Rob,

I think you hit the nail on the head. Since we as kayakers have the most to gain by increasing safety and awareness it should be up to us to promote these things and take the initiative. By us and our clubs working in cooperation with retailers we should organize more FREE "basic skills clinics" or other such activities that get more novice paddlers to events where they can start to build friendships with club members in a non-intimidating way (showing up for a regularly scheduled club paddle can be intimidating) and learn some basic skills, rescue techniques, and the importance of safety equipment and the need to use it (ie PFDs, spray skirts, paddle floats, etc).

This serves everyones interests in that people are more likely to join a club if they already have meet some members through these clinics. Those who chose not to join clubs have still had the benefit of some education. And the retailers gain because they will likely sell more spray skirts, bilge pumps, etc.

Just some thoughts

Rich