A paddling friend and I walked through the new Cabela's a couple of days ago to check out their canoes and kayaks. Despite all the grand opening excitment, we found only an okay selection of paddling gear -- certainly nothing to get excited about.

The "mountain" in the middle of the new Cabela's is a center of attention.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Toward the back of the store, a float plane flies over sections devoted to fishing and kayaking.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

The big store is anchoring a new shopping complex at the corner of Payne Road and Haigis Parkway in Scarborough. After making our way to the back of the building, Cherie Perkins and I noticed that all the kayaks offered were rotomolded poly/plastic. Nary a fiberglass nor kevlar boat in sight. Clearly Cabela's aims to span the entry-level to mid-level markets, leaving the high end boats for others to sell.

Cherie Perkins, a paddler from Standish, checks out a rotomolded plastic sit-on-top at Cabela's.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Cherie checks out an entry-level rec boat.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

There's a decent selection of sit-on-tops and entry-level rec boats, which is where the bulk of the business sits these days.

As for canoes, they're mostly displayed outdoors to the left of the main entrance.

Paddlers in Maine are unlikely to encounter a zebra, such as this mount in the new Cabela's store.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Or this lion.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO