Kayak Kiosks

Kayak Kiosks

Carolina Paddler presents the Future of Paddling series

An article by Alton Chewning

∞ You’re visiting a new place.  Perhaps you didn’t intend to paddle or you didn’t want the bother of bringing your boat and gear.  You happen upon a beautiful setting on a lake or bay or river and you think, “I sure would like to do a quick paddle here.”

There is a solution: Kayak Vending Machines.  Kayak kiosks, as they are frequently called, are sprouting up in many well-traveled places.  In Jacksonville, North Carolina, where the New River empties into Onslow Bay, I recently happened upon a cage stuffed with kayaks.

If I wanted a kayak, I could whip out my smart phone, download an app, create an account and arrange a rental.  Signing a liability waiver is part of this process. I don’t see a person.

Using my phone’s camera, I scan the QR code on the locker door and, viola, it unlocks and I have a kayak, paddle and PFD!

The sign on the vending machine gives helpful suggestions. Check the equipment for damage. Bring sunscreen and water. Always wear the PFD. Avoid other boats. And the critical, don’t lock your phone in the locker.

When I return the boat, PFD and paddle, I put them back into the locker and close it and wait for the bill to show up on my account.

The prices seemed reasonable, $10. for the first hour, $5. for following hours.

Is this a glimpse into the future of paddling?  Don’t worry about taking boats and gear. Snag them when you arrive at the put-in. Fussy types will want to bring their own PFDs, because, you know, they fit better than the one-size-for-all vest included with the rental.  Itinerant boaters could bring their personal paddles, like pool sharks with their custom cues.  Many will take what the machine gives them.

Think of it. One day you could show up at Ocoee or Ohiopyle, walk over to a kayak vending machine, choose  a creek boat or play boat and you’re off.  At the bottom of the run, you throw it into a returns kiosk, lock it, jump on your motorcycle or hop in your mini-car and drive away. No racks, no packs, no clean-up.

Let’s take it farther. The kayak kiosk business becomes competitive and specialized. Half-slice dispensers, river-runner lockers. Individual manufacturers have their own kiosks. “I must have a Pyranha!” So, go to the Pyranha Kayak Carousel, or the Liquid Logic Locker and so on. Why stop at boats? Vending dispensers for items you forgot or specialized kiosks for higher-end gear.  Paddle Perfect dispensers. PFD For Me machines. Maybe even helmet rotisseries, The Helmet Hut, “Individually sanitized for your protection.”

Sound whimsical? Well, perhaps, but there are many companies getting into the kayak vending business. Some of these operate the business, others sell the kiosks, control stations and software to make the system work. Small time entrepreneurs can purchase a kiosk system and quickly become a part of the kayak business. One kiosk purveyor boasts, “NOTE: Kayak Kiosks are producing greater than 100% ROI (Return on Investment) in one season.”

Not bad, huh? Keep in mind, like many new opportunities, the early investors make good money. Others see this and decide to invest and soon the market is crowded. The ones with the best locations, the most efficient operations and the catchiest marketing thrive and the others flounder. Then, a big national corporation starts up their own version, snapping up the little guys and enjoying the economies of scale.  Most small-timers wither and go away.

If this hasn’t discouraged you from using the kids’ college savings to start a kayak kiosk business, or, if you just want to learn more about how the vending process works, here a couple of other examples.

The system above takes a different approach.The boats and paddleboards are locked in racks and the accessories in a locker. The transactions are done by a computer touch screen mounted to the locker. The technology demands for the site are shifted to the vendor side. A computer and power source (solar or AC) are required for the station but the customer only needs a credit card.

Useful features are built into the system, like a manual override to open doors remotely and auto shutoff during nighttime hours. The company, outdoorvendingsolutions.com, also sells dispensers for firewood and propane tanks.

The AutoMat of self-service kayaking is Kayakomat, operated by Point 65 in Europe. The parent Swedish company, Point 65, also manufactures standard and modular kayaks and paddles.

Kayakomat takes yet another approach. No technology is involved at the “point of sale.” The customer places an order in advance through the internet. The day of the rental, an email and text are sent with a code for unlocking the kayak from the vending rack. Paddle, PFD and sprayskirt are included. The advance scheduling of a rental insures a boat will be available.

Why the Vending Machine approach?

While the idea of getting a boat into the water this way may seem strange and off-putting, there are advantages, particularly to recreational paddlers. A person doesn’t have to own, load, unload, clean and store the boat. Different boats can be tried. The boat is where the water is. Adding additional members to a paddling group is simple. No large initial purchases of equipment and the means of transporting and storing. The ease of walking away and not looking back.

Will the kayak kiosks hurt traditional paddle businesses who rent boats and guide tours? Yes, in certain situations those businesses will lose revenue. Their investment in a building, land, staff and a boat and gear inventory  is much higher. Their return on investment is slow and based on the long-term sustainability of the business. However, there are advantages to talking with an outfitter. Vending machines do not give advice on water conditions, or sights to see or how to best fasten the PFD. Traditional paddle shops still offer a degree of service and local knowledge the machines can’t match. Outfitters can provide shuttles on rivers and sometimes handle shuttling cars for longer trips.

There is a place for the kayak vending machines. They are suited to lakes and bays in heavily populated areas. Flat water paddling where round trips are typical. They offer small entrepreneurs a chance to have a business that doesn’t require full-time in-person staffing. Many municipalities are embracing the idea of rental kiosks as a way of providing another recreational opportunity to their community. Following the success of rental bicycles and scooters, kayak kiosks seem like a natural development.

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Take and Use PFD’s

Many public boat launches now offer life jacket loaner stations. If a boater is a PFD short, a life vest can be borrowed, used and then returned. If a PFD is lost or never returned the cost is considered worth the insuring of a life. A PFD, worn by a boater, is the best prevention of drowning.

In the photo above the PFD loaner rack is provided by Sea Tow, a national towing and on-water assistance program. Other PFD dispensers are provided by municipalities, paddling clubs and other safety-conscious groups.

This is a small rural access area on the Contentanea Creek in Stantonsburg, NC.  The PFD rack is provided by a local Boy Scout troop.  The idea is to have enough PFDs available for every boater, no matter how last minute or unprepared the trip is. Providing loaner PFDs is a small cost compared to the loss of a human life and all the aftermath caused by a drowning.

Some new developments in paddling involve technology and large capital investment. Others rely on civic involvement and simple solutions. Both are valuable aspects of the changing world of paddling.

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In this ongoing series, The Future of Paddling, we look at how boating could change in the future, in small ways and large. If you have an idea of what the boating future could be, please contact Carolina Paddler at editor@carolinacanoeclub.org.