Kayak

From Trail-Finder -- Dedicated to getting you outside

Contents 1 Overview 2 Propulsion 3 Types of Kayaks 3.1 Sea Kayaks 3.2 Whitewater Kayaks 3.3 Surf Kayaks 3.4 Sporting Kayaks 3.5 Sit-on-top Kayaks 3.6 Scuba Kayaks

Overview

Kayaks are just like canoes, only they're almost completely different.

Like canoes, kayaks:

• Are human-powered, nearly silent boats.
• Are paddled in smooth, rhythmic motions.
• Can take you to places of the wilderness otherwise inaccessible.
• Can easily carry more than a backpack for extended trips into backcountry.
• Are a lot of fun.

Unlike canoes, kayaks:

• Are usually one-person boats.
• Are narrower than canoes.
• Are often longer than canoes.
• Require less water depth than canoes.
• Usually include one, sometimes two, "waterproof" compartments.
• Usually, except for sit-on-top kayaks, have a complete deck, including a "waterproof" covering from the waist down on the kayaker.
• Are more agile.

Propulsion

All kayaks, regardless of the type, are paddled with a single, double-bladed paddle. Turning is accomplished through a combination of changing your paddle stroke, leaning, and, sometimes, rudder or skeg. A skilled kayaker can even propel a kayak sideways, although slowly.

Types of Kayaks

Sea Kayaks

The sea kayak is a long, narrow kayak ideally suited for trips on flat, or relatively flat water. Flat, in this case, means not rapids. Sea kayaks do equally well on calm lakes and on large, open bodies of water, even with large, rolling waves. The length, combined with the double-bladed kayak paddle, allows you to remain upright, and the long, straight, narrow body allows you move quickly and easily in a straight line.

Sea kayaks, despite the name, are also great for inland lakes, and handle large or slow-moving rivers well. For whitewater, though, you need a whitewater kayak.

Sea kayaks also commonly include one of two additional devices to help keep you going straight.

• Rudder: Just like the rudder on any boat, a sea kayak rudder, which is controlled by foot pedals, helps you to either turn the boat, or to compensate for wind, waves, or currents.
• Skeg: Less intuitive to use, although with just as many fans, the skeg is a horizontal board in the back of a sea kayak which is raised and lowered via foot pedals to compensate for sideways turning forces caused by wind, waves, or currents.

Whitewater Kayaks

Whitewater kayaks are shorter and a bit wider than their sea kayak cousins. With no rudder, and rarely a skeg, and not as much storage, whitewater kayaks are intended for running rapids, not for month-long trips.

Surf Kayaks

Surf kayaks began as whitewater kayaks, but then evolved to handle surf conditions. Shorter, with flat tails, surf kayaks are ideal toys for playing in the surf.

Sporting Kayaks

Sporting kayaks are hybrids between a sea kayak and a canoe. Sporting kayaks are wider than standard kayaks and have a very large cockpit opening, often large enough for two people. The ends of a sporting kayak are covered with solid deck. They are commonly used for kayaking with small children, since you can easily accommodate a second person in the boat with you, and they are more stable than almost any other kind of kayak.

Sit-on-top Kayaks

The sit-on-top kayak is rarely used for serious kayaking, however they're among the most commonly found rental kayaks. Sit-on-top kayaks are wider than most other kayaks, with a molded top which gives you a seat and foot bracing, and often a place for your cooler. For a relaxed trip down a lazy river, they're a nice alternative to canoes.

Scuba Kayaks

Scuba kayaks are specially designed for scuba divers. They are sit-on-top kayaks which are even wider than standard (think sit-on-top kayaks with water wings). The extra width gives you a lot more tip-protection, which is important, since divers need to push or pull gear onto the kayak, and that gear can weigh well over 100 pounds for some dives.