Mini Kid Oc-1s | OCPaddler.com

Direct link......pretty cool. Is the outrigger market growing that much greater in Europe that there is a need/interest for a junior OC1? Wonder if it would sell here?

http://www.allwave.it/prodotti_scheda.aspx?ID=d39aff23-5db0-4c80-a19e-da...

#1 Sun, 10/19/2008 - 9:43am

If it's made like the current OC-1's and cost just as much, I can't really see it grow enough to have a market for it. If Kamanu Composites or Outrigger Connection saw a market for it here, they'd already have built the molds and would have been selling them by now.

Only the parents that can afford it for their kids would be the only buyers and it would be outgrown when the kid grows up. How many folks would spend 3-4K on a "delicate toy" for their kids? They would on a motorcross motorbike, but that is not likely to get damaged as easily as a cabon fiber craft.

If it was made out of hard plastic like those Ocean Kayaks making it affordable, then I could see more interest in them. They could be a starter craft for the kids to start out on before they are big enough for the real thing to buy. They'd even have better resale value as how many times do we see those ocean kayak types being sold on Craigslist?

#2 Sun, 10/19/2008 - 11:32am

What about paddling schools ? Maybe clubs could buy a few for children who wants to paddle.
In Tahiti, Ah Tak, builder of Fare Ara's V6 made a Va'a Kid. A scaled down V1. He did not sell many...
Will take a pic tomorrow and post it

#3 Sun, 10/19/2008 - 12:53pm

Goto, perfect for you!

#4 Sun, 10/19/2008 - 2:32pm

it would be awesome for some of the paddling summer camps i work at but i dont think it would be a huge market cause they would be growing out of the boats crazy fast

#5 Sun, 10/19/2008 - 2:34pm

I could see maybe for some clubs getting them, but they still would be pricey to buy kid sized OC-1's manufactured with the same expensive composite materials. If they could make it out of polyethylene (like other recreational crafts), it would be heavier than a composite craft, but would be more durable and less prone to damage if they hit a rock or reef.

A club could easily buy about 10 of those plastic OC-1 models instead of only just 1 composite OC-1 model and still get the benefit of teaching outrigger paddling to more kids on the water.

#6 Sun, 10/19/2008 - 2:38pm

Yeah, poops, I've already got one - the ultralight model. And it was only like $4800!

#7 Sun, 10/19/2008 - 2:56pm

I asked the manufacturer:
Qual è il prezzo per il gecko?
Let's see !

#8 Sun, 10/19/2008 - 4:24pm

Hi paddlers!
I'm Roberto Spigoli, my company (Allwave) make this model of c1 to have a realy oc1 for children, I make this boat because my Son Flavio whant it! he ask a special canoe for him, it's normal that he whant a personal boat because the father built canoes!
well..after the first for my son, many children whant it and we decide to sell it.
the construction is in Viniepoxy resin and glass, whit some parts in sandwich, the weigth is 9 kg. and the price in Italy is 1300 euro
we was tink about a possibility to make in Polietilene plastic, but the boat are too havy and in the beginning the money to make the mould is too mutch! The idea is that the children how use this canoes have a realy same boat of a father, is correct that is expensive, but the boat after twoo tree years is possible to sell it and buy a big boat (allwave take back the second hand canoes when the customers whant buy a new) whit this sistem in tree years we have a good park of this boat here in second hand andd the children can learn on the very oc1, not too big boat ( father boat).
all children who test this canoe learn easly to surf the wave.
in the last race in Big wave one young girl 13 years old won on a boy 15 years old whit a big boat, this because is too havy and longer for this boy.
well, we have not a retailers in Hawaii, but we will organize this buisness, we are available to send the Gecko in Hawaii in next time, we would like to organize a race whit these boat to promote it and after we can sell it in hawaii.
now we are to organize the next ivf european championship in Italy, we would like to see some hawaiian paddlers here, in this championship there is a promotional rae whit gecko.
have nice days
in few days is on line the web site, www.ivf-european-vaa-surfski-championship.com
Roberto

#9 Sun, 10/19/2008 - 9:08pm

how much would you sell it when you come to hawaii?
I might be interested.......Thats how you going to beat the tahitians..........train the kids cause tahiti is starting already.

#10 Sun, 10/19/2008 - 10:10pm

1300 Eur = $1752.53 USD

Almost half price for a half size composite OC-1 for kids doesn't sound too bad at all. I'd buy one for my Nephew or Niece to get into the sport of paddling instead of waiting until they are bigger.

That take back program is a good thing as it offers a centralized location for others to choose either a new or used OC-1 for their kids.

Didn't really think about how hard or how much it would cost to make a mold for a polyethylene type craft. I guess it would cost a lot for any new mold regardless of material used for the product.

#11 Sun, 10/19/2008 - 11:21pm

I for one would love to have something like this for my daughter. That price would make convincing my wife much easier too.

#12 Mon, 10/20/2008 - 5:53am

Tiger had a keiki demo boat at Sacramento. Anybody else get to see it?? Really cool looking. don't know if Tiger has it up on his website, but if you live in California, worth looking into.

#13 Mon, 10/20/2008 - 10:09am

Gecko weighs 9 kilo = 19.84 lbs.

