Getting out on the water once meant planning ahead, finding a rental shop and working around regular business hours. Now, a new self-serve approach is giving paddlers another way to grab a kayak and hit the water on their own time.
In West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle, Wheeling Watersports has created the PaddlePort, a self-serve system designed to make renting gear easier.
Customers can scan a QR code at the kiosk, select a kayak and time slot, and complete a safety waiver. Once the waiver is signed, they receive a padlock code that gives them access to the equipment they need along the shore of the Ohio River at Wheeling Island Marina.
“A lot of people here come up because they don’t know what to do or how to do it,” said Kali Munro, an employee at Morgantown Adventure Outfitters. “We can help them figure all that out, get them what they need, and especially if they don’t know what they need.”
Kayaking has grown in popularity over the past few years, which has led to innovations like PaddlePort. Since 2019, paddle sports have seen a 22% increase in popularity, with nearly 30 million Americans reportedly paddling in 2025. Additionally, according to Paddling Magazine, kayaking specifically has taken the lead as America’s most popular paddle sport since 2017.
As paddling becomes more accessible, self-serve kiosks have been appearing around the country, with more than 100 stations set up in various state parks.
“I think there should be staff there to monitor,” said Daniel W. Brown, a lieutenant with the Wheeling Fire Department, which has a fire station less than a mile from Wheeling Island Marina. He noted that if someone capsizes, they may lose access to their cellphone or another way to call for help.
Despite those potential risks, self-serve kiosks provide another accessible option for people who want to enjoy paddling, while traditional rental services continue to play an important role in the paddle sports community.
This story was adapted from a television news story with the help of AI. The content was reviewed and corrected for accuracy and structure. All reporting, facts and quotes are original and were gathered by Mountaineer Playbook reporters.