The AOTY Committee has been discussing potential rule changes for 2017, and have come up with a few ideas for consideration. We'd like to get the AOTY competitors to provide us input on these ideas to see whether they would be worth changing. This is the third in a series of polls about the ideas that have been tossed around. While the polls are not binding, we will be happy to take the results under advisement when making our decisions for 2017.
The third rule proposal is to add Standup Paddleboards (SUPs) and Canoe/Kayak hybrids to the competition. Generally speaking, these are both paddlecraft that are manufactured by the same manufacturers of SOT and Thermoformed kayak makers. They are a fast growing segment of the paddle fishing market and will continue to grow in the future.
The general idea for each is that they do not provide some sort of overt advantage over kayaks. In addition, new watercraft being released by traditional kayak makers are starting to change in design such that they may no longer look the same as a traditional fishing kayak, but each manufacturer decides whether to call it a kayak, SUP, hybrid or other name based more upon marketing than anything else. It would be strange for us to simply allow "kayaks" when named by manufacturer even though other watercraft are similar in design and may not be a "kayak" in any more sense than another similar craft.
If you have other recommendations, please feel free to comment below as stated in the poll. Again, please, only vote if you are an AOTY competitor or honestly plan to be one in the future.
Archie Marx:
What if we think that they should be allowed, but also maintain the belief that they do offer an advantage under certain circumstances?
bmb:
--- Quote from: Archie Marx on October 13, 2016, 05:39:32 PM ---What if we think that they should be allowed, but also maintain the belief that they do offer an advantage under certain circumstances?
--- End quote --- As one would say, shut your pie hole.
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ThreemoneyJ:
As somebody who may buy an inflatable pool toy in the future I say allow them :smt044