Jackson Kayak facts for kids
Jackson Kayak is a company that makes kayaks. It was started by Eric "EJ" Jackson, who the company is named after. Eric Jackson used to work with another kayak company called Wave Sport Kayaks. He was a team member and a designer there. In October 2003, Eric Jackson and his business partner, Tony Lunt, started Jackson Kayak in Rock Island, Tennessee.
How the Company Started and Grew
In their first year, Jackson Kayak sold 2,500 boats. This brought in $1.5 million in sales. The company's sales grew very fast, by 80% each year until 2007. In 2008, they sold 7,515 boats.
Jackson Kayak became very popular in the United States. In 2008 and 2009, they sold 40% of all whitewater kayaks there. They also have the biggest share of the kayak market in England and Japan. Their sales are growing in France too.
Their kayaks are especially popular for Freestyle kayaking. Many top freestyle paddlers use Jackson kayaks. The company also sponsors some of the best freestyle kayakers in the world. This helps make their kayaks even more well-known.
Jackson Kayak's Team and World Championship Wins
Jackson Kayak sponsors many of the world's best freestyle kayakers. This includes the Jackson family: Eric, Emily, and Dane Jackson. Other famous team members are Nick Troutman, Claire O'Hara, and Clay Wright.
The team has had great success at world championships.
- In 2007, Jackson Kayak's team won many titles. They took the K-1 World Title in Pro Men, Pro Women, and Junior Women. They also got third place in Junior Men.
- At the 2009 World Championships, the team did even better. They won the top three spots in K-1 Pro Men. They also took the first two places in K-1 Pro Women. A team member was also runner-up for the K-1 Junior Men's title.
- In 2011, the Jackson team won 5 gold medals, 4 silver, and 3 bronze medals. Dane Jackson made history by competing in all four freestyle events. He won three gold medals and one bronze.
- At the 2013 World Championships, Jackson athletes won many categories. These included K1 Men's, K1 Women's, and Junior K1 Men's. They also won Squirt Men's and Squirt Women's. They earned podium spots in C1 and OC1 as well.
Even some competitors not sponsored by Jackson Kayak used their boats. In 2009, this included the top two places in the C-1 competition. Also, the first place in K-1 Junior Men's and many top spots in K-1 Junior Women's.
Company Approach and Impact
Jackson Kayak mainly works with smaller stores, not big chain retailers. They have worked hard to promote kayaking as a sport for the whole family. They even make small boats for children weighing as little as 13.5 kg (30 pounds).
Joe Jacobi, an Olympic Gold medalist in canoeing, believes Jackson Kayak has changed the sport. He says they have "made whitewater kayaking a family sport in a way that no one else in the industry has been able to do."
Some people in the kayaking world have debated Jackson Kayak's effect on the market. They suggest that Jackson Kayak's success and affordable boats might have led to a lot of used kayaks being available. This could have caused the market to slow down.
However, others disagree. They say the market slowed because kayaks stopped changing quickly. When kayaks were evolving fast, people bought new ones often. Now that changes are slower, less interest in new boats is natural. Eric Jackson himself believes his company has actually helped the market grow.