#14 Mon, 10/20/2008 - 11:57am

I agree with paddlerdad. Now my daughter doesn't want to paddle but when she was 10 she was interested. Wish I would have had a Gecko then.
If you want to broaden the sport here is a great tool. The younger they start the better they will be.
Hiro how early do the kids start to paddle in Tahiti on OC6 or OC1?
I bet it's earlier then everywhere else. Obviously you have the culture of paddling deeply ingrained so just peer pressure gets the kids involved, just like every english kid wants to play soccer and be Beckham.
I think a mini OC-1 is the way to get a lot of kids to start paddling. How much better could you share your passion for paddling with your kid.
I'm not discounting club paddling, but I'd love to paddle OC6 with a kid who has OC1 balance and knows when to squeeze the trigger to catch a bump.
Let me add that my opinion is West Coast centric where there aren't as many clubs to join.

#15 Mon, 10/20/2008 - 12:29pm

I know some 12 years old kids who paddle. They even race with adults... they do not win, but they try hard !

#16 Mon, 10/20/2008 - 7:01pm

One of the high school coaches at the championship races down at Ke'ekhi told me that the Tahitians start OC6 paddling when they are old enough for school & they are required to wear some type of life jacket.

#17 Mon, 10/20/2008 - 8:20pm

Paddling is taught in school, like basket-ball or javelin...
Schools have the obligaton to make them wear life jackets when on the water. Children don't like it but they're not given the choice : no jacket, no paddling, stay on the beach and watch the others have fun !

#18 Mon, 10/20/2008 - 8:48pm

Could just happen that if a kid paddles a mini OC1 he doesnt get to the same level as a Tahitian kid. Just like the adult paddlers here in NZ who paddle OC1 don't seem to get to the level of the rudderless paddlers

#19 Mon, 10/20/2008 - 9:14pm

Mini OC1 rudderless? why not?

#20 Tue, 10/21/2008 - 2:31am

We have had a mini va'a for some time now, just really havn't marketed it. Had one on display at the IFV World Sprints this past August. 19' long and 12" wide, hull weights 13 lbs. I'll dig up a photo and try get it posted.

Tiger
Tiger Canoe

#21 Tue, 10/21/2008 - 4:54am

Hey Tiger ,

very good to meet you in Sacramento, very nice kids boat you got there too .

#22 Tue, 10/21/2008 - 5:08am

Mini va'a makes sense. Easier to transition to OC1 than the other way around, and one less thing to break or need maintenance in a school or club situation.

#23 Tue, 10/21/2008 - 5:48am

Would be great if it was a mini Polynesian type canoe ie,. made in Polynesia. Otherwise we are going to see a mini Pahoa situation happening.

#24 Tue, 10/21/2008 - 7:46am

Here is a photo of a mini ski I made for niece and nephew a few years back ... 12' 6" X just under 15". If I remember correctly it weighed in @ 14 pounds in a beach womping layup. I gave myself one weekend to do it so not the nicest thing I ever made as I did not go crazy fairing it in but for sure one of the most satisfactory. The boat is a scaled down version of a prototype "Mermaid" kayak I was working on ... the keel @ the stern was purposely left more 'kayaky' so the kids could paddle straight in the cross winds sans rudder. The little blobs you see on it are just there to cover up the rudder cable housings plumbed under the glass. The boat is plenty stable for even first time kids and it is simply amazing to watch their natural balance instincts kick in. A three year old can 'paddle' it and a focusd 5 year old can go as fast as any regular adult paddled kayak on the water. Its just a crack up to watch the kids pick up boat wakes and small chop. I sold this one to the Jr. Olympic club a while back with the idea that I would do another one for my boy as he grew. He is three now as I was tinkering on a surfski mold he came up to me and said,
Daddy, I want my own boat, a real one." On to say I was planning on having it done by the end of summer but just did not have the time. I AM going to make this boat. I have been thinking on doing it so it can convert to OC as well. I asked for input on the Yahoo outrigger forum a while back but only got a couple people getting back to me ... Those without kids.

If you have any thoughts / ideas or input you would like to send over, I welcome it. The plan was to do it in a kid sturdy layup and humbly priced for family and club budgets.

http://www.eteamz.com/paddleshop/albums/index.cfm?id=287564

Aloha,
pog

#25 Tue, 10/21/2008 - 9:45am

That's looking good pog. My seven year old daughter swims competitively and surfs but really wants to paddle. I think there's a market out there if the right price point can be hit. Of course, that's always the challenge...

#26 Tue, 10/21/2008 - 11:18am

New oc1 for childern, by allwave outriggercanoe italy

#27 Tue, 10/21/2008 - 10:47pm

ciao,
in next time we will sell our canoes in hawaii, we will send some Gecko, new duo, oracle and surfski.
we need a time to organize it.
we are happy to see a lot of message about our gecko.
we leave in Rome- Italy and we would like to meet some hawaiian paddlers in our race Allwave cup, this year is European Championship, it will to do a good meet here, holiday in rome and good race.
many times we was came in hawaii to make some races whit our atlete and our canoes, molokaii, kauai world challenge, etc.
now we would like to see some hawaiian paddlers came here!
have nice days!
Roberto Spigoli
Allwave team

#28 Tue, 10/21/2008 - 10:54pm