How do you feel about adding the word "Kayak" to the club name?

[Nick Bowley]

Oops, I revised the pole to simlify the question and accidentally lost the 2 votes to keep the name the same. I cant add them back so I am making this note about it.

The board is thinking about changing the name of the club to more accurately represent its members.  We want to offer the opportunity to its members to express their opinions on the idea.  

How do you feel about adding the work "Kayak" to the club name.  
Baltimore Canoe and Kayak Club

Let us know what you think by voting or responding to this post.  

Thanks.

[Brad]

If I may........ New folks investigating entering the sport come into the shop and in converstation they have mentioned that as popular as the sport has become that there are no kayak clubs. Then I have to run thru the names of the clubs and the background behind the club names..... I suggest not officially changing the name, if that is possible, GBCC does have a ring to it, but to add the kayak word to the club marketing.... especially to the web site...
It is amazing how many new paddlers do not know of the clubs. The Cantonkayakclub has done pretty well, in part to the inclusion of that one word....
Brad

[Eric Ruhl]

I like the way that Brad is thinking in his post.  GBCC has a lot of history and when I joined last fall, I knew from growing up in the area about the club.  If I had searched out clubs online, who knows what type of riff raff I could of found.

A couple ideas,

--- Kayak and Canoe Club of Baltimore (this will guarantee a lot of search hits)
--- Paddlesports Club of Baltimore
--- Greater Baltimore Paddlesports


but if I could frame it, I could call us ---> "BCKCWITPSSUPREPLCFH" I think the new abbreviation has a ring to it.....

 "Baltimore Canoe and Kayak Club, but Which Includes Types of Paddle Sports Such as Stand Up Paddling and Rafting, however Excluding Paddle Sports Like Cricket and Fraternity Hazing"

[Nick Bowley]

I added your suggestions to the pole.  Well, except the last one.

According to a record document we found last night it was originally call "Baltimore Canoe Club".   We simply want to add the word "Kayak" to it so it comes up in web searches and is a more accurate representation of the club.

[bd]

Just a little more information...

The idea of a name change was brought to the board several years ago and sparked quite a debate.

The name proposed at that time was: Greater Baltimore Canoe and Kayak Club

Basically going from GBCC to GBCKC. The thought was to include kayaks and keep the "G" for Greater as very few of us actually live in Baltimore.

While they obviously didn't adopt the change at that time, it is one more option to consider...

bd

[Chip]

I think it is important to get kayak into the name.

My impression is we are first, whitewater paddlers.  Second, we are a club of kayakers.  A minority of us regularly paddle canoes.  We are least of all a club of Baltimore.

I favor shorter names.  So, if we add kayak, I nominate we drop Baltimore.  That will leave us with Kayak and Greater Canoe Club.  Alright!  Are we done here?

~~Chip

[John Muhl]

I personally like GBCC just because it's short and sweet.  Also when mentioned in conversation with other paddlers that you meet on the river they generally know of it.  But if a name change is the best route I would go Eric's route with "BCKCWITPSSUPREPLCFH."

Can with get shirts with that made on it...?   

[RB]

 Keep the name and put a Kayak on the Logo instead of what you you have. Which does not do much any way.

[riverscout]

I have access to enough canoes and c-boats to fill the pool this winter.  It seems there has been a growing interest over the last few seasons for people to learn the canoe roll.  So I propose everyone switch to canoes!!!!!  Keep the name Greater Baltimore Canoe Club (GBCC), problem solved

[Jumper]

My opinion is to keep it the same, tradition does matter. 

[Duane]

Tradition does matter, Or it used too     

Type Baltimore area Kayak club into google  the GBCC will allways be in the type 5 search results.

So if the only reason to change the name is to get serch results I think its a moot point.

You can put any words or combiations into the metta portion of the web site to improve searchs as well does not have to be visable even.
 

[Nick Bowley]

Yeah, I did that months ago after talking to Brad.  I put in the meta description "Baltimore Canoe and Kayak Club", meta keywords didn't help.   Before that, when I typed Kayak Baltimore we didn't come up at all, even looking thru a several pages of search results.  I checked it several times across a week or two when I was just trying to add to the meta keywords and I couldn't get our club site to show up at all just having the words Baltimore and Kayak.  But you are right, it shows up now.  So yes, we can unofficially change it for web searches which has been done for a while.

This topic thread is also improving our web presence too with regards to what keywords bring us up in searches as well because we keep repeating the phrase Baltimore Canoe and Kayak Club.   But still, your point is it true that we can increase our web presence without changing the club name.

Contrary to what it looks like, I personally don't feel strongly about this topic and am not sure it would be my place since I have only been in the club 2 yrs, I just posted the poll and am responding with additional info.  

I understand arguments for both sides. I do admit a name change seems reasonable if it helps attract people who might otherwise overlook us as kayak club and join one of the many new kayak clubs in the area. Losing our catchy familiar abbreviation seems like the best argument to not change it so far.  

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet"
                                      William Shakespeare

This is fun, thanks for all of the responses.  There's nothing like a hot topic to get us thru the cold winter

[jp]

How about the Greater Baltimore Kayak Club

[bd]

Just a funny sidebar since we are talking about finding the club on the internet and how catchy "GBCC" is...

A few years ago, I thought it might be a good idea to see if we could get the domain gbcc.org in addition to the current baltimorecanoeclub.org. The reason was the obvious - simplicity. When I would meet folks on the river and tell them about the club's web site, the full name was a mouthful and I thought shorter would be better.

So... I did the research and found that gbcc .org was not in use. It was however, registered to a holding company. I wrote them asking if we could have the domain since they weren't using it. They told me they bought it on behalf of one of their clients - the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. Well, the request went up the stack and back down, but they wouldn't part with the name.

And to this day, gbcc.org is still not in use

[Brad]

Modification of the Club name is inevitable. Sooner or later to compete it will change and sooner would be better then later. One point as it exist and is presented now is upfront it is the baltimorecanoeclub. Many, I think as example have been to the homepage and not just the GBCC but the other Clubs as well, see only the canoe word and never go any deeper with their investigation of the Club.... 23 Years ago here on the deck over beer Dinver advised me to loose the canoe word, Starrkmoon Canoe Outfitters. At that time most shops sold canoes first, kayaks second.... The shop here took off pretty quick with kayaks. He said your selling way more kayaks then canoes, I said sure you know it.... he then said use that kayak word and include it in all of your marketing, which of course I did. The decision was done, took about 60 seconds.... A major problem with the future of paddling clubs is that they are not the only paddlesports resource. I know that most sea kayakers have never belonged to a club and that there are a greater number of whitewater paddlers paddling who have never been a club member.... so, we're competiing for their interest.....That Kayak Word is Stylish......