $ 78.00

Fisherman L/XL Moss $ 78.00

Fisherman L/XL Mango $ 78.00

Kitty S/M Powder Blue $ 65.00

Kitty S/M Sage $ 65.00

Kitty L/XL Powder Blue $ 65.00

Betsea L/XL Sage $ 78.00

X-Traxt XL Red $ 113.75

Escape M/L Yellow $ 39.00

W's TowMotion L/XL Powder Blue $ 97.50

Eddyline Demo Kayak sale

Ruby Creek Boathouse LLC is your independent rep for Eddyline in Washington State. We sell to your local dealers, and when we need to sell our demo fleet we support your dealers by selling to you through them. If you buy one of these boats, you’ll have 9% WA sales tax added and the sale will go through your closest dealer’s till.

Pickup address by appointment:

9117 Molly Lane #107

Anacortes WA 98221

Or contact me at 206-940-6269or paddlazz@comcast.net, if you’d like to meet elsewhere. A delivery fee may apply.

Here’s what I have available now. Prices on 2009 boats are 20-25% off this year’s MSRP for new boats. 2008 and older models are priced 25-30% off. All are in excellent condition and built in Burlington WA from Eddyline’s crazy-durable Carbonlite 2000 thermoformed ABS. Follow the links for details and specs on each model:

2009 Sandpiper, 12 ft, 28" beam, 38 lbs, blue, $949

2009 Journey, 15.5 ft, 24", 49 lbs, yellow, $1,799

2009 Fathom LV, 15.5 ft, 21", 47 lbs, red, $1,999

2008 Nighthawk 17.5, 17.5 ft, 24.5", 60 lbs, red, $1,899 (currently in Portland OR; transport can be arranged)

2007 Falcon S18, 18 ft, 21", 50 lbs, yellow, $1,899

2009 Whisper tandem, 18 ft, 28", 73 lbs, $2,199

We also have an excellent assortment of Stohlquist pfds and outerwear, including dry suits, Swift paddles, AND Bending Branches kayak and canoe paddles, that have been used for one season at demo show events. Please ask for a price list if you're interested.

Bill Walker

Ruby Creek Boathouse LLC

206-940-6269

Twitter RubyCreek

LinkedIn profile - click here

Drysuit repairs - click here

Representing these fine outdoor brands:

Our latest addition -- Tahoe Standup Paddle Boards

Eddyline Kayaks & Swift paddles - Stohlquist Waterware - Bending Branches paddles - Yak Grips and more from Cascade Creek - Danuu Kayak & Canoe Covers

Skwoosh Cushions & accessories - Costa del Mar sunglasses - Crescent Moon Snowshoes - CRG Rec Repair - Pakboats - Emotion Kayaks - Esquif Canoes