Canoecopia 2008
" World's Largest Paddling Event" Just Keeps Getting Better

Canoe & Kayak Paddling News
story and photos by John Bolivar
3/14/2008

Paddlers came from as far away as Barcelona and from every corner of the Midwest, braving the cold Wisconsin winter.

Despite temperatures in the low teens, spring fever was in the air for Rutabaga’s annual Canoecopia. Since 1981 visitors have been flocking to Madison, Wisconsin for a weekend of boating fun. "Canoecopia is a mixture of a consumer event, paddling exhibition, outdoor school and family reunion.” said Darren Bush, co-owner of Rutabaga. "It’s the sort of event that brings people back every year to see what’s new in paddling, but also to see fellow paddlers and enjoy that community.”

Congratulations to Dave Kruger, winner of a Nova Craft Bob Special 15 ft. canoe! We drew his name from the new subscribers to Canoe & Kayak Magazine at the show. Next time you see us at a paddling event ask if we have a contest going.

The Alliant Energy Center in Madison was buzzing with crowds of paddlers eager to break out of winters grip and start paddling. Canoecopia is now billed as the world’s largest paddling event and it feels like it. Paddlers of all types--canoeists, kayakers, kayak fisher folk and rafters--flock to learn about the latest and greatest in the paddling world and to dream the coming summers adventures.

This year the crowd’s enthusiasm was contagious. Before the show I wasn’t sure if the specter of high gas prices and sliding economy would dampen the enthusiasm but it did not feel as if it affected anyone, as the cash registers rang steadily all weekend as boats, gear and accessories exited the exhibition in the hands of eager paddlers by the truckload. Perhaps they were prodded by the bargain prices of gear or if the bitter cold winter outside made everyone more eager to buy gear and plan for the coming summers adventures.

There were over 100 exhibitors, boat manufacturers, outfitters and even paddling schools, filling the exhibition space to capacity. Saturday we felt like sardines on the way to the cannery--the crowds were unbelievable but everyone was just glad to be there talking boating and not stuck inside the house looking out at ice and snow.

The educational component of Canoecopia makes it a unique event. Six speaker rooms seating from 200 to 500 run continuously over the three- day event, with over 50 speakers and presenters. "There is something for everybody," says Megan Pfieffer, Canoecopia Event Coordinator. "We have topics that touch on all aspects of paddling all over the world. This year over 29,000 speaker seats were filled.”

Among the presenters were Eugene Buchanan who gave a slide show of his amazing raft trip in Russia and the book that came out of it - Brothers on the Bashkaus. How do you make cataraft tubes from germ warfare suits? Canoeing legends Joanie and Gary McGuffin were offering tips on how to canoe with children and in case you wanted to go out in the frigid Midwestern weather paddling David Freeman (read about our coverage of his circumnavigation of Lake Superior .) was showing us how to camp in the cold weather. John Grace of Lunch Video Magazine explained how to produce a video about your next kayaking trip. Kayak fisherman Captain Charles Wright of Chokoloskee Charters journeyed up from the 80plus degree weather in Florida to show us how to catch some big ones in the Everglades from a kayak.

There was an indoor pool for on the water demos. Lines were long with people waiting to get to see the demonstrations on paddling techniques. Over in the pool Dubside was thrilling everyone with his acrobatic Greenland Style rolling and Fred Hartry demonstrated the great fast growing sport of stand up surfing.

In the main exhibition hall paddling gear dominated. Here are some of our favorites:

Sawyer paddles showed off a beautiful bamboo canoe paddle with a carbon reinforced shaft as well as some sweet looking new bent shaft creek paddles, and a new sea kayak touring paddle, the Orca V-Lam. Over at Hurricane kayaks, Brad Taylor was touting their new USA made, thermoformed sit-on-top, the Phoenix 160, and the crazy low prices of all their kayaks.

Bending Branches leader Ed Vater, proudly showed off his collection of empty boxes (business was good at the show) and their new kids paddle, the splash. Bear Paw Outdoors was showing off the newJackson Kayaks whitewater kayak, the super hero while the folks at Pyrhana showed their new Rev-M and said they are planning a smaller Everest kayak also. Esquif Canoes was showing their carbon fiber canoes and Novacraft Canoes is coming out with a new plaid top sheet on one of their canoes – looks like Rock is bringing his snowboard style over to the canoeing crowd. In the accessories category Ostrom Outdoors showed off their new camp kitchen, you can turn any tree into an organized outdoor kitchen. It’s not that often that revolutionary safety gear comes along but North Water has a sick new anchor called the Canyon Creeker that is part repelling device, anchor, and tow tether and rescue device all in one.

There were plenty of exhibitors for the do-it-yourself types also. My favorite was the North House Folk School. Based in Minnesota, they offer a range of classes from building traditional Inuit kayaks to north woods wood-canvas canoes and paddles. They had folks on hand demonstrating how to carve your own canoe paddle. The Wooden Canoe Heritage Association was also there showing off a bevy of wood strip canoe beauties.

If you were interested in finding your next paddle adventure there were outfitters galore. Companies like the Minnesotans Worldwide Paddling Adventures and Canada’s Wabakimi Wilderness Adventures. Wabakimi is billed as the world’s largest wilderness paddling park and it made my list of places I have to paddle before I die.

Now for the fun part… we get to go out and wait for the rivers and lakes to melt and plan those trips we just found about using all that the new gear we just got at the show.

I hear it’s going to get up to 40 this week in Madison and the ice will start melting…it’s about time. Happy Paddling!