Kayaks built in Winton, sold to Japan
A multisports competitor is developing a business using his marketing and carpentry skills and love of kayaking.
Rikki Griffin began building carbon and fibreglass sea and racing kayaks two months ago in the Southland town of Winton.
He toils away outside the hours of his main job as a marketer for an animal food ingredients company in Invercargill.
‘‘It’s challenging fitting it around family life and having two children,’’ Griffin, 41, said.
He sees a resurgence in recreational and competitive kayaking after it waned about 15 years ago. Helping to encourage people into the sport has been The Coast to Coast multisports event, which includes kayaking.
‘‘Mums and dads that did it [Coast to Coast] in the ’80s and ’90s now have their kids doing it.’’
He and his business partners, Paul Gow, of North Otago, and David Galbraith, of Timaru, formed Nautique Paddle Sports NZ 12 months ago.
They bought tools and 16 types of moulds from Methven kayak builder Grahame Sisson and then received training from him.
Griffin has built six kayaks, with one being made most weeks.
Inquiries come in frequently from Japan and Australia, he said. ‘‘We’ll be sending shipments there in the next 12 months.’’
Griffin’s interest in kayaking began at high school. During 1999–2000 he was a rafting firm’s safety kayaker in Nepal and a kayaking guide in the Dusky, Milford and Doubtful sounds.
He also got a marketing degree and qualified as a carpenter.
‘‘I pulled all those different skills together for this business.’’
Griffin has competed in two Coast to Coasts, and is a gradetwo kayak assessor. He has won several times at the Southland Multisports Championships.