Is inflation impacting Nationals Attendance?

Originally posted by DiscoBall Originally posted by CT249   It's a mystery to me why people would rather SUP than kayak I always think it's quite telling that this pops up on here and sea kayaking forums - both sports that seems to attract older men who have a particular technical/equipment focus to their leisure activities.   The huge joy of sup (in places with clear water at least) is in the access it gives you to the underwater world - far more than you ever see from the low down position in a kayak and IME often superior to snorkelling. If you think of sup simply as a waterborne version of going for a walk it makes a lot more sense as to why it has enormous appeal to a broad section of society. I don't perceive that many dinghy sailors are really that interested in the natural world other than as a backdrop to sailing in circles.    As to the safety aspect, the 'you won't get wet' comment seems to be pretty true really. Other than the odd really inept beginner (usually wet-suited to the max anyway) I struggle to think of seeing anyone fall off unintentionally in years. Much like with SOTs the vendors don't want disgruntled customers who can't stay upright, so they push very stable designs (perhaps to the detriment of more capable beginners). 423 asks about statistics - I think the RNLI published a report a couple of years ago saying that paddlesport rescues had doubled in the previous 5 years. Cue much huffing and puffing in sea kayaker circles. However even by that stage SUP/SOT/kayakfishing participants outnumbered sit-in kayaks by far more than 2:1, probably more like 10:1 and that has only increased. The real elephant in the room for sit-in kayaking is why, despite the training courses and the prescribed (long) list of safety kit, worn in all the prescribed places (few activities are as dogmatic - perhaps another reason people have embraced paddlesports outside of the 'official' club scene), there are still so many accidents. Its almost as if there's an inverse correlation between safety kit and competence...

Paddleboarding warning issued after 100 rescues in 48 hours on one stretch of Welsh coast (msn.com)

Originally posted by The Q Paddleboarding warning issued after 100 rescues in 48 hours on one stretch of Welsh coast (msn.com)

Edited by DiscoBall - 15 Aug 22 at 8:37pm

I know RNLI crews and they're pretty down to earth but some of the RNLI publicity machine is OTT. I recall watching a TV "Saving Lives at Sea" where a pair of sailors had an RS400 on it's side sorting out a breakage. Despite insisting they were fine the crew insisted one of the sailors leave their boat and swim over to the ILB (presumably they were wary of prop fouling on loose lines , fair). The ILB persuaded the sailors to take a tow back in while there was a dramatic voice over of the hazards of the tow to the ILB. Err no, a dinghy being towed is at bigger risk, especially with non dinghy familiar RNLI crews, which is why no dinghy crew knowing anything would ever allow themselves to be towed with a line made fast to their dinghy. I do carry a tow line but would ever take a turn and hold it for release if needed; I refuse to comply with some water regulation authorities whose rules require a fixed painter.  

Yep, point taken regarding their publicity machine … kind of why I reconciled with the knowledge that any future donation would be in the event of an actual incident, direct to local collections team of said crew, rather than a direct debit to to the marketing and PR department