Some kayak videos are presented a bit like aquatic Jackass and I am not convinced that this is good for the sport. Guess not everybody will agree and maybe its coz I'm a bit of a fossil, but frankly I find some videos embarrassing.

PS: the music is often crap too - if you want real punk then the Pistols, Clash and Ramones make today's groups look like choirboys with attitude.

Although I agree music-wise I am wondering what video's are you referring to?

Because most f the kayak vid's I've got at home are good. At elast they have a lot more to offer than \"aquatic Jackass\" (ahum, well, all but one: Corran's \"Channel Surfing\" has some \"jackass\" elements but is pretty okay about the paddle bits).

Oh, as for the music: not everyone likes just punk with their paddling. Nor does everyone want to be swamped in very loud dance music in the menu section

they still make some good punk as well these days, but that's a whole different topic:
playak.com/index.php?option=com_joomlabo...catid=105&id=745

i think you should define first what you mean with 'good for the sport'.

- anything that increases the sport's visibility?
- anything that improves river access?
- anything that brings lots of new people into the sport, or would that even be bad?
- anything that strengthens our political lobby?
- ...

so many different and even conflicting views of what 'good for the sport' means...

I think that the DVD's propel the sport. They show you what is possible in a kayak and help set the bar higher and higher. They also help educate kayakers on safety, playboating, and rolling. I have personally learned a great deal from watching EJ's videos, Corran's videos, the Twitch series, as well as Performance videos, when I was still learning the basics.

As for the music... I could care less. It's usually not something I would go out and buy, but it is better then just hearing loud white noise from the river.

The one thing I would like to see more of is kayakers being filmed while scouting rapids. I would like to hear how they pick their lines, decide if it's do-able, and then see them huck it. Twitch V does a lot of this and I love it.

I think they are as they motivate people to go out and paddle or keep them hungry for the wet stuff when everything has dried up.

It is good to see that they arnet editing out the swims/ rescues making people see even the really good guys get it wrong showing that their not imortal and hopefully also by showing the dangers less people will jump in to the hard stuff when there not ready for creating carnage and putting themselves and anyone with them in danger!

one of my favourites at the moment would be End GAme by Corran Addison good film mix of musics to suit everyone (probably) or Aphrodisa (old school) very good video from the day and still is

Jeroen's list of what is 'good for the sport' pretty well covers it for me - and I would vote for getting more folks paddling (point 3).

I agree that there is fantastic kayak video out there (fun, spectacular, entertaining, informative, and great for learning) but 'some' videos (and/or parts of videos) leave me cold. For me personally that would be the jackass-style stuff which can make kayakers look like crazy brats with no respect for danger or injury.

Dont particularly want to cite specific examples - prefer to keep the discussion generic. OK lets leave the music for another time - there is no accounting for taste.

I guess differnet videos suit different people. I like videos which show the kayakers pick a line, discuss it and run it or get trashed (either way). I think Jack ass type scenes are essential in between. In my experience kayakers are safe and safety oriented people, but there is a little Jack in all of us and we cant ignore him.

What I think is a little dangerous is endless sequences of very good kayakers running very difficult things with out aparent scouting, safety or messing up of lines. I think I know my limits pretty well and I start wondering if I can´t run this and that I see in the movies after seeing so many people do it so clean.

Kayaking porn is great stuff. It is what makes the sport visable and what will get more people to kayak. Eventully that more people will help get freestyle kayaking in the Olympics.

Now it is bad to a certain degree for not showing all the scouting and safty stuff. but when people started to watch all the stunt BMX people didnt show the safty of it. They showed **porn** of it. and say all the safty measure they take.

skirnir wrote:

What I think is a little dangerous is endless sequences of very good kayakers running very difficult things with out aparent scouting, safety or messing up of lines. I think I know my limits pretty well and I start wondering if I can´t run this and that I see in the movies after seeing so many people do it so clean.

my point exactly Im glad that more videos are showing more f ups and rescues etc, and at least not very vid is dedicated to some one who was killed in the making as so many older films were. Which brings down the real facts that this is a dangerous sport but if done in safe manner the risks can kept to a minimum and make it more fun allround for every body concerned.

The whole extreme sports seen is changing. In the last 20 years we have seen so many more extreme sports being developed. The attitude of it all has changed as the younger generation comes through. The Extreme sports culture has had a huge impact on the younger populations mentality. Im not saying all us youngins are nutty and have no regard to safety , but much of us love to stuff around and have a bit of fun doing some crazy Sh!t. Horseplay.

I think the use of kayak videos is a great premotion for the sport. I find many of the videos displayed on this site very entertaining and extremely usesful. Some more than others. I think having a jackass element to the sport is great!

Its great enterainment for those of us sitting at home wishing they were in a kayak doing something...anything!


I guess my influences have come from a coastal surfing/skating culture, kayaking solely when the surfs up. An example i can think of with doing some jackass type stuff is when i go a bit nutty because there hasnt been any surf for a while. I take my kayak into town where there are a couple of huge grass hills, and surf those.

Ive actually found that it generate a bit of publicty and you get alot of people come over and want to talk about the kayak, and what you do with it....

The grashill example may be ragarded as being stupid but i guess ultimately your subjecting people to kayaking in a rather obscure manner just as the \"porn movies\" do. Often something that is out of the ordinary will catch ones eye and create interest. So again, i think the jackass horseplay you often see in the movie can actually be quite benificial.

I know that I will watch the videos when the local rivers are too low as a way to tide me over till I can get in some decent water again. They are also good when it is too dark to go out at night.

I do agree that the safety aspect is not shown lots. I have my SRT and know how much safety is involved in some of the things they do but there is little to no mention of it in any movie I have seen. With a little better coverage of safety and maybe showing a rescue or two this \"porn\" is an awesome way to dream of things you can't yet paddle, see things you want to paddle, and get you jacked up for the next paddling day.

Kyak porn is fine, people who paddle should be aware that kayaking is dangerous and that if your not safe and paddle water that is to big for your skill level you could get hurt. Also there are good kayak porn that shows people saftey boating and swims( burning time 2) this show people that even the best paddles swim in this water some times and that it is important to be careful.

Well personally I like the more Jackass style Kayaking flicks (things like Enter the Donkey and Burning Time). So you are not a fan of these films and you do not appreciate the humour, I do. Are they damaging to the sport? Of course not, they show groups of mates having a lot of fun and fitting in some kick arse kayaking at the same time. I muck about with my mates and have fun when kayaking too, sometimes the things we do are not that sensible but they are damn good fun. Personally I would rather be silly and have fun than be sensible and boring (besides I heard your Alamo antics were pretty Jackass, have you just forgotten how to mess about?).

Denzil

The question is, is real porn good for the sport? It promotes hand eye cordination, helps you relax, strengthens the arms, well at least one. The only down fall is that it can make you go blind.

Is that why i cant find my paddle?

has anyone seen dynasty by YGP? its not an instructional but it has some pretty good music and shots from all over the world ( the nile, madagascar, uganda, ottawa, etc.) and shows some pretty good surfing, freestyle, and creeking...thankfully the soundtrack is hardly bad punk. there is some carnage if u go to the special features, so its got something for everyone..