The Perfect Boat: Buying the Right Kayak for You

Kayaking is a great way to relax. Paddling through the great outdoors at sea can be relaxing for some. To get the most out of your kayaking experience, you’ll have to choose the right kayak for yourself. Here’s an overview of what’s available that could be suitable for your needs.

Anatomy of the Kayaking Gear

For a beginner, it pays to know as much about kayaking equipment as you can before you actually start jumping into the water with your boat. The essential equipment you need to familiarise yourself with range from basic paddling gear to safety components. Here are a few more things you need to know:

Tips for Buying Your First Kayak

Kayaking is one of Australia’s fastest growing sports, posting a 113% growth between 2005 and 2012. This isn’t surprising, though: not only is it an enjoyable water activity, the paddling can also improve your cardiovascular health.

If you’re one of the many people interested in starting this hobby, then the first thing you have to do is purchase a suitable kayak. As a first-time buyer though, choosing the perfect boat can be more than a bit overwhelming. To help you with the buying process, here are a few tips you should keep in mind:

Sit-inside or Sit-on-Top

Kayaks generally come in two styles: sit-inside and sit-on-top. As the name suggests, sit-inside kayaks have an enclosed cockpit where you slide in your legs. On the other hand, sit-on-tops have a paddler sitting atop the boat. Typically, the former is used more for white-water paddling, and the latter for fishing and diving.

Material

Like other boats, kayaks are also made of different materials. For the most part, though, you have to choose between composites and thermoformed ABS boats. Composites tend to be lighter but they are somewhat more fragile. Thermoformed ABS ones are sturdier, but they are heavier and, thus, harder to lug around.

Size

Next, you have to choose the size of your boat. Shorter boats are a tad slower, but what they lack in speed, they make up for in maneuverability. Longer boats are the opposite, though: they can go faster but controlling them may be a bit more challenging.

Tips on Becoming a Better Paddler

Before kayaking became a sport, it used to simply be a functional way of crossing bodies of water conveniently. Nowadays, it’s better recognized as a popular watersports, especially for people who want a rush of adrenaline as they ride the wild white waters.

Newbies who want to excel in this sport cannot simply buy the best kayaks and paddle randomly. Efficiency and methodology is important for people who want to improve their kayaking skills, and here are some pointers that can help.

Basic Maneuvering Practice

Like any other sport, practicing basic movement while in the water will help kayaking newbies get the hang of it. Familiarising the body with the basic mechanics of paddling will help the paddler discover new ways to increase speed in the water.

Embrace the Fear

Kayaking can be scary mostly because of the intimidating strength and appearance of the rapids. It is important for kayakers who want to get better to constantly face the running water and learn how to get used to them, and paddle through them quickly and safely.

Paddle a Different Kayak

Kayakers usually have their favorite boats, and it would seem like a bad idea to paddle an unfamiliar one. However, paddling a new boat forces a kayaker to review his basic strokes and find a way to make the new boat as fast as his old one.

How to Make the Right Choice When Buying a Kayak

For a prospective kayaker, it can be confusing to sift through all the various kayaks for sale. It should help if you have done enough research about the right kayak for your body build and size; in any case, here are a few pointers to help you choose the right equipment. Here are questions to ask yourself:

• Where are you going? The venue for your kayaking adventure is the biggest influence in your choice. Recreational kayaks are great for the calm waters of a lake, while sea and day touring kayaks are best for traveling long distances. For beginners, getting a sit-on-top kayak or inflatable ones is a good idea.
• How far will you travel? A jaunt around the lake or beach is different from riding the current downriver. Additionally, multi-day trips on a kayak are doable, though only sea or day-touring ones can do this.
• Do you have a partner or are traveling solo? Many kayaks have the option of being for two people or one person. Solo kayakers should choose lighter boats, while groups can choose heavier, sturdier ones.
• How skilled are you? For beginners, an inflatable kayak is a cheap way to earn some experience in the sport. Intermediate kayakers can move on to recreational kayaks then to sea kayaks as they develop their skills.

Kayaking is a great sport but you need excellent equipment to maximize your gains and enjoy the activity. Keep these questions in mind when buying your kayak to get yourself the best boat there is.