PADDLING - A FAMILY AFFAIR FOR BAREFOOT PADDLE
Meet Mark and Heather
Barefoot Paddle is owned and loved by Mark Malcolm and Heather Zak-Malcolm.
It first opened in 2016 in Campbellford, Ontario. It became a well known destination for waterfront and takeaway paddlecraft rentals, drawing even from beyond Toronto. Mark and Heather are also World Paddle Association Certified Instructors and offered lessons and coaching. Later, they opened Barefoot Paddle - a storefront retail outfitters shop in Campbellford, providing paddleboards, kayaks and canoes for sale.
Barefoot Paddle is a semi-retirement business (well, actually a passion) for Mark and Heather. Mark owned the highly successful Mark's Maintenance Service Centre in Nestleton for 30 years. Heather was a non profit and health sector CEO for 30 years, including CEO of Hospice Caledon/Bethell House and Peterborough United Way. Heather was a Director for the hospital in Campbellford and for Peterborough Music Fest. Heather was a Peterborough Examiner Newsmaker of the Year. Both widowed, Mark and Heather have been married for 7 years.
It first opened in 2016 in Campbellford, Ontario. It became a well known destination for waterfront and takeaway paddlecraft rentals, drawing even from beyond Toronto. Mark and Heather are also World Paddle Association Certified Instructors and offered lessons and coaching. Later, they opened Barefoot Paddle - a storefront retail outfitters shop in Campbellford, providing paddleboards, kayaks and canoes for sale.
Barefoot Paddle is a semi-retirement business (well, actually a passion) for Mark and Heather. Mark owned the highly successful Mark's Maintenance Service Centre in Nestleton for 30 years. Heather was a non profit and health sector CEO for 30 years, including CEO of Hospice Caledon/Bethell House and Peterborough United Way. Heather was a Director for the hospital in Campbellford and for Peterborough Music Fest. Heather was a Peterborough Examiner Newsmaker of the Year. Both widowed, Mark and Heather have been married for 7 years.
Campbellford Paddle & Barefoot Paddle
Barefoot Paddle first opened in 2016 in Campbellford, Ontario as Campbellford Paddle. It became a well known destination for waterfront and takeaway paddlecraft rentals and lessons, drawing even from beyond Toronto. In the time it was in Campbellford, it was the proud recipient of three Chamber of Commerce Awards.
Barefoot Paddle
Barefoot Paddle began in 2018, with a storefront shop in Campbellford that provided Campbellford Paddle with a retail outlet to expand its sales of stand up paddle boards, kayaks and canoes.
Roots of family paddling - in Costa Rica
But the story of Barefoot Paddle begins long before it's first opening...
The idea was born fifteen years ago in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, with the opening of Kelly's Surf Shop by Heather Zak-Malcolm's son Kelly Zak. Kelly's Surf Shop was offering stand up paddle board rentals and lessons for paddle surfing, when most people had no idea what it was. One of their instructors was Marco Pacheco, a star of the classic surfer movie Endless Summer. Heather was fortunate enough to learn some of her early technique from Marco. She began paddling back here in Canada shortly after, in Lakefield, Ontario. She can remember cars pulling over to point and stare when she would go paddling down the Otonabee River. "They obviously wondered what that crazy woman was doing standing up on the river."
In 2010, with the successful sale of Kelly's Surf Shop in Tamarindo, Costa Rica (it is still going under new ownership today!) Kelly Zak moved home to Ontario, Canada where he and his mother, Heather Zak opened Peterborough-Lakefield SUP on the beautiful Otonabee River. It became Peterborough SUP, operating on George St. for years in Peterborough, until wanderlust caught hold of Kelly and he moved to France with his beautiful new wife Calla, where they own The White Grape Inn.
The idea was born fifteen years ago in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, with the opening of Kelly's Surf Shop by Heather Zak-Malcolm's son Kelly Zak. Kelly's Surf Shop was offering stand up paddle board rentals and lessons for paddle surfing, when most people had no idea what it was. One of their instructors was Marco Pacheco, a star of the classic surfer movie Endless Summer. Heather was fortunate enough to learn some of her early technique from Marco. She began paddling back here in Canada shortly after, in Lakefield, Ontario. She can remember cars pulling over to point and stare when she would go paddling down the Otonabee River. "They obviously wondered what that crazy woman was doing standing up on the river."
In 2010, with the successful sale of Kelly's Surf Shop in Tamarindo, Costa Rica (it is still going under new ownership today!) Kelly Zak moved home to Ontario, Canada where he and his mother, Heather Zak opened Peterborough-Lakefield SUP on the beautiful Otonabee River. It became Peterborough SUP, operating on George St. for years in Peterborough, until wanderlust caught hold of Kelly and he moved to France with his beautiful new wife Calla, where they own The White Grape Inn.
A true family affair
Kelly Zak and sister Laura Zak, with her partner Josh LaPorta, began Vendetta Paddle Company almost a decade ago, designing and having manufactured some of the most beautiful stand up paddleboards in Canada. Mark Malcolm and Heather Zak-Malcolm were active retailers of the brand and Heather helped with board design. She was particularly proud of her own designed touring board the Spirit of the North. Vendetta was sold as a brand in 2018.
Rideau Paddle Company was the brainchild of Josh LaPorta and Laura Zak, who also own Ottawa SUP - Barefoot Paddle's "Sister" business - and continues to be a family brand of stand up paddleboard, offering amazing design beauty and functionality, combined with a great price. Barefoot Paddle is proud to be a retail partner with Rideau Paddle Company.
To add to the paddling family tradition... Sarah Zak - Heather's daughter, sister of Laura and Kelly - has been an active member of the team, while finishing her doctorate in Experimental Psychology at the University of Ottawa. She, and her partner Jeff Russell (owners of Stoneface Dolly's Restaurant - Riverside) also each lessons.
Rideau Paddle Company was the brainchild of Josh LaPorta and Laura Zak, who also own Ottawa SUP - Barefoot Paddle's "Sister" business - and continues to be a family brand of stand up paddleboard, offering amazing design beauty and functionality, combined with a great price. Barefoot Paddle is proud to be a retail partner with Rideau Paddle Company.
To add to the paddling family tradition... Sarah Zak - Heather's daughter, sister of Laura and Kelly - has been an active member of the team, while finishing her doctorate in Experimental Psychology at the University of Ottawa. She, and her partner Jeff Russell (owners of Stoneface Dolly's Restaurant - Riverside) also each lessons.
Clearwater Design - another family affair
Barefoot Paddle is proud to be a retailer in the Ottawa Valley area of ClearWater Design another family owned company run by husband and wife team, Ian Crerar & Michelle Laframboise. They, along with their children are out on the water enjoying (and testing) their canoes, kayaks and stand up paddleboards every chance they get.
Since 1995 they have been producing rotationally molded, polyethylene boats. Each year they add new products and refine existing ones. Being located on the water gives the opportunity to constantly test products and ensure that everything we produce is of high standards and fun to paddle.
Their 40,000 square foot factory is located in Prince Edward County in Eastern Ontario. All products are manufactured at this location, using computer controlled, rotational molding methods.
Since 1995 they have been producing rotationally molded, polyethylene boats. Each year they add new products and refine existing ones. Being located on the water gives the opportunity to constantly test products and ensure that everything we produce is of high standards and fun to paddle.
Their 40,000 square foot factory is located in Prince Edward County in Eastern Ontario. All products are manufactured at this location, using computer controlled, rotational molding methods.
