The sport of canoeing and kayaking has boomed in the past 10 years and women have participated in the growth of this sport in amazing numbers. You are as apt to see a woman paddling a solo canoe or kayak as you are to see a man. There are many reasons for this growth in a sport that many of us first participated in at summer camp many years ago. One of the most compelling reasons for the growth of this sport is the increased awareness of the environment and our natural resources.
Women are just as involved in enjoying the outdoors now as men are.
One sees growing numbers of women taking up most of the outdoor sports such as camping, hiking, cross country skiing and of course, paddling. Boats are now made of rotoformed plastic, kevlar and fiberglass that greatly reduces the need for exceptional upper body strength in order to move and carry boats. The old style canoes, often made of wood and canvas or aluminum, were bulky and awkward for a woman to carry any great distance. And even more importantly, to even lift onto a vehicle for transporting to a body of water on which to paddle. Paddling is also a skill that really knows no gender.