Kayaking and rafting outlet opens in Sisters

Whitewater rivers exist in every direction from Sisters Country - the Metolius, Deschutes, McKenzie, Santiam - and water enthusiasts abound in Central Oregon, so choosing Sisters as the setting for a kayak and rafting school and retail outlet seems like a perfect fit.

That's the thinking that led Maddie Thies and her business partner, Alex Templar, to set up shop on Cascade Avenue, right between Clearwater Gallery and Stitchin' Post.

Sisters River Company officially opened its doors Sunday, May 1 with plans for a fuller grand opening scheduled in the month ahead.

The storefront actually includes three distinct services, including retail sales and rental, instructional classes, and guided trips for both kayaking and rafting.

"Our arrival in Sisters is to give a face to our existing services and to also provide a full menu of kayak and rafting equipment," said Thies. "The store is already filling up with every sort of gear a person might need on the water-helmets, personal flotation devices, paddles, dry suits - you name it."

Thies and Templar have been running the kayak school Current Experiences for the past three years, which will continue under the Bend Kayak name.

"A lot of the teenagers involved in our Yak Club are based in Sisters, and we feel loyal to that core group and want to see it grow for that age group as well as expanding to other age groups as well," said Thies. "We changed the name in part because people were not associating kayaking with the phrase "current experiences'."

Templar, a 2003 Sisters graduate, met Thies when both were students at the University of Idaho and they decided to become business partners after graduation.

"I obviously have a connection with Sisters and look forward to be present in the community, not only to work with the school-aged population, but adults of all ages as well," he said. "I think our summer school offering through Sisters Park & Recreation District will be a great way to get kids introduced to the sport of kayaking."

For the most part Thies and Templar plan to use the McKenzie and Santiam Rivers for rafting outings.

The company is unique in the state of Oregon as a Jackson Kayak superstore, which means that they only sell Jackson brand and have every whitewater model available in stock, according to Thies.

"Jackson is the fastest growing kayak manufacturer in the world, and produces all of their boats completely in the United States," she added.

During the summer, Thies plans to offer a free "on the water" lesson with the purchase of any kayak to help the customer become familiar with the new boat.

"Our overarching goal as a business is really about helping people of all ages discover the wonder and beauty of Oregon's rivers, while teaching river safety, etiquette, and stewardship."

Hours for spring are Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Summer hours will begin in June and include full hours Monday through Wednesday.

Details about class offerings can be found in the SPRD catalog, and about the company at http://www.bendkayak.com and http://www.sistersriverco.com.