Eric Jackson describes his relationship with kayaking as one of obsession. Perhaps. But it seems to me that what truly propels Jackson forward is family. Take his company Jackson Kayak, for instance.
“My son Dane was also quite obsessed with kayaking, and I wanted to design and make a boat for him,” says Jackson. It was 2004 and his son was 2 years old. “He was a small 2, too,” remembers Jackson. “He was 23 pounds, but he was way into kayaking.”
Eric and son Dane in Dynamic DuoAt the time, Jackson was working for an international kayak company. He and his partner David Knight collaborated to design a child-sized kayak. However, their company refused to make it, stating lack of market as the reason. So Jackson quit. Six months later, he started Jackson Kayak with business partner Tony Lunt and with Knight as head designer.
It all sounded rather risky. I wondered if he’d ever had any reservations putting his young son into a kayak.
“It’s good to know how safe the sport is,” says Jackson. “Kayaking’s ranking on danger levels is right between hiking and biking. I kept my son in good shape. I taught him to kayak when he was pretty little. My goal was always to have fun so we could kayak together forever.”
The first child boat that Jackson Kayak marketed was named “Fun 1.” The company sold 250 in their first year. “Jackson Kayak cut the average entry age of kayakers by half with that boat,” says Jackson.
Now, the company sells around 8,500 child boats per year. In fact, it now makes five different youth kayaks. That, of course, is in addition to the multitude of fishing boats, recreational boats, white water boats and boats for freestyle competitions made by Jackson Kayak.
It seems that Jackson’s risk was worth it. Within three years of its startup, Jackson Kayak became one of the top-selling kayak brands. In 2013, Jackson’s son Dane, now 20 years old, became world champion of freestyle kayaking.
Jackson names Karma as his favorite boat for river running, or white water kayaking.
Features:
¦ Ranges from 40-50 pounds ¦ Boat hull is flat and stable to help in getting over rocks easily
¦ Sidewalls are extra-large to provide additional stability and keep water off deck
¦ Outfitted with Boat Armor (seat/seat brackets, welded floor support, 4-pound density walls and thermo seat) to keep boat safe and dry
Jackson Kayak is based in Sparta, Tenn. The small-scale company is comprised of a 100,000-square-foot factory, 160 employees and five ovens. Boats are created in small, medium and large sizes. Nothing is created overseas; unless you count Jackson family adventure a la Jackson Kayaks. When I last spoke with Jackson, he and his family were preparing to pack their favorite boats and travel to Africa where they’d spend the next several weeks kayaking the Nile. “Training,” Jackson calls it. “There’s some really great waves on the Nile.”
When paddling with other people, Jackson uses the Dynamic Duo.
Features:
¦ Adjustable back seat for paddlers up to 260 pounds
¦ Ergonomic seats create non-intrusive ride with elbow and knee placements
The Fun 1 was the first child boat made by Jackson Kayak. It is designed for children ages 2-8, weighing 30-80 pounds.
Features:
¦ Pre-cut foam foot blocks are adjustable to accommodate growing children
¦ Go Pro insert so you can capture your child’s first experience