Spring demo season is a wrap

Eddyline's Journey was the talk of the show, wherever it went this Spring.

The past crazy month and a half was packed with six demo events all over western Washington. A little work, a whole lot of fun and a bundle of new paddlers joining the family. That's what it's all about, building the fun factor and spreading the gospel about paddling.

Getting to know my colleagues in the industry was terrific for me, having seen the retail side of the business for a few years and now feeling the sore muscles from the hard work we all put in as reps. As always, there's a good level of camaraderie between competitors and it's an awesome feeling knowing that, as I'm hoisting that last boat onto my trailer at the end of the day, there'll be someone there to help if I need them.

Late April featured Dave King's annual Symposium in Port Angeles, hosted by his shop at Olympic Raft and Kayak. Three days of paddling and three nights of music and fun. Thanks Dave, ORK staff and volunteers for showing this old demo rookie how it's done.

Alder Creek hosted their demo day at the end of April, and we got to get out the Esquif fleet for this one. Paddlers of all ages and abilities showed up at Vancouver Lake, and the weather mostly cooperated in spite of dire thunderstorm predictions. Thanks to Dave Slover for recruiting the Boy Scouts to help out!

The first weekend in May, Mitch from Popeye's and I headed to Bellingham for the WAKE demo. A nice community event, with a great turnout. Thanks for setting up this one goes to Bambi Krieg, who's also Director of WCSKS coming up in September.

The big one this Spring was as always the Puget Sound Sea Kayak Symposium in Tacoma. Amazing weather, lots of sunscreen and a huge turnout of happy paddlers and interested onlookers.

A couple weeks ago we wrapped the demo season with REI days in Seattle and Portland. Long days, but great weather and again, the economic news may be dire but maybe people want to save a little gas and use a bit of human power on the water. In any case the turnout for these events all Spring was excellent.

Now that the season is a wrap, yes we have lightly-used boats and gear from Eddyline, Stohlquist, and Bending Branches available at sweet prices. If you know what I have and you know what you want, talk to me. I will be selling the boats through your nearest dealer.

Port Angeles beach in the morning, before the crowds got all the boats wet.

In the red bandanna, Mitch, from Popeye's Marine in Everett, helped dozens of happy new paddlers get acquainted with Eddyline and Emotion boats at the WAKE demo day.

Two gorgeous days of paddling beneath Mount Rainier greeted the throngs at PSSKS.

REI's demo days in Portland and Seattle hosted nearly 1,000 visitors each.

One-way ticket to a beach near you

The Ruby Creek rig rumbled out of Burlington, WA this afternoon with the first two demo model Rubicon Standup Paddle boards from Tahoe Board Works to hit the Northwest. The boards would have headed straight for the beach but they're still waiting for fins. Your first chance to hit the waves on this hot new board will come real soon. Keep an eye out. Meanwhile check out Tahoe's web site and promotional video including a surreal image of hundreds of paddlers walking on water at the start of a race event. Crazy, but fun.

These links capture some of the excitement of Tahoe SUP and the sport.

http://www.tahoesup.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGO-Jy6UE_4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gW3NXk65ME

The thermoformed Rubicons (MSRP $1,350) are being made for NW dealers by none other than the pros at Eddyline Kayaks in Burlington. The boards are already winning races and capturing the respect of the best SUP paddlers on the water, for durability, speed and tracking ability inherent to the displacement hull design.

Stay tuned!

Boston Harbor Hospitality

That is some rental fleet, eh? Boston Harbor Marina is devoted to the locally-built, insanely durable, easy to paddle Eddyline brand.

Last week I was privileged to hang out for an evening with the Boston Harbor Marina crew, plus a staff sales clinic on Eddyline, Stohlquist, and Bending Branches the following morning. Not only did everyone come out and participate with some awesome questions and comments that focused on how every guest can leave happy and eager to come back, but I spent the night sweetly dreaming on Colin's parents' sailboat at the end of the marina dock. What a way to decompress for a few peaceful hours in the midst of a pushy road trip.

Devoted exclusively to the Eddyline product line, Boston Harbor had sold a couple of the new Eddyline Journeys, and I got to be the guy who delivered the new boats. They've been in use in BHM's rental fleet already, and the model is really taking off with folks who are seeking a solid, stable ride like the Equinox, in a stylish, longer and faster boat that will remind you of the Fathom.

Many many thanks to Don, Pam, Clayann, Colin & family, and the entire BHM crew for your time, attention, and friendship. Just one more reminder why so many of us are addicted to being in this business... the amazing people we meet along the way.

