[Sparky]

Bought my son a Mainstream Kingfish kayak for Christmas from Gander Mountain in Kenosha............Last one.....display model, didn't have any paperwork to go with it. I didn't think too much about it then because I had no idea you had to register a kayak in Illinois. Now I find out I need a Manufacturers Statement of Origin, so I go back to Gander Mountain.........The poor girl behind the customer service counter has that deer in headlights look when I ask her how can I obtain one. She then asks a manager, his reply is to go to the manufacturer of the Kayak, Mainstream. So I ask if he has the contact information. He tells me to "just go on line". One problem.......Can't find any information on Mainstream Kayaks on line.......Found plenty of places to buy one.....but no one owning up to making them. Anybody got a suggestion or two? Anybody knows who manufactures mainstream kayaks?

[RonG]

Call one of the online places that has them. Tell them of your problem and they should be able to pull a statement of origin and get an address off of it. The statements are usually generic - you write in the hull # and details. Better yet, ask if they can send you a photocopy or stick it in the fax for you.

[twade]

You can also call the DNR. They usally have information that'll help if you still can't find the a MSO

[Howard Sprague]

I don't know if this will help, but try what I believe is the parent company, Confluence Watersports. http://confluencewatersports.com/homepage/about/

They own Perception, Wilderness Systems, Dagger, Mad River Canoe, Wave Sport, and it looks like they bought Mainstream at some point. maybe someone there will help you - prob have to call the number, because I don't see a separate site for the Mainstream part.

[Sparky]

Thanks everyone!!!!!! Howard you wrer correct, Confluance ownes a piece of Mainstream. Talked to them a few minutes ago. All I have to do is sensd a self addressed stamped envelope to them with the serial number in it and they will send out a new one!

Okay sons yak taken care off. Hopfully will be picking one up for myself at canoecopia this weekend!

Thanks again!

[Howard Sprague]

Excellent! It's my goal to be somewhat useful to one human being at least once every decade, so I'm glad it worked out!

(Might see you there - if you see someone with a picture of his baby daughter on his back, or a red Duluth Pack sweatshirt, that might be me.)

[Sparky]

Howard,

My son and I are planning on getting there right at 9:00 on Saturday morning. Just look for a short fat balding Italian guy with a boy who looks like Cousin It!

[Howard Sprague]

Sparky - get anything?

Man, it was packed! (The checkout lines are immense but it's amazing how fast and efficent they are.)

Enjoyed the presentation on kayak fishing for smallies in Door County, among many others. Great event.

[Sparky]

Howard,
Had a great time! Got there right as the doors opened,wasn't too crouded early. Found the Ocean Kayaks talked with the Reps for awile. Drove up there to get a 13-ft trident angler.....NO LUCK! Walked around bummed for awile, checked out a few other yaks, didn't find anything that really jumped out at me. Then ended up back at the Ocean Kayaks. Talked to Dan Dalton for quite some time, found out he fishes the big pond on the Wisconsin side. After talking to him for about an hour....I was loading a New Prowler Trident 15 with rudder on to the top of my truck. I figured the wife couldn't stay pissed for too long, her birthday was on Monday. Now all I need is some open water. ( not ready for the big pond yet)

[RonG]

Sparky wrote:

up back at the Ocean Kayaks. Talked to Dan Dalton for quite some time, found out he fishes the big pond on the Wisconsin side. After talking to him for about an hour....I was loading a New Prowler Trident 15 with rudder on to the top of my truck.

Awesome boat! I would love it, but transport would be tougher for me and I wouldn't be able to make a turn at the bottom of the basement stairs to store it inside. (I've got the 13)

[Sparky]

RonG,

Thanks. Yea, I'm lucky to have a pickup with a ladder rack, will make transporting it a breeze. Had to break the news to the wife about loosing her spot in the garage.......that went well . Can't wait to get it out! One of these days you'll have to teach me how to perch out of it.

[Howard Sprague]

Congrats!
I stopped by the Ocean Kayak section - it was tight, but they had some nice boats! You're gonna love that thing. How much time have you spent in the garage just looking at it so far?

I bought my WS Pungo 140 at that show a few years ago. The color I wanted wasn't in stock either, so I put a deposit down and ordered one at the Canoecopia discount price and went back and picked it up a month or so later. An extra drive, but the nice thing is if I'd wanted to test paddle it right there and didn't like it, I wouldn't have had to buy it or could have changed my mind for another model. And when I bought a few things at the store they gave me the Canoecopia discount. The store (Rutabaga) is a well-run and ethical business.