I'd definitely attend a Denton_doc presentation.

THANK YOU!

Awesome feedback, thank you.  I can address a few of your concerns, I hope...

Re: Kayakcopia...

Yeah.  20 years ago we had 3 canoes for every kayak.  Now it's about the opposite.    There's not much I can do about it except for continue to impress upon people that a solo canoe is a much better craft for many applications for which they use a recreational canoe -- lighter, easier to load and unload, easier to get in and out, etc.  No argument from me.

As Ralph Sawyer once told me, "Even when the market's wrong, it's right."  I can shake my fist at the canoeing gods as cry out "Why?: but it won't do much good.

P.S. Replace station wagon with canoe and minivan with kayak.  Works the same.

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Workshops:  Very popular.  I'm a hands-on guy, and so are a lot of people.  Suggestions for other workshops are MOST welcome.  People who want to share their knowledge are also MOST welcome.

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DentonDoc: we do have a shipping option, and the vendors were remiss in not mentioning it. Depending on the amount of the purchase, the shipping is often offset by that fact that we don't collect sales tax for shipping out of state.  Alternative payments would be relatively easy for the few who use it (call us and run it exactly as if it were a phone order to the shop).  FYI, your entire feedback string has been forwarded to the Canoecopia team.

And yes, we welcome new speaking blood.  TOTALLY.

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Re: Scarlett K:  Don't hate, man. Convert them instead.

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Snow Dog: send me an email and I'll put you down for 2013 contacts for speakers.  GREAT topics to add!  I also like a beginner-friendly icon (we did that with kid-friendly and Ontario outfitters).  All good!  Thank you.

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Old Salt (et al.) Re: costs...Yeah, I hear you. The cost of the Alliant Energy Center is six figures (easily).  It's the only venue that can handle us within 100 miles.  It goes up 4% a year no matter what.  We don't get a think from parking revenues -- that's straight to the county.  In fact, we get 50 free weekend passes then we have to pay $15.00 each for weekend passes, and buy about 150 for the irregulars.

My justification:  I went to see Hugo with my wife.  It was $9.00.  At some of the Canadian events the ticket to see just him is $10.00.  I think it's a good value, still.

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Speakers Changing Topics: Excuse me, but that really pissed me off. That's like going Cowboys and Aliens and finding a chick flick instead.  I hope you filled out feedback cards! We definitely do not invite people back who don't do what they promise to do.

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As far as gear shifting toward kayaks -- see above.  Strange that BB didn't have those as we ordered them on our preseason order last September.  I think Lendal is a great answer, but I can see if Aquabound can make me a five piece paddle that's long enough for solo canoeing.

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Ncnty_Ben:  That's not normal...and we take returns without receipts if your sale is in our system.  I apologize...did you bring that to the attention of anyone?  They should have fixed it immediately.  And shopping local is fine with me. 

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Gear Selection:  I'm sending out an electronic survey as soon as I get the names sorted so I don't email duplicates.  I assume you all have a computer.    Gear selection is a big one on there.

I want more of the stuff you mentioned, Jimbo, but quite a few of the more techy companies pulled out a few weeks ago...GoPro, SeaLife Cameras, Goal Zero solar (VERY cool product for digital photographers), etc.

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CROWDED SPEAKER ROOMS:  Arrgh!  Busted by the fire marshall!  I concede we've grown out of several of the rooms, but it was almost always on Saturday.  BUT I have a plan...there are other buildings on the Alliant Center campus...where we could have 650-700 people.  Not optimal but we could make it work and it would allow more space for workshops were we can get dirty (work on a stitch and glue boat, make piles of cedar shavings, light camp stoves for cooking workshops, etc.).  I'll keep you posted...it might be tied up in contract but if not...shhhhh.

POOL:  Lordy, I would LOVE a pool...if I can find a place for it.  But that's 2016 stuff.

Again, THANK YOU.  The expertise here is great and I'm already lurking.  The more I keep my mouth shut the more I learn.

Good paddling!

Darren

I learned of Canoecopia from discussion on the QJ site a little over a year ago.  This March was my second visit to the 'Copia.  I enjoyed it immensely.  Mainly agree with other "reviews", here, although I had fun even at some basic talks (e.g., Fishin tips for BWCA).  Never know where or who provides new info...
     Agree that "Planning an Arctic Expedition" may have been off topic, though speaker was trying to make a special point about the uniqueness of that country...  I didn't garner a lot of technical know-how, this time around, but much enjoyed Jacobson/Callan copresenting, the Aluminum Chef cook-off, and the Reel Film Festival all for entertainment value!
     Like others have noted, a primary value of 'Copia is the friendships that get made and revisited, and the learning of new places...  Because of 'Copia in 2011, I ended up doing a couple of weeks with the Wabakimi Project, and -- because of that -- this year I ended up staying near Madison with some friends I met on the Project.
     I attended the Atrium workshop on forward stroke.  Seems like I should know that, by now, but I picked up some good pointers for checking myself to improve my technique.  Half-blade paddles would be better for dry-practicing in that workshop, but I don't know where you could get them... Alternately, you could try that one at poolside?
     Thanks again to Darren and Rutabaga.

DB, I can ask for feedback...but I don't offer it much.     I think that a panel of a few of you could do a GREAT presentation on your first solo trips, what you did, what you learned, and the joys and relative risks of being "alone."  I know I feel a lot more refreshed after a solo trip than a group paddle.

The day after paddle was fantastic.  Broke in (figuratively) my new-to-me wood/canvas boat. Gorgeous weather.  One swim (my son, who got spun around by a submerged log into another submerged log).

Thanks again...the cogs in my brain are turning.

nctry_Ben wrote on Mar 21^st, 2012 at 2:31am:

Thanks for the "vote of confidence" guys.  I was giving some consideration to that topic (for this year).  Alas, next year I won't be coming to 'copia unless current plans get changed.

dd