May 5, 2004

Everyday I get to experience the joy of paddling with my kids and seeing the challenges and growth that comes from their desire to kayak and improve. I can say that I truly only have one full year of experience with my kids as kayakers. They have always been in kayaks on and off in small doses but never “paddling buddies” as they are now. The Fun Series of kayaks has also done something to perpetuate and solidify the momentum that our family has gained from kayaking. For the first time in history, everybody in the family can paddle the same design of kayaks, the Fun family. I never imagined that kids cared so much about the type of kayak they are in, until I finished these new boats. Kids assume that they are not capable of learning much in a kayak if their kayak is an old outdated, “uncool” boat. They see adults doing lots of fun things, including their parents, but wonder why they don’t have a boat that they, too, can do cool things in. The second Dane and Emily got into Funs, they immediately assumed that they too could learn to do anything anybody else could. They feel that I care as much about their paddling as my own because I provided them with these cool boats. This was an unexpected bonus.

As for me- I am inclined to want to paddle the same boat as my kids. I think it is a great thing. I don’t want the same color, but I want the same boat. That makes sense since I made these boats. However, it seems that other families are feeling the same way. Suddenly, I am finding parents saying, “I want a yellow 4 Fun for me, a Blue Fun 1 for my 4 year old, and a Granite 2 Fun for my 12 year old.” This means families that will soon be paddling families. No longer will Dad or Mom have to say goodbye to the kids for the weekend to go boating, or worse- not go boating at all. Finally, families can paddle together now and forever.

Kids gravitate towards those things that make them feel good about themselves. That can be social interaction, bad or dangerous activities, or in this case, kayaking. Kayaking is a feather in any kids cap. How many kids in school can whitewater kayak? Not too many. It is something that makes other kids envious and builds the self-confidence of yours. It is also something that is done with the parent. It is the ultimate personal interaction. It is something that you may be better than them, or perhaps they will pass you in a short time. Either way, you win, they win.

The reason I designed 5 sizes of the Fun family and will add the Fun 1.5 later this summer is because it is the best type of kayak for kids and 90% of adults to paddle. It is as good of a river runner as you can get, and add in the playability and you have a fully functional boat for everybody.

If you get a boat for yourself and your kids, please send in the photos. I will put up photos of the Fun families so we can see your family and others from around the world right here, having fun together.

EJ