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Does this only happen in the sport of kayak fishing?

Posted: 27 Jan 2020, 09:58
by laneends
I was browsing some Facebook outdoor sports groups, eg mountain biking, sea kayaking and mountain trekking etc. Like most facebook groups there are plenty of members asking for advice on equipment and safety issues etc. What I did not see was advice along the lines of go to K mart you can get a Huffy "mountain bike" for only $150, solid as, stable. Get some training wheels, add an electric motor and you have a safe and capable bike. I Regular cross the Alps on mine. Bungie on some milk crates for your camping gear. Buy a S#!^ lot of bolt on accessories from Ebay. Doesn't matter that you have never sat on a bike before, no need to learn how to ride a bike first before you head off, you will be sweet for a solo trek in the Mountains now...

Yet this is the sort of equivalent advice you get on the fishing kayak forums over and over, kayak fishing is rapidly becoming one of the most amateurish and dangerous sports going. Many members from here try to redirect it at times but it seems futile.. Sadly the immediate validation that social media provides is winning over the move thoughtful and considered advice you receive on forums, hence the rise in popularity of the former.

The point of this post is to provide a heads up to these getting into this sport that facebook may be a convenient source of answers but there is little quality in many of the easy kneejerk responses. The lack of any tendency to search past topics means there is little research or idea development and general evolution of knowledge. Same questions and same dumb answers over and over. K2F vs dragon vs next gen. If the elements could talk it would be laughing its head off at the very idea that you would go up against it when its in a bad in one of these

I have had to unfollow them as it is so frustrating

Re: Does this only happen in the sport of kayak fishing?

Posted: 27 Jan 2020, 13:49
by wokka1
On MTB, Sea kayak and trekking forums you have MTB kayak and trekking enthusiasts asking and giving advice. On Kayak fishing forums you have (generalising) people wanting to access "on the water" fishing as cheaply as possible getting advised by people who have already accessed 'on the water' fishing as cheaply as possible.

Anybody with half a brain who gives sound advice earned through experience and research often gets ignored because their opinions don't validate the cheaper is better you can fish the ocean in an Anaconda toy without a PFD mentality. So the experienced poster thinks OK, no more advice from me because you don't want to hear it anyway and they leave said fartbook group and end up back here. Lurking amongst the sane rational posts.

Re: Does this only happen in the sport of kayak fishing?

Posted: 27 Jan 2020, 19:01
by 4liters
I’ve never gone to the effort of comparing with the discussion in other outdoor activity groups but it does concern me a bit when I see some of the crap spewed on Facebook in the kayaking groups I follow. I think it’s probably only a matter of time before something goes seriously wrong and we end up with a bunch of regulations to protect people from themselves. I guess it’s going to be our version of mandatory bike helmets.

Best one I saw was someone saying that one of those K2F pool toys was ‘stable as’ but also ‘get stabilisers’.

Probably doesn’t help that there’s very little accountability for the retailers, they can use descriptions like stable, fast, tracks well, include a picture of someone standing in on one the water and so one with no fear of getting pulled up over it.

Re: Does this only happen in the sport of kayak fishing?

Posted: 27 Jan 2020, 19:56
by Justo
laneends wrote:Sadly the immediate validation that social media provides is winning over the move thoughtful and considered advice you receive on forums, hence the rise in popularity of the former
Couldn't agree more. Look at the average word count on most of the responses to questions on Facebook groups. Short attention span, lack of detail, no linear development of best practice. I really despair when I look at some of the rubbish on FB.

I've personally tried a lot to push newbies to this forum, many people are just too lazy and stupid to put the time into researching something that may literally save their lives.

Re: Does this only happen in the sport of kayak fishing?

Posted: 28 Jan 2020, 07:30
by 4liters
Haha and on cue someone is bragging about picking up a couple of those anaconda Berkeley yaks for $100 each because the weight rating was inaccurate and it should only be rated to 90kg or something.

Re: Does this only happen in the sport of kayak fishing?

Posted: 28 Jan 2020, 09:32
by wokka1
Saw that. Questionable (perhaps illegal ?) selling behavior from a big retailer.

Re: Does this only happen in the sport of kayak fishing?

Posted: 28 Jan 2020, 10:32
by 4liters
wokka1 wrote:Saw that. Questionable (perhaps illegal ?) selling behavior from a big retailer.
Yeah I would’ve thought it would be a voluntary recall rather than a sell at cost type situation

Re: Does this only happen in the sport of kayak fishing?

Posted: 28 Jan 2020, 11:44
by laneends
Seen a few folks complaining about those berkly craft, typically blokes weighing 90kg plus. Dont understand why anyone that size would even contemplate that such a small piece of plastic beneath them is even remotely safe. My first "kayak" was no better and it literally does feel like sitting on an oversized boogie board

Re: Does this only happen in the sport of kayak fishing?

Posted: 28 Jan 2020, 16:52
by cheaterparts
4liters wrote:Haha and on cue someone is bragging about picking up a couple of those anaconda Berkeley yaks for $100 each because the weight rating was inaccurate and it should only be rated to 90kg or something.
I loved this quote to the $ 100 berkley thread
If them taking on water is the only issue with them I'll just fill the hull up with expanding foam. Only paid $100 for em so not to worried about it wrecking them if it doesn't work.
about then I really wonted to ask are you mental but stayed quiet biting my tongue

Re: Does this only happen in the sport of kayak fishing?

Posted: 28 Jan 2020, 17:25
by 4liters
cheaterparts wrote:
4liters wrote:Haha and on cue someone is bragging about picking up a couple of those anaconda Berkeley yaks for $100 each because the weight rating was inaccurate and it should only be rated to 90kg or something.
I loved this quote to the $ 100 berkley thread
If them taking on water is the only issue with them I'll just fill the hull up with expanding foam. Only paid $100 for em so not to worried about it wrecking them if it doesn't work.
about then I really wonted to ask are you mental but stayed quiet biting my tongue
Nah, have a dip