Emotion Traverse SUP

Barb Gronseth of Kayak Academy busts a move on the new Traverse.

Washington state is already a hotbed of Standup Paddleboarding. Now there’s a batch of paddling dealers with an amazingly inexpensive way to get on the water and into this awesome new sport. At just $399 MSRP, the Traverse SUP board from Emotion Kayaks is just over ten feet long, and 36” wide. It has a small hatch to store your valuables while paddling, four burly grab handles, and a flexible fin so you don’t bust it up on the rocks. It was designed by none other than His Awesomeness, Corran Addison, for Emotion Kayaks, and it really shines on the whitewater... But it’s not so bad on a beautiful Seattle evening on Elliott Bay, either.

Bottom and top of the brand new board design. Rob Casey photo.

If your local Emotion dealer doesn't carry the Traverse yet, tell him you're all excited about this new boat any they need to get 'em in! Or check out the board at any of these eight dealers, instructors and rental shops that already have it in stock:

LFS Marine in Bellingham

Popeye’s Marine in Everett

Olympic Raft & Kayak in Port Angeles

Leavenworth Mountain Sports in, of course, Leavenworth

Ross Lake Resort in the North Cascades

Alki Kayak Tours / Mountain to Sound Outfitters in Seattle

Salmon Bay Paddle in Seattle

Kayak Academy in Issaquah

Here are a few of them proudly showing off their new boards:

Dave King, Olympic Raft & Kayak

Jean-Luc and Adam at Leavenworth Mountain Sports

LFS Marine, on the water in Bellingham at Squalicum Harbor

Kayak Academy's Lake Sammamish location on a lovely summer day

Barb and Whende at Kayak Academy... it was love at first sight! Good thing I brought two boards!

On the red board, Greg Whitaker of Alki Kayak Tours gets the Traverse into the salty swells of Elliott Bay.

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!

Big props to Emotion Kayaks!

Big Tom Strauss of Emotion Kayaks will not be photographed without that smile on his face.

Big Tom Strauss, he’s our man, and he’s come through again with an awesome display of generosity, support for a fantastic cause, and BIG LOVE for the kayak fishing community in the Puget Sound area.

Big Smilin’ Tom, President of Emotion Kayaks, agreed to donate a Stealth fishing kayak to the 2010 Anacortes Salmon Derby, which attracted 1,000 enthusiastic fishermen earlier this month. In its first three years, the Derby raised over $73,000 for Puget Sound Anglers’ scholarship program for young students pursuing careers in Fisheries Management and related areas.

Kayak winner Keith Hofkamp of Burlington WA told me "that's my picture... with the big ass fish". Yeah Keith, that's one big ass fish, and congrats on winning the boat! Dean Hislop photo courtesy of Anacortes Salmon Derby

Knowing that support for research and proper management of salmon habitat means support for the entire ecosystem, from our local endangered Orcas (who eat the big yummy salmon too) to the thick-forested headwaters of our streams where they spawn, Big Tom stepped up where it counts.

The lucky winner of the Stealth kayak was Keith Hofkamp of Burlington, WA, who caught a 21.6-pound Chinook Salmon. Congrats Keith! And thanks again to Big Tom Strauss for making it happen!

Here's the boat Tom donated and Keith won with his 21+-pound whopper... all in the name of helping another generation of young people get educated and keep our waters clean and our salmon healthy!

Emotion Kayaks are popping up in outdoor shops all over the Northwest, including Puget Sound dealers LFS Marine in Bellingham, Wholesale Sports at nine locations in Washington and Oregon, Popeye’s Marine and Grass Roots Outdoors in Everett, Mountain to Sound Outfitters in Seattle, Olympic Outdoor Center in Port Gamble, Ship to Shore Marine in Gig Harbor, Boston Harbor Marina in Olympia, and Olympic Raft & Kayak in Port Angeles.

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.

Comet Kayak hits the water!

On one of our recent not-so-typical gorgeous winter days here in the Northwest, Matthew Ross of seakayakshop.com in Anacortes joined Ruby Creek for a demo of the first Comet off the first container shipped from Emotion Kayaks. A sweet, fun little boat for just $279 MSRP. The blowmolded shell is light weight and really durable; there's a float bag in the stern for emergency buoyancy; deck bungees including a paddle-park next to the cockpit; and adjustable footbraces so everyone from the kids to the tall old man (speaking strictly for myself here) can jump in and have a great time.

The Comet is available from any of your favorite Emotion Kayaks dealers, including:

Boston Harbor Marina in Olympia

Ship to Shore Marine in Gig Harbor

Olympic Raft & Kayak in Port Angeles

Popeye's Marine in Everett

Alki Kayak Tours/ Mountain to Sound Outfitters in West Seattle

LFS Marine & Outdoor in Bellingham

...and of course, Matthew's own seakayakshop.com right here on Commercial Avenue in Anacortes. Thanks Matthew for coming out to paddle the new guy!

Happypaddlin.com shows some very cool video of how well the Comet performs in moving water, as Ethan took the prototype for a spin last Fall. Take a look… then get on the water in the new Comet!

Matthew and I, both "larger men", still fit comfortably in this little boat, ready for...

...another beautiful day of paddling on our Salish Sea!

Boathouse transformation!

My old buddy (since we were both 14... that was a damn long time ago) Doug Dago Day showed up at the Boathouse yesterday at noon. As usual the place was not pretty, pfds, paddles, dry suits wherever there was room, and of course boats everywhere, stacked neatly but taking up most of the floor space.

A few hours later the change was evident. We'd put up enough racks to store the 44 Emotion Kayaks still in stock from 2009 at the 'house, with room to spare. Just in time to put them all on dealer super-special for Christmas!

By 3pm today (in time for me to be home for kickoff of the Husky game) we'd wrapped up enough rack space for all 150+ Emotion Comets and Spitfires arriving in a container at the end of the month. (Click to see my boy Ethan paddling a Comet right here)

Speaking of the Huskies, what a sweet spanking they laid on the Cal Bears.

Thanks Dago! Dig them power tools. Nail guns, chop saws and rotohammers rule!

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.

Emotion Kayaks inventory -- Ruby Creek Anacortes

Ruby Creek Boathouse LLC
Emotion Kayaks Current Inventory
Pickup address:
9117 Molly Lane #107
Anacortes WA 98221
Updated: 9/2/09
Contact: Bill Walker
paddlazz@comcast.net
206-940-6269
Dealers only please! ...not a dealer? Check with me and I'll help you find one.
Model	Qty
AdvantEdge - Blem
Sold out
CoMotion - No Hatch - Blem
Blue	1
Red	1
Tangerine	1
Yellow	2
Glide - Blem
Purple Haze	3
Yellow	1
Bliss - Blem
Yellow	1
Mojo - Blem
Red	1
Grand Slam - Blem
Blue	2
Tandemonium - Blem
Sold out
Temptation - Blem
Lime	sold out
Red	sold out
Yellow	sold out
Spitfire
Blue	7
Red	sold out
Yellow	sold out
Charger
Sold out
Comotion
Blue	1
Red	1
Tangerine	1
Yellow	1
Mojo
Blue	1
Red	1
Grand Slam Angler
Mustard	1
Olive Green	1
Stealth (Temptation Angler)
Mustard	1
Olive Green	1
Tandemonium
Blue	1
Purple Haze	1
Red	sold out
Tangerine	1
Yellow	2
Temptation
Blue	1
Lime	sold out
Red	sold out
Tangerine	sold out
Yellow	sold out
AdvantEdge
Blue	2
Lime	Sold
Purple Haze	3
Red	2
Tangerine	Sold
Yellow	Sold
Edge
Sold out
Glide
Blue	2
Lime	sold out
Purple Haze	1
Red	1
Tangerine	1
Yellow	sold out
Bliss
Purple Haze	1
Red	1
Tangerine	1