Sea kayaking

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Contents

Overview

Sea Kayaking is one of the hottest activities around today. Sea kayak prices are down and they're showing up in more and more stores. Most canoe rental shops also now rent kayaks in one form or another. What's the attraction? Easy. Sea kayaks are the fastest, easiest way to move on flat water. They can also easily handle fairly large waves with ease. With a modest initial investment, you can purchase a full set of gear that will last you decades.

Sea kayaking differs from whitewater kayaking in a few important ways. Sea kayaking is usually done on lakes and oceans, although they can also be used in relatively calm rivers. Whitewater kayaking is generally done on fast-moving rivers or sometimes in coastal surf. Whitewater kayaks, being fairly short, have great agility, turning on their own radius. Sea kayaks, on the other hand, are usually 12 to 18 feet long, only around 18 inches wide, and have much less agility, especially in rapid, changing currents. A [[[sea kayak]]'s strength doesn't come in turning fast, it comes from going fast and straight.

Compared to canoeing, sea kayaks are faster and lower in the water. They usually hold only one person who sits under a covered deck, entering via a cockpit.

Sea kayak trips can be short or long. Most include at least one, if not two, waterproof hatches with large compartments. Those compartments allow you to load far more than you could load into any frame pack, making it easy to take extended trips.

Physical Requirements

The biggest physical challenge in sea kayaking comes from extended periods of sitting with your legs straight out in front of you. This can put strain on your lower back after a relatively short time. You don't need great physical strength or coordination to paddle a sea kayak, but you do need some stamina.

When first starting out, it's best to find a place where you can easily get to shore, get out of your boat, and stretch out your back and legs.

Gear

  • Sea kayak: The basic sea kayak comes in plastic, fiberglass, or carbon fiber. Lengths are from around 12 to 18 feet. Find one that fits. Check the sea kayak page for more information.
  • Kayak paddle: Paddles are your sole means of propulsion. All kayak paddles have a blade on each end of a long shaft, unlike canoe paddles, which only have a blade on one end. This double-bladed design lets you travel faster and maintain your balance better than a single-bladed design.
  • Personal Floatation Device: Also known as a PFD, this piece of safety equipment is generally required in nearly every part of the world. Generally, they must be on your boat, and if you're not wearing it, you must be able quickly retrieve and don it from in the water. Paddling PFD's are different from other types of PFD's in that they have no padding at all on the sides, with all the floation in thick pads front and back. This is critical, as padding on the sides would be in the way while paddling.
  • Spray skirt: The spray skirt is a (usually) waterproof fabric which fits snugly around your waist, then attaches all the way around the cockpit. This prevents waves breaking over the cockpit from flooding your boat.
  • Paddle leash: A paddle leash is a long cord connecting your paddle to your boat. If you drop your paddle, the paddle leash prevents the paddle from getting lost, which can easily happen in waves. Not everyone uses these.
  • Paddle float: An inflatable plastic bag which fits snugly over one blade of a kayak paddle. Normally carried deflated, a paddle float can make it easier to re-enter the kayak during a solo deep water kayak re-entry.
  • Pump: When water gets inside your cockpit, a pump can be used to remove it. Some high-end sea kayaks have built-in pumps.

Skills

Hazards

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