kayaking 101
(or how a 4000 year old boat is better than medication)
There's no easier way to explore Planet Water, to get your Vitamin N, that elusive sense of calm, and connectedness that you can only get immersed in .
Nature. To balance mind, body and spirit. To sharpen your mind, your senses.
The original kayak (which means"hunter's boat") was the sea kayak, a