A Brief Comment
On Ethics and Disclosure
On Ethics and Disclosure
I just received an inquiry about how I came to own the Cetus I just obtained. To cut to the chase, I bought it. Now, sometimes you read a blogger who has received a boat from a company so that the writer can test drive it and, the company hopes, write nice things about it. The person who wrote to me indicated that some of these blog writers end up with a free boat (no such luck here). Apparently the person who wrote got the impression (from my posts) that I had never paddled the boat before and surmised I had gotten it free (probably because I was writing nice things about it).
Actually, I had paddled the boat up in Madison and tried to do so in as many conditions as possible. There is nothing like Lake Michigan up there, so my testing was limited. I did, however, do all the maneuvers in as many situations as I could, and I liked the boat. So, I ordered it.
Now it is a fact that after expenses for gear and gas I make just about $0.00 teaching kayaking, especially classes in Madison. Why do it? First, and for most, I love doing it. Secondly, and nothing to sneeze at, Rutabaga is kind enough to give instructors a discount on the purchases we make there. So, I did get such a discount when I bought the boat, but I still paid good money for it. Face it, having 2-3 regular readers isn't an inducement to any company to give me anything.
Now that that is cleared up, let me tell you that I will accept bribes to play your music if I ever get a radio show.
Paddle safe...
DS
14 comments:
Still looking for a flask that will fit in that little "glove compartment" of a hatch in front of the cockpit. How much ice will that hold with the flask?
Now,s that's what I'm talking about. Would some fine Scotch whiskey company like to "donate" a flask for testing?
Sweet boat! Makes me wonder if a flask might come with a Whisky 18...I think it should.
For the record I had to pay for my new boat as well. No whiskey in the front mini-hatch, either! However, I like it that way. Knowing I paid my way in life is important to me. A free boat or other gear doesn't sit well especially when so many others can't afford even to dream about becoming kayakers. Enjoy your new boat!
Spooky, Anonymous shows as a D Winter, the name of my missing friend.
Michael, I agree with and honor your values.
Silbs, take it as a compliment when somebody questions you about a "free" kayak. It shows that your blog is worthy of attention and professional enough to make people thing you get shwag from manufacturers.
On the other hand most owners of boats (or any other expensive item) would write nice thing about them.
Surely they don't want to appear as fools to bag a product that they just spend very good money on it (not implying that this is your case).
Occasionally I get some free stuff from manufactures but to be true to my beliefs I write what I really think about the product.
And it is not always a stellar review either...
What I can't work out however is why did the free stuff suddenly stop coming? :-)
Good points...and thanks for the kind words. Now...maybe you need to start padding those reviews so the freebies start rolling in again.
I would agree with both JB and Gnarly. You need a metal flask with Bushmills 400th Anniversary single malt, and we generally don't write things about our well thought out purchases that makes us look stupid for buying them. For the record, i paid beaucoup bucks for my Q-boat, even after saying very nice things.
Note to self: Get some Bushmills and write really nice stuff about it. Make the whiskey company aware of my good words.
BTW: I will fess up any warts I find in the boat. So far, I find it hard to pinch the skeg release, mostly due to arthritis in my thumb joint.
I have a suggestion, gents - since the hatch is cylindrical and has a slightly awkward corner that would prevent either flask-shaped or long, equally-cylindrical objects from entering, why not pick up one of those "wine-Platys" (which I'm sure would perform admirably for whiskey - or whisky - with very little space wasted)?
Just a thought...
Susan
See what happens when we all work together? The ideas get better and better. Hmmmmm, whiskey in my camel back????
Hmmm - don't think I'd do that - then EVERYTHING will taste of whiskey, even the white wine!!!
Susan
Clearly this is a paddler's blog. Who gives a damn about the kayak, where does the whiskey go? :-)
I guess it goes everywhere...and with anything. It's not just for breakfast anymore.
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