Thank you to everyone who attended the annual meeting and to all of the volunteers who made this year’s piracies, SK 101, SK 102, and Fall Out of Your Boat Day possible. This year I was very encouraged by the level of participation by the members. We had several lively discussions and there were excellent suggestions made for how we can grow our membership in spite of the downward trends in the industry.
Trends in the Paddlesport Industry
Over the past 3 years (Post Covid) there have been general changes in the paddlesports industry including:
- Paddlesports have added more than 10 million participants since 2019, with over 34 million Americans participating recently.
- Roughly 85% of all paddlers are casual participants who go out fewer than eight times a year, shaping product design toward entry-level, accessible gear.
- Consumer demand continues to lean heavily toward inflatable, lightweight, and easy-to-store watercraft to combat storage and transport hurdles.
- Close to 35% of users now utilize rental or outfitter services rather than owning a boat,
In spite of the overall growth in the paddlesport industry, sea and touring kayaking is one of the few paddle disciplines experiencing a dip in participation (losing around 92,000 participants in recent tracking) compared to fast-growing segments like rafting and SUP.
Consistent with the decline in sea kayaking and touring, our membership has also been declining. (Refer to the membership reports) Equipment costs, storage, busy schedules, injuries and illnesses, aging, and changing priorities all play a part. Inspire of this downward trend, there is a small but growing number of paddlers willing to invest in high end equipment, advanced skills training, and Greenland style paddling. In many groups of recreational paddlers, there are a few who want more from the sport. We need to find and bring those people into CPA.
Getting New Paddlers Interested
Several recommendations were made by members during the meeting. We can post events earlier so people can plan around other commitments. We can reach out to members who have stopped participating to find out what got in the way. We can do a better job of showing newer paddlers how SK 101 and SK 102 lead into more advanced sea kayaking. Many of you know someone who has said “I’d love to try that.” Please invite them along.
Social Media
Our Facebook page is often the first place a new paddler looks, and right now it needs help. Currently our Facebook page only one administrator, its privacy settings limit who can see it, and it isn’t updated regularly. We need to show the world how much fun we are having. We also need to add posts to Instagram and Tic Toc. If you enjoy taking photos or writing short posts, we would love to have you.
Paula Hubbard
Coordinator
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