Kayaking

[Rebecca_Ann]

Are there any kayakers on here? I'm sure there are. What should I know before I consider buying a kayak? I have kayaked (is that a word? Haha it's funny looking) before and it was so much fun I felt like I could have paddled forever. Are there any beginner kayaks? I don't like the long skinny ones or the ones on top of the water.

[SirEarl]

aren't all kayaks on top of water?

<---clearly does not know

[Rebecca_Ann]

Hahaha! Technically yes... but it depends on where you sit. Some kayaks you sit on top of the water others you sit "in" the water... that sounds weird.. I'm bad at explaining things.

[Max Power]

I bought a kayak a few months back and I love it. I'm still pretty new to it though. Mine is 12.5 feet long, and it's a sit on top variety, so pretty much the opposite of what you like ha. I know they make short ones you sit in, they are a little harder to control though, paddling.net has a lot of good articles on there about beginner kayaks/skills. Hope you find something you like!

[Rebecca_Ann]

Thanks for the link!

[Georges]

What should I know before I consider buying a kayak?

The best advice I have is to try a bunch out and see what you like/dislike about different ones. If renting a few times isn't an option, some boat stores have a "pond" or pool to try them out.

Here's a few questions to consider:

1) Are you looking for a boat for one? or two (or as some call them, divorce-makers)?

2) Do you want to paddle on the ocean? flat water? rivers?

3) Are you looking for speed? (Rigid fiberglass or kevlar is faster, but heavy and expensive. Plastic is lighter, more forgiving if you bump/scrape on rocks or the bottom, and less expensive.)

4) How do you plan to move it around? (Is there a weight limit to what you can lift up to a car/SUV roof rack? Will you have to carry the boat from parking to water?)

5) Does it need enough space to carry camping gear?

One of my friends described the buying process this way: Take all your money, buy all the accessories you need (lifejacket, paddle, water pump, carrying rack/straps, paddle leash, cockpit skirt, etc.) and if you have any left over, buy a kayak.

[Haikoo]

I just got my first kayak, a Necky Rip 10 . I really like it, but I cannot honestly give you a good comparison of others. I am using it for tooling around lakes and streams around here, so was just looking for a recreational kayak. I will keep ya updated, but so far i love it.

[martinb]

I took up kayaking as a hobby about 3-4 years ago and I'm now on my third kayak, a Riot Edge 10.5. I originally started with a sit on top which was great for a beginner as I didn't have to worry about sliding in or out of a cockpit. The sit on top was also fun for using at the beach, although I eventually traded it in for the Riot Edge as I wanted to go a bit faster!

Most of my kayaking is on relatively calm rivers/canals, with occasional trips to more aggressive rivers, although nothing even close to white water yet. I tend to paddle from Spring to Autumn, although this year we were lucky with the weather in the Winter and I even managed a paddle on New Year's Day!

The good thing about kayaks is they tend to hold their value reasonably well. If you buy one new and use it for a season or two, you won't lose too much when you come to sell it second-hand. Even better if you can find a good second-hand kayak in the first place!

[maegs]

If you're looking at getting a kayak, look around for an outdoor store doing a day when you can try them out in the water. Longer ones 'track' better, ie they stay straighter, but shorter ones are more manouverable. I find that 'sit-on' kayaks (where you're sitting on top of the kayak rather than inside it) are easier to get in and out of (especially since I'm usually doing it off the back of a boat) but they feel less stable than the ones where you sit inside the kayak. So if you can go and try out lots of different ones you'll get a feel for what you like and you can get a better idea of what to buy. You can also try different kinds/styles of paddle, and see if there's one you prefer.

[Rebecca_Ann]

SUPER helpful!! Thanks Georges!! Is there something that would work on flat water and a rapid?

[Rebecca_Ann]

Thanks everyone!

[Georges]

You can certainly use a whitewater kayak on flat water, but they're shorter (for maneuverability, so they don't get caught & trapped), so like Maegs said, it won't "track" as well. That means you'll spend more time and effort keeping your bearing on flat water than you would with a longer boat. It drove me nuts, but I'd been previously spoiled by a touring sea kayak (the opposite end of the spectrum), and I've known people who are fine with it.

For whitewater, especially beginning, you're more likely to want a short, stubby, plastic boat. The plastic ones are more forgiving (compared to fiberglass & kevlar) when you bump/scrape rocks. You may or may not be able to get a detachable rudder, to make flat water only trips easier. (I've seen them, but I don't know if they were bought or homemade.)

One thing you'll need for river kayaking is a helmet. I don't river kayak, so maybe someone else knows more about them?

You'll also want a bit of practice (on flatwater to start) on exiting the boat when it tips. If this makes you nervous, you can try it in a pool the first time, with a rescue buddy next to you "in case." I've seen a lot of people nervous about it, but I've never seen anyone have trouble getting out. Ever. But you'll feel a lot better knowing what to expect. With a river kayak, you'll fit in a regular pool, but sea-kayakers can sometimes get together to rent a pool (like at the YMCA) to level up their skills.

The next thing to do is practice getting back in. Not all rivers are easy to get out of, and a long swim to shore isn't always practical/possible.

[maegs]

Check out the universities near you and see if they have kayak classes. Mine had several levels worth, I think there was a kayak club on campus that did them. They were open to the public and taught everything from the absolute basics to pretty advanced stuff, starting in the pool and eventually going on a river.

[epaleocookbooks]

Thanks for asking this question! I took a nighttime kayaking trip to the bioluminescent bay in Fajardo, Puerto Rico and like you, I fell in love! I didn't realize what a killer workout it would be. I knew the two hour trip would be rough on the arms, but I had no idea how much whole-body it would be and how killer it would be on the legs. Ever since then, I've really wanted to get into kayaking as a hobby, but have yet to buy one. I was just going to get a cheap plastic "top water" boat for my first, but thanks everyone for the advice on types and gear! Much appreciated.

[Lizifer]

Oh, man, I went kayaking last weekend - and have been kinda toying with this too. I like sit-ins, because I will usually spend the whole day in the river, so I like to have room for a cooler/ lunch/ etc.

Lots of good info - thanks for asking!