Poll: How Old Are You?

[Steve in Idaho]

Ack! Marketing surveys! Don't get me started!

It's only natural that canoeing would show demographics tilted toward the more seasoned. Many of us have come into paddling avidly after abandoning our higher impact sports of our youth. I really committed to paddling when I gave up my last dirt bike to avoid the pain (Okay, I admit that it was also a choice of priorities). When I look around me, I see that I am not unique in that. Since Paddling is an activity that lends itself well to aging athletics, and as we athletic outdoor types do tend to seek out ways to stay active, it's only logical that polling would show a bigger participation from our age group.

 

[Muskrat]

Regarding the Coleman study I agree that oversampling ethnic groups is odd. I don't see the problem regarding representing age demos according to their percent of population. I would much prefer they had presented a white paper so we could better understand their methods, or just give us the data so we can present it how we choose.

Link to the ACA page with more of the studies...

http://www.americancanoe.org/?page=Statistics

I just went through the BWCA report and it seems to report similar demos to our poll. They were polling overnight paddlers so we can broadly categorize them as serious paddlers, but their day use numbers reflect similiar. I am at least encouraged that people of all ages are at least getting out in canoes even at a minimum of once per year. And even if it all goes to heck and no one goes paddling anymore, I'll just have more lakes and rivers to my self.

To keep this age war going, my conclusion is that you baby boomers are just continiung to live the easy life, leaving us behind to struggle with the problems you all created. We can't afford canoes and vacations because we're busy paying for two retirements, yours and ours.


Frozentripper, no worries. I wasn't offended. The old farts definitely dominate the forum, nothing wrong with that. I'm glad you old b*st*rds started the forum so I've got another place to chat about canoes.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Muskrat, I certainly agree with your political and political-economic conclusions, and am encouraged that someone in your age group understands these serious issues. But this isn't the place for that.

As to the pre-identified age group buckets that Coleman used, that would be like asking my three kids how often they went canoeing when they were 6-12 years old. They would have answered "frequently". But that's only because one 30-ish to 40-ish male was in that canoe with them and doing just about all the planning, carrying, paddling and paying. So the GM household would have registered three "participants" in the child category and only one in the adult category. Not very meaningful to me.

I'll perhaps sum up this survey in a few weeks. The absence of anyone under 30 may seem a little striking, but I can identify with it based on my own experience. I paddled all summer, every summer at my grandparent's summer camp on a lake in Maine from age 8 to 18. Then I went off to college, law school, jobs in cities, moved around the country, got married, had kids -- and wasn't canoeing at all during that time period, except on some very rare occasions, until I had young kids in my mid 30's. Then I bought my first canoe in 1980 and its been a compulsive hobby ever since.

The child is the father of the man . . . after some distracting interruptions.

 

[Muskrat]

Oh I see what you were getting at now with the young age bracket.

Most of the guys I paddle with are in their upper 20s lower 30s with a couple in the 40s and 60s. Two of us own canoes. Everyone else rents for now. They all love it but don't make it a priority like I do. Kids and jobs. I have no children and am not afraid of taking my vacation time at work. Everyone of them complains all winter long that they didn't go on more trips. I only complain that I had to do some of them alone. Maybe they'll figure it out some day. I remain optimistic, even on that politics stuff, and I don't hold any grudges. We all play the cards we're dealt, but enough of that.

 

[Srobocop]

Frozen Tripper, no worries. I don't take things too personally on the internet. Most people I know that paddle are about my age, early to mid 30's with a couple in their high 20s. But when it comes to finding people to actually go tripping for a week or so that list shortens quite a bit. They can't seem to get away from their electronics more than a couple days.

 

[Grandpa Paddler]

The biggest advantage to being older is retirement... six Saturdays and a Sunday every week! Lots of time to paddle, camp, ski or just goof off in general. Made 40 years of work all worthwhile!!!

 

[Srobocop]

The biggest advantage to being older is retirement... six Saturdays and a Sunday every week! Lots of time to paddle, camp, ski or just goof off in general. Made 40 years of work all worthwhile!!!

can't wait. Probably taking a leave of absence next year to do an extended canoe trip. 30 years(for me) seems too far out haha

 

[Muskrat]

Agreed above. I'm on a forced leave of absence right now. I knew it was coming, not the first time I've been layed off. I have figured out by now there is no career employment any more. Small companies sell to bigger companies, big companies sell to bigger companies, employees get hosed, that's how money is made these days. I stock up in boom times and enjoy my time off during the bust.

