The majority of kayak enthusiasts love it for that reason alone, Uncertainty and excitement. You never know will you be taking it to big bodies of water and be exposed to huge waves and wind, or is the temperature of the water going to be too freezing or just about right. Many people are wondering when deciding to go on a kayak, especially those that are beginners, where to start?
If you are one of those people, you are probably more concerned about having a very stable kayak that will not tip over so easily on your very first ride. With such thought in mind, the first thing would be to ask how to choose the perfect kayak for you.
They come in various sizes and shapes so it is important to understand all available options as well as other important factors. With that being said, thankfully, this advice will be most useful since it will discuss just that and, how to choose the right kayak for your needs.
TYPES OF KAYAKS
Kayaks in fact can be broken down into a couple of specific categories. Kayaks that are wider, have large cockpits that do not feel confined, and are wider are considered to be recreational kayaks. Usually, they are long between 9 to 12 feet.
Touring Kayaks are on the other way of the spectrum though. Their design makes them faster and able to deal with many types of conditions. Cockpits are small and are designed to be used with the skirt which keeps the water out. Touring Kayaks are also narrow and long. Since the cockpit is small, it allows you to use hooks to grapple the boat with your legs which as a result gives you more control over the boat. It would be a good idea in case you are a beginner, to go on a paddle on a sea kayaking course if you would like to use a touring kayak.
They are far less stable than recreational kayaks and can be confined because of their small cockpits. Especially even if you flip over, even though they are easy to get out of. Kayak will travel faster if it is long and narrow, while on the other hand, the wider it is, the more stable and slower the kayak will be.
Sit inside kayaks are considered to vary a lot with their size and shape, while sit-on-top kayaks are considered to be recreational ones because of how wide they are and since stability on them is quite high.
SIT ON TOP KAYAK
One of the user-friendliest kayaks is sit-on-top ones. They are very easy to gain access to and are stable too. there is no feeling of being cramped inside of this kayak. The water will drain through small holes, called scupper, which makes the sit on top kayak self-bailing. Another great thing about sit on top kayaks is that you can go in and out of them with ease. Because of such reasons, they are a great choice for children. All these features are more ideal for an environment which is warmer and has rougher water conditions. If you love to paddle or have a kid which likes to swim, this is a choice for you.
Have in mind, before you sit inside of one, you should determine which length will suit you the most.
SIT INSIDE KAYAK
Paddlers who like to be in cooler waters and want to stay dry during the paddling should use a sit-inside kayak. This kayak also provides a greater speed. It has a downside though. It is not a simple process to recover from a flip if it occurs.
In case that regardless you wish to use a sit-inside kayak, do remember to decide on its length as well.
PEDAL KAYAK
In case you would like your riding experience to be more relaxing and to give you free hands to take photos, it would be best to choose a kayak with a pedal propulsion system. Pedal kayaks use pedals similar to the one’s bike would have, which would power the pair of fins.
You can steer by using a rudder which can be operated over a hand control. usually, you would sit higher so the pedal motion would be possible. These kayaks are wide and in calm conditions, they can provide a stable platform.
Have in mind, since you are using your leg muscles a lot, you may be able to sustain longer stretches if you are in shape.
Traveling by kayak will let you enjoy breathtaking views that can not be seen from ashore if at the seaside, or feel like one with a forest while on a lakeside. using a kayak will let you explore nature in a way you could not on foot.
Just imagine how wonderful the feeling would be to feel the sun on your skin with a few droplets of water in the morning while riding in a perfect kayak that suits your needs.
