TRAK Pilot Summit | June 2021
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2021 TRAK Pilot Summit
It is GOOD to spend time with fellow paddlers!
Canadian TRAK Pilots assembled at the new TRAK HQ in Nanaimo, BC this weekend for a few days of training, team building, and community connection. Paddling on the Salish Sea, together as a community, felt amazing for everyone. No more sitting around inside - it was time to get wet!
As one of our last activities for World Oceans Week, we knew that one of the biggest impacts that we could make would be to bring a group together to get on the water. A connection to water is forged by experiencing it - it is important to get immersed! We “went to water” on the Salish Sea, and launched a group of TRAK Pilots & 10 other guests at Neck Point, BC for a day of discovering the TRAK 2.0 kayak and what it is really all about!
We began our weekend of discovery with a gathering of TRAK Pilots and some special guests at our new TRAK HQ in Nanaimo. We dug into the current state of TRAK, and how we're building so many boats this year, but also took a close look at how our Pilot Ambassadors can better support the TRAK community through introductions and training!
TRAK Pilots are owner ambassadors who got their start as TRAK customers - after great experiences with our kayaks and our company, they chose to get more involved. Pilots help educate, expand, and unleash our community - many TRAK owners got their first introduction to the 2.0 kayak from a Pilot ambassador!
Saturday was shaping up to be an unpredictable day wind-wise, which really made it clear that we should have a paddling contingency in place. Cole Wilde, TRAK Pilot-in-Residence diligently created thorough, comprehensive passage plans for all of our paddlers to help keep them on track.
Upon arriving at Neck Point, we built a quick base camp and proceeded to show our guests how easy it is to build the TRAK 2.0 kayak.
Ready to get in the cockpit and test a TRAK 2.0 kayak?
Sign-up for a Test Paddle with one of our TRAK Pilots in your area:
We outfitted kayaks for everyone, but ultimately made the call to transfer to a more sheltered beach for the water demo. TRAK Pilots loaded into their boats, with some towing up to 2 kayaks behind them, transferred the craft to a beach farther North that was more sheltered from wind at the time. This turned out to be the right decision for our guests.
After some time playing in the sheltered bay, we stuck our noses out behind the windy point we'd transferred from, and discovered that the wind and sea state had calmed down significantly! This meant we could get a bit more ambitious, and rounded the point with a pod size of about 13 paddlers.
The final day of the summit was for Pilots only! The team assembled for a day of moving-water practice in a local feature called Dodd's Narrows. Paddling here gave the team the chance to work on boat control, moving water rescues, and rolling practice. A little bit stoke'? You've got their attention!
Thank you Pilots & Guests!
We are so grateful to have a wonderful community of paddlers around us. The TRAK Pilots have been instrumental in making TRAK work worldwide, and our owner community is top-notch. There is something about the sport of kayaking that attracts great individuals, all bound by a shared love for water - it is wonderful to be a part of.
Ready to get in the cockpit and test a TRAK 2.0 kayak?
Sign-up for a Test Paddle with one of our TRAK Pilots in your area:
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