Temporary employment is only a means to escape it.

 

[yknpdlr]

41.5 years of federal employment along with annual maximum contributions to an IRA, plus 20 years of military reserve retirement, makes a very comfortable retirement. Just over 3 years now and I haven't had a single bored day yet. Thanks kids, for continuing to contribute to SS, which I haven't started collecting yet.

temporary employment 2 days/month, teaching a Land Navigation course for Homeland Security and SAR, brings in a very few extra bucks and keeps my outdoor nav skills sharp.

 

[scoutergriz]

I think the biggest factor in paddling age is time! kids have all summer to play, and will generally pick going on an adventure over sitting home playing video games (more so if they can bring one with them). Once they get into their teens it's all about girls (or boys) jobs, and cars or shopping. Young adults are all about careers, education, and socializing. Then you get into families, bills, and "responsibilities". finally the kids move out and those that want finally have free weekends, and vacation time again to paddle.
There's also the issue of holidays; most places give you 2 weeks for the first 5 years, but you have too low seniority to get the best periods off. then you get 3 for the next 5, but your chances are only marginally better. It's only after 15 years that you really have the time and seniority to get the best periods and have the freedom and finances to start doing really decent trips. Sadly as Muskrat said "there is no career employment any more" So we may be the last generations that get enough vacation time to go on longer, more fulfilling trips! More and more I hear the "I can't get time off" problem at all ages

 

[memaquay]

On our canoe/moose hunt last weekend, the youngest guy was 51. I'm really looking forward to December, because the local pharmacy gives a 15% discount to anyone 55 or older. Can't wait to stock up on discount Prep H and other assorted geriatric easements.

 

[jcavenagh]

I think I'm 22, but my 59 year old body can't cash the checks my spirit is writing!

 

[yellowcanoe]

On our canoe/moose hunt last weekend, the youngest guy was 51. I'm really looking forward to December, because the local pharmacy gives a 15% discount to anyone 55 or older. Can't wait to stock up on discount Prep H and other assorted geriatric easements.

I just learned Tequila is a probiotic.. Essential in old age..

 

[TheIndian]

46.
Happy to be paddling!

 

[FartherWest]

+1 for the 40-somethings....

 

[GGTBod]

Mental age about 33, physical age about 60, years since I was born 41

 

[Connecticut Yankee]

66 next month.
That coleman survey showed 57% or respondents paddled 1-3 times a year, 27% just once. Not a description of a paddler in my opinion. A survey of people that paddled at least 25 days a year would have our demographic much more represented.
They are also selling cheap/inexpensive products. We on the other hand average several boats that are valued sometimes into the thousands of $ or take many hours of painstaking ,no pleasurable, hours to build. It's like the difference in age of someone that owns a '55 chevy verses a 2012 chevy. or a custom guitar vs a $150 starter guita, or......

John M

 

[lowangle al]

I'll be turning 58 this week and am thankful to be doing as well as I am considering that most of my bone and joint problems started in my 20s. The key is to stay active, "use it or loose it" and I believe that glucosimine and chondroitin really work and have been taking it for almost twenty years.


The low number of young people here may have more to do with the decline of the popularity of talk forums with young people prefering to post their activities on face book.

 

[Guest]

The low number of young people here may have more to do with the decline of the popularity of talk forums with young people prefering to post their activities on face book.

Not just young people; most of my like age paddling friends are now mostly active on Facebook.

They have all but hounded me to join, but I just can’t do it. I have witnessed what a time suck Facebook can be and know my own addictive personality too well.

I miss knowing what they are doing paddling-wise, but figure I will hear about it eventually.

 

[Grandpa Paddler]

Not just young people; most of my like age paddling friends are now mostly active on Facebook.

They have all but hounded me to join, but I just can’t do it. I have witnessed what a time suck Facebook can be and know my own addictive personality too well.

I miss knowing what they are doing paddling-wise, but figure I will hear about it eventually.

Facebook? What's that? My wife has a Facebook account only to keep in touch with the nieces and nephews. I NEVER use it. Can't be bothered.