Tim Niemier | |
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Born | Malibu, California, U.S. | March 25, 1951
Nationality | American |
Known for | Introducing sit-on-top kayak design |
Tim Niemier is a designer of watercraft, currently focusing on kayaks and stand up paddleboards. Niemier is credited with introducing the sit-on-top (SOT) kayak design. “I sort of introduced those,” Niemier said of the sit-on-top design. “I didn't really invent it.” [1]
In January 1988, Tim founded kayak manufacturing and sales company, Ocean Kayak, to produce these unique kayaks using polyethylene. Ocean Kayak was producing upwards of 200 kayaks per day when its assets were purchased in 1997 by Johnson Worldwide Associates, now Johnson Outdoors, Inc. [2]
Since selling Ocean Kayak, Niemier has been providing custom design services and creating new lines of stand up paddleboards and other watercraft for manufacturers and individuals. [3]
Niemier grew up in Malibu, California and loved being out on the water in spite of his fear of it. His expertise with watercraft started early, spending much of his spare time as a youth paddling along the coast and out to dive sites. He learned about their design dynamics and began testing designs of his own.
In 1971, Niemier designed and produced his first kayak using fiberglass molding. While taking it to the beach to test he was asked how much it cost. Not expecting anyone to buy it, Niemier offered to sell it at three times his production cost. The price was accepted and, fresh out of high school, Niemier had sold his first kayak. [4]
In the years following, Niemier set up shop in Malibu selling personally-designed kayaks to customers on a small stretch of beach near home. From this success, he realized the potential for much bigger sales volumes in larger markets.
After years of successful design and sales, Niemier launched Ocean Kayak in Ferndale, Washington in 1988. Adopting rotational molding as the preferred production process, enabled producing kayaks in far greater quantities than possible with fiberglass molds. This supported the success they were having in the marketplace.
In 1997, Johnson Worldwide Associates, Inc. (now Johnson Outdoors, Inc.), purchased the assets of Ocean Kayak. The terms of the purchase were not made public.
Tim first designed and launched a foldable standup paddle board in 2012 called the Origami Paddler at the website Origamipaddler.com. [5] This first version relied on a combination of a hinge and strap to fold and secure the board. Tim redesigned and relaunched the Origami Paddler using the same site domain in summer of 2020 on Kickstarter, [6] which rapidly grew to become one of the top Kickstarter campaigns of all time, despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, with over 8,000 backers pledging over 3.8 million dollars. The new design can be used as a standup paddle board or kayak with three hollow plastic hulls connected by a unique modular hinge and locking system that allows the Origami Paddler to fold open and closed or be secured in "paddle mode". The Origami Paddler is suggested for use in flat, calm water with a capacity of 250 lbs. Its total weight is composed of three 15 pound hulls. [7] Its dimensions allow it to be ground-shipped in the US and to fit in the trunk space of most compact cars. [8] Tim has stated his goal to be environmentally responsible with plastic manufacturing, sources, and waste streams. [9]
The company was placed into receivership in July 2022 after failing to fulfil orders and having issues with manufacturing (e.g. broken hinges, hull leakages through mold holes and seams) as well as shipping (e.g. shipping out of order, inadequate packaging).
The company entered into receivership on July 15, and is now controlled by a court-appointed receiver. The receiver is entertaining offers from third parties who have expressed an interest in acquiring the assets and rebooting the product lines in some manner. That process will likely take 60 to 90 days, depending on offers received and any time the acquiring company wants to spend on due diligence before the final transfer of ownership takes place.
Details of the court-appointed receiver:
Resource Transition Consultants, LLC
ATTN: Kevin Hanchett
4100 194th Street SW
Suite 208
Lynwood WA 98036
Niemier now lives in Bellingham, Washington where he continues creating new kayak and stand up paddleboard designs, provide business consulting services and speaking. Niemier's personal goal remains the same, “To put a billion butts in boats.” [10]
A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word qajaq.
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits facing forward, legs in front, using a double-bladed paddle to pull front-to-back on one side and then the other in rotation. Most kayaks have closed decks, although sit-on-top and inflatable kayaks are growing in popularity as well.
A sea kayak or touring kayak is a kayak developed for the sport of paddling on open waters of lakes, bays, and the ocean. Sea kayaks are seaworthy small boats with a covered deck and the ability to incorporate a spray deck. They trade off the manoeuvrability of whitewater kayaks for higher cruising speed, cargo capacity, ease of straight-line paddling, and comfort for long journeys.
A folding kayak is a direct descendant of the original Inuit kayak made of animal skins stretched over frames made from wood and bones. A modern folder has a collapsible frame made of some combination of wood, aluminium and plastic, and a skin made of a tough fabric with a waterproof coating. Many have integral air chambers inside the hull, making them virtually unsinkable.
Jet Ski is the brand name of a personal watercraft (PWC) manufactured by Kawasaki, a Japanese company. The term is often used generically to refer to any type of personal watercraft used mainly for recreation, and it is also used as a verb to describe the use of any type of PWC.
Whitewater kayaking is an adventure sport where a river is navigated in a decked kayak. Whitewater kayaking includes several styles. River running; where the paddler follows a river and paddles rapids as they travel. Creeking usually involving smaller, steeper, and more technical waterways. Creek boats tend to be short but high volume to allow for manoeuvrability while maintaining buoyancy. Slalom requires paddlers to navigate through "gates". Slalom is the only whitewater event to be in the Olympics. Play boating involves staying on one feature of the river and is more artistic than the others. Squirt boating uses low-volume boats to perform special moves in whitewater features.
Sponsons are projections extending from the sides of land vehicles, aircraft or watercraft to provide protection, stability, storage locations, mounting points for weapons or other devices, or equipment housing.
The International Canoe Federation (ICF) is the umbrella organization of all national canoe organizations worldwide. It is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and administers all aspects of canoe sport worldwide. 157 countries are affiliated with the ICF after seven national federations were added at the 2008 ICF Congress in Rome.
A surfski is a type of kayak in the kayaking "family" of paddling craft. It is generally the longest of all kayaks and is a performance oriented kayak designed for speed on open water, most commonly the ocean, although it is well suited to all bodies of water and recreational paddling.
Kayak fishing is fishing from a kayak. The kayak has long been a means of transportation and a means of accessing fishing grounds. Kayak fishing has gained popularity in recent times.
Johnson Outdoors Inc. produces outdoor recreational products such as watercraft, diving equipment, camping gear, and outdoor clothing. It has operations in 24 locations worldwide, employs 1,400 people and reports sales of more than $315 million. Helen Johnson-Leipold, one of Samuel Curtis Johnson, Jr.'s four children, has run the company since 1999.
Paddleboarding is a water sport in which participants are propelled by a swimming motion using their arms while lying or kneeling on a paddleboard or surfboard in the ocean or other body of water. This article refers to traditional prone or kneeling paddleboarding. A derivative of paddleboarding is stand up paddleboarding also called stand up paddle surfing. Paddleboarding is usually performed in the open ocean, with the participant paddling and surfing unbroken swells to cross between islands or journey from one coastal area to another.
Paddling with regard to watercraft is the act of manually propelling a boat using a paddle. The paddle, which consists of one or two blades joined to a shaft, is also used to steer the vessel. The paddle is not connected to the boat.
Standup paddleboarding (SUP) is a water sport born from surfing with modern roots in Hawaii. Stand up paddleboarders stand on boards that are floating on the water, and use a paddle to propel themselves through the water. The sport was documented in a 2013 report that identified it as the outdoor sporting activity with the most first-time participants in the United States that year. Variations include flat water paddling, racing, surfing, whitewater SUP, yoga, and fishing.
Corran Descy Addison and is a slalom canoeist, whitewater kayaker, surfer and surfboard designer. He is now based in San Clemente, California.
The following outline is provided as an overview of canoeing and kayaking:
Human-powered watercraft are watercraft propelled by human power.
Roray Kam is a surfer, a multiple-time winner of longboard surfing competitions and an early participant in stand up paddle boarding in South Florida. He is a surfing coach and the founder of RK Ocean Gear, and in 2013 resides in Fort Lauderdale, FL and works for the Broward County Sherriff's Office. Kam has hosted a number of Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) events and races.
Chris Bertish is a South African surfer, stand-up paddleboarder, adventurer, and motivational speaker. In 2004 he gained recognition as the owner of 'Best Cribbar Barrel Vision Ever' after he pulled into a giant closeout at the infamous big wave spot in Cornwall. He won the Mavericks Big Wave Surf contest in 2009. In March 2017 he completed the first solo, unsupported stand-up paddle board (SUP) crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. He did it while supporting charitable organizations. He has also set other SUP world records. His efforts moved an obscure sport onto the forefront of many important media outlets.