I began boating in a serious way in the '70s. (1970 not 1870). It was an exciting era because new materials and techniques were being invented. Not long before, canoes came in aluminum or even wood and canvas. Kayaks were cloth over frame Folboats. The Eskimo roll was considered a stunt when done in kayak and a circus act when done in canoe.
A lot has changed. But what has changed most for me is the clubs. In the '70s there were few commercial products. We manufactured our own boats from fiberglass molds and our own sprayskirts from neoprene sheet stock. Our floatation was an inner tube from a car or truck tire. There was no Internet to teach us so we had clubs.
Canoe and kayak clubs, hiking clubs, skiing clubs and more were pretty popular. My canoe club held boat building parties, boat repair parties, sprayskirt manufacture parties and more. We sponsored canoe and kayak training Summer and Winter. We ran several river trips a month.
Some clubs are still very active but the needs have changed. Where we once made our own gear and adapted other gear, using hockey helmets for kayaking, commercial catalogs now supply it all. The Internet and a wide array of books supply information that was once hard to find. More than one of the clubs I've been involved with have dwindled or disappeared. The membership of others begins to look elderly as original members hang on and youngsters avoid us.
But I still see a need for active club membership even if others do not. Today, the issue isn't lack of information but information overload. The array of boats and equipment available is mind numbing. The books and DVDs available are countless (I'm working on a couple myself).
A club give you the opportunity to borrow boats and discuss practical knowledge. The authors of books and even professional instructors tend to spew every bit of information they have. The result is confusion. Your fellow club members can explain what is critical and what is optional. Club membership creates long-lasting relationships that no weekend course or trip to the library can duplicate.
So now that you know where I stand I'll make this offer: If you have a club you wish to promote, let me know and I'll post a URL or address here or on www.RiverGrizzly.com.
Next time I'll give you the URLs of several National organizations that can help you be a more involved boater.
See you on the water.