I awoke to this view from the deck of the sailboat where I spent the night. Tough life.

Hank Heron, calm and cool ruler of the dock.

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

Feelin' all kinds of Emotion

145 Emotions to be exact. They rumbled in from Emotion Kayaks' Pennsylvania plant to Ruby Creek's Anacortes boathouse last Friday the 5th of June. Ryan Murray and I were pretty excited when the doors on the trailer opened on big stacks of plastic-wrapped Emotion Kayaks. 2-1/2 hours later, 115 of them were were sorted, stacked, and squeezed into Ruby Creek's precious space, waiting for new homes on the West Coast.


Stacks of Spitfires...


Towers of Temptations and Bubble-wrapped Blisses...


Mucho Mojos, and Tandemoniums, CoMotions, Grand Slams and AdvantEdges.


And here's Ryan Murray strapping down the last boat on Ruby Creek's faithful gear-hauling rig, loaded up and heading North with 22 boats for Emotion's newest dealer, LFS Marine in Bellingham. GM Zack Miller plans to use some for his new rental program and the rest for sale to the folks who just have to have one of their own.

**thanks Ryan, you're awesome and Ruby Creek really appreciates your help**

With a handful more for Alki Kayak Tours and Ship to Shore Marine, by 8:30am the next morning Washington's kayak dealers had 30 more boats to show their customers, rent to families, and brighten up their shops.

For some awesome action shots of the Emotion fleet, including a smiling George Gronseth and yours truly, 200+ lbs each, with Ethan's 165 lbs filming from the bow making it nearly 600 pounds all together and paddling rock solid in the Tandemonium, check it out on the Happy Paddlin' blog along with more industry news and product info.

Next post will be a current inventory of Emotion stock in Anacortes, to be updated regularly.

Ahhhh, Sweet Temptation

Lead me not into Temptation? What if it's fun... and what if it comes in lime? or Tangerine? Or Purple Haze? Jimi?

Well you can lead me into this Temptation any time. The new 2009 model from Emotion grabbed its first kudos when it was named the 2009 "Paddler's Pick" Sit-onTop by Paddler Magazine (pssst... in the same article, check out the award for the Esquif Raven canoe)... then Outside Magazine chimed in this month naming the 10-foot, 44-lb playboat their 2009 "killer value" pick, saying in part, "this tricked-out and well-priced ten footer can do it all".

Sweet, thanks for the recognition guys, and we're glad to have provided a new happy paddlin' experience for this big fella who reviewed the boat for paddling.net.

Ethan put up a video of a big handsome dude paddling the Temptation on HappyPaddlin. Take a look!

For fishing, try the "Stealth Angler" version of the Temptation, with two flush and one Scotty rod holder, in olive, mustard, or sandstone. Shhh, be vewwwy vewwy quiet...

Stand Up, my brothers & sisters!

Tahoe Board Works' top-of-the-Line "Woody", for standin' up in style

Woooooo hooo!
What a great time to be part of Eddyline Kayaks, as our good friends in Burlington are partnering with Tahoe Board Works to build a Stand-up Paddleboard with a Carbonlite shell for amazing durability. The Carbonlite "Rubicon" will join Tahoe's gorgeous "Woody" in their line of innovative touring boards. Here are a couple of shots from Eddyline's manufacturing plant where the first prototypes were finished last week:
Here's a little bit of what my boy Ethan had to say about the opportunity to bring these fine looking boards to a paddlesports or surf shop near you:

Greetings, We are thrilled to announce the representation of Tahoe Board Works ( http://www.tahoesup.com/ ). Here's what caught our attention and gives Tahoe Stand Up Paddleboards the winning edge:

• Displacement Hull -- Unlike planing/flat bottom boards, these boards will track and cut waves like a kayak/canoe.
• ThermoFormed Carbonlite Models (Rubicon)-- Industry leader in ThermoForming, Eddyline Kayaks, is helping Tahoe Board Works develop and manufacture ThermoFormed boards at affordable prices ($1100-$1395) out of Carbonlite. Carbonlite is harder than resin and easily repaired. The extruded seam offers even more protection against paddle and rock impact.
• Double Fin System for flatwater tracking, on board gear bag, and tie downs on deck.
• Glass/Epoxy and Wood/Epoxy/Bamboo (Woody) from $2000-$3000. Beautiful!
• Made in the USA

The kayak industry can learn a lot from how fun and ACCESSIBLE paddling SUPs can be. Tahoe Board Work's has wisely blended the allure of this new sport with state of the art kayak manufacturing processes and hull designs. More information, videos and testimonials to come!