TTW FEATURE
European headquarters for Rotomod (RTM) started
Hobie kayaks, based in Holland, creating kayaks with fi shing kit
believes that there’s a growth that could be attached until it
trend for kayak fi shing in eventually produced a kayak
Europe. He explains: “What is that is fi shing-specifi c. T_h e Key
quite telling about our kayaks is Largo is the kayak in question
that the growth is coming from and RTM’s Vincent Mass
the kayak fi shing sector rather explained more about it: “T_h e
than the leisure sector. We have Key Largo is a combination of
always used our standard craft speed and manoeuvrability and
and modifi ed them into fi shing is our ultimate fi shing kayak
kayaks. However, in the last few for river, lake or sea. We have
years we have started to develop designed it in conjunction with
100 per cent fi shing kayaks. people who actually fi sh from
T_h ese are not sold into the kayaks and designed it to fi t
leisure market and are developed their needs.”
with feedback from our existing First impressions of the Key
kayak-fi shing customers. Largo indicate that Vincent is
“We are also starting to see spot on. Features of the vessel
Kayak f_i shing is a diff_i cult skill to master
strong growth into this market. include: four integrated rod
but more Europeans are taking it up...
Our French dealer, Savager’s, holders, adjustable footrests,
now has an 80:20 ratio of moulded-in drink holder,
fi shing kayaks to leisure kayaks GPS fi shfi nder and compass,
and we have some specialised fi sh-measuring scale and ample
fi shing dealers in Holland. luggage room.
Also, our Swedish distributor Clearly this is a kayak that has
has appointed a fi shing expert not just had a few fi shing tools
on her sales team to target this bolted on at the last minute.
market segment.” It has been carefully designed
“Kayak fi shing is picking up speed and
seems on course to become as popular in
Europe as it is across the pond!”
Richard Barth, Hobie Kayak Europe.
Signs like this show exactly and manufactured to meet the
how important the kayak-fi shing needs of anglers – a pattern not
segment is becoming in Europe, uncommon in the European
it’s starting to catch on and kayak-fi shing market.
... and reaping the rewards
from seas, lakes and rivers!
retailers have to react to it. Oscar Chanca from Spanish
Richard added: “I would have company Omei Kayaks also
said one year ago that maybe re-iterated the growth potential
the European fi shermen are of fi shing kayaks: “ T_h e market is
more traditional (and reluctant defi nitely growing and has done
to change) than their USA for the past fi ve years. During
counterparts but after the last 12 those fi ve years, I would say that
months, I am not so sure. our growth in the fi shing kayak
“Kayak fi shing is picking-up sector has been 25 per cent in
speed and seems on course to each year. In Spain the most
become as popular in Europe popular type of kayak fi shing
as it is across the pond! It is is on the sea, it’s around 65 per
some 30 per cent of our present cent of the market.
business and it’s growing in “ T_h e customer who buys one
percentage.” of these kayaks is a fi sherman
Another European fi rm that not a paddler. T_h e y are fi shermen
has followed a similar pattern who want to try this style of
is plastic-moulding expert fi shing and they usually like it!”
Rotomod from France. T_h is And it appears that this
company, also, once just made market is set to follow its ‘big
leisure kayaks but has since brother’ in the US and continue
Kayaks are being built specif_i cally identifi ed the growth potential to grow for the foreseeable
for f_i shing with tools like f_i shf_i nders.
in the kayak-fi shing market. future. TTW
JANUARY 2009 | TTW 25
P24-25_TTW_01_kayak.indd 2P24-25_TTW_01_kayak.indd 2 17/11/08 2:01:38 pm17/11/08 2:01:38 pm
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