Is it because people now sit alone in front of computers that they no longer work as a team in a Canoe?

The climb of the Kayak has been right with personal computers over the last 40 years.

Do we not play as a team because it is every one for them selves.

Sure we go down the river as a group (of individuals), but we no longer have to work together, or take turns being the captain. Sure Kayaks are short & manuverable, requiring less effort & cooperation, and one person can carry a kayak.

You still have to work as a team. If you are on anything class IV+ where you set safety, you normally would have at least 2 people with ropes ready to throw if necessary. Most groups normally will have someone who has experience on the river lead and another at the rear to make sure that if you are boat scouting and eddy hopping, everyone knows where to go.

Plus, if you go back to when the transition started, that was also near the beginning of the "plastic boat revolution", when companies began molding boats out of plastic instead of fiberglass, making them much stronger and resistant to rock hits. Plus, on most rapids you want to stay upright, and a kayak has a lower center of gravity because most of your weight is below the rim, and it doesn't take on water like canoes. The only things canoes are better for are easy multi-day trips, and even then companies have come out with expedition boats for the same purpose (Fluid Solo E, Riot Big Gun, Riot Sniper, Dragorossi Critical Mass, Dragorossi Mafia, etc.)

Kayaks have overtaken Canoes because they are way more fun, they are faster (which is fun), and they are more maneuverable (also a fun thing). It's like choosing between a fighter plane and a cargo plane.

Team work is fine and all, but most kinds of kayaking are a more personal and accessible form of water sport. Being single seat and light weight by nature, there is nothing better if you want to get out there and have some fun but don't want to count on a bunch of buddies to show up with the right gear. Just slinging a craft you wear over your shoulder and hitting it is as good as it gets. (Besides, having to time your paddle strokes with someone else is why they're called divorce makers/friendship busters. )

"Sure Kayaks are short & maneuverable, requiring less effort & cooperation, and one person can carry a kayak."

--and therein lies the point, my man!

(*If you have the choice between strapping yourself into a fighter jet and hauling yourself into a freight aircraft who the heck picks the freight aircraft?!)

I think there is something to the materials development thing, too. Canoes took off when there was a surplus of moldable grade aluminum after WWII (all that scrap B-29 material). Only makes sense that advances in materials advanced the possibilities for everyone (like fiberglass then plastic for kayak).

Good topic, though, jjdebird.

A 2 person team in a canoe definitely relies on chemistry, teamwork and practice.
I once attempted an adventure race with a "new" partner and the paddling part sucked.
--having 2 hard headed, stubborn , type A personalities in a canoe can be disastrous

Canoeing is a team effort, and true canoeist realize you can not tip over only one end of the canoe. Canoeing is not as glamorous as kayaking, but to some that is part of the attraction. I do not want to start up a battle, only to hear some of the reasons why. Canoers are not always good kayakers, and kayakers are not always good canoers, one is no better than the other.

Not thinking your starting a battle here. It's a good question. Sociology is a sort of hobby of mine. I can say that in my case my being into computers had nothing to do with my selection of kayaking as a paddle sport over canoeing. For me, there are just some more attractive things about kayaking (the things I mentioned for me in my previous post). I actually started to think that I was sort of proving your point by my response. But, when I personally think about it, no--computers had nothing to do with it. Often times with issues like this one can have a set of circumstances that happen to fit the facts but they are in truth unrelated. Not sure if that's what's going with this as I am only one opinion.

I know that when I started to paddle--a decision I made after being out of surfing for a while and needing to get back to a sport, I looked at everything. I started out in tandem kayaks (heavy, needed someone else to do it with). By this point in my life I went from being very proficient in computers to liking them no better than I like phones (I certainly don't LOVE phones). It evolved into something that allowed me to do the water sport on my own since I couldn't get a reliable set-up and, well, I just need to paddle A LOT to stay sane (more than anyone else I know, despite my repeated efforts to 'infect' other people with my kayaking 'problem'! ).

Something of a flavor I get from your response I certainly agree with. It's the sole of the paddle sport and what it does for YOU that matters most. Everything else is probably silly. I get it. I am surprised that I don't bump into more people on the water. Whatever everyone else is doing, they need to paddle more. I kayak past all sorts of beautiful properties on the water (obviously owned by people of means--doctors and such I am sure) and I am taken aback by the fact that I NEVER see anyone out in their yards enjoying those beautiful pier sofas. I would be--chiminea lit after a good day on the water with an ale or glass of merlot in one hand.

Glad you understand I am just asking a question and not starting a battle. Like it or not our society has changed over the years, personal computers, auto tellers etc. I have gone out on the water a lot of mornings in a kayak & played around, watched nature & worked my way back up stream. I have also headed out in a canoe on my own to float. White water canoeing is an entirly different experience that kayaking down the same stretch. It is a matter of what you want to do some times. My question and observation is, are kayaks more popular because of the swing to individualized existace. P. E. in schools years ago set out to introduce kids to things they could do on their own, not the old fashioned team sports that needed 10 to 22 people to play. Skate boards & surfing became the in thing with video game generations, & PC's made it cool to sit alone & talk to the world. So are kayaks part of the trend to individualizm or do we kayak because we can?

I agree with your observation of the rich who own ideal river or water view properties and never have the time or desire to enjoy it. My area is set to loose a fantastic rolling hilled river valley to a planned developement of one million dollar homes and up.

It's a little tough to put a hot chainsaw into into a polyethylene hatch
Having a canoe handy for deadfall and strainer removal is a definite must .
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bit.ly/TreeRemoval

jjdebird wrote:
The irony of the bolded part being posted on an internet message board made me laugh.