Why are canoes and kayaks so readily available but you don't see rowing craft very often?

Not referring specifically to racing shells, but why is it that you can go into REI to buy a kayak but not any kind of rowing shell, or even a regular row boat??|||It is all about demand.





REI doesn't have many customers asking for rowing shells or using them on a regular basis.|||REI mostly stocks beginner type recreational equipment -- I could make the same complaint that they don't stock high performance sea kayaks like I use but I realize they can't serve every market. They have to limit their stock to certain categories that have high-volume sales. Rowing shells are still a pretty esoteric craft, and rowboats are the sort of thing that are readily available at hunting and fishing outfitters or boating shops. I'm sure if shell racing became a fad, places like REI would start to sell cheap versions of the craft.





So I guess, to me, your question strikes me as being kind of pointless. You might as well complain that they don't sell truffles or foie gras at McDonalds.|||rowing shells tend to be larger and require more assembly after transportation. being that you travel backwards, a lot of people might be scared of it. Rowing is also much less intuitive than canoeing and kayaking and therefore requires more training. Hard to pick up for some beginners.|||Recreational buyers buy kayaks and canoes not rowing craft