kayak deck slates on a NDK Explorer
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Kayak Deck Slates

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Over the past few years, I’ve run into many kayakers who see my sticker deck slates and ask where they can buy them. Unfortunately, they were only made in England and were was hard to get them and then they stopped making them. Over the last few years, I’ve toyed with getting some manufactured and offering them for sale on PaddlingLight. I even went so far as to have a graphic designer draw slates up, but then sat on it. This year, I took the plunge and had it done. I did an initial run of 100 slates to see how well they sell. Before I put the offer up 10 sold, so there’s a good chance that these may sell out or maybe that will be the only 10 sold. It’s a bit of a risk, but I think that they’re such a great product that it’s worth it.

I’m offering these in two configurations: with and without a Listo pencil. If you have access to an office supply store, you can pick up Listos there. If you don’t, then you can order one with the slate. I’m charging $5 per Listo, which is a little higher than an office supply store. I’m also shipping them in the exact same cardboard sleeve as those sold without, so we’ll see how that goes.

What is a Deck Slate?

A kayak deck slate is a vinyl sticker that you apply near the cockpit opening of your kayak. It’s a place to keep notes. The left slate is setup for tide charts and the right slate is blank. I use my slates to keep track of what I see during the day, poems, navigation notes and when I’m guiding or teaching, I’ll often put the student’s name on the slates and then keep track of notes on how they’re doing. I’ve even used them to track water clarity tests that I helped with during one expedition. What I really like about the slates is that they allow you to organize all your notes. They clean easily and you can reuse them over and over and over. No more need to carry a waterproof paper notebook. Just put a Listo pencil in your vest and pull it out when you need to take a note. I put my Liston in the same pocket as my VHF for easy access. For instructors, the deck slates are a must. For navigation, deck slates are a must.

Order Now

Kayak Deck Slates come in one of two configurations, either with a Listo or without, and they cost $24.99 and $19.99, respectively. Shipping anywhere is the U.S. is currently $4. To Canada, it’s $10. You’ll need to contact me on any international orders. For international orders, you’ll need to order 3 or more to get a shipping quote. This may change in the future. Wholesale is available. Stores that are interested should contact me at publisher@paddlinglight.com for details. All orders shipped to Minnesota pay tax.

Order your Kayak Deck Slate here.

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Deck Slate Pictures

These are a few photos of deck slates.

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Bryan Hansel is a freelance writer, award-winning photographer and a former American Canoe Association L4 Open Water Coastal Kayaking Instructor. His home port is on Lake Superior in Grand Marais, Minnesota. He also teaches photography workshops.

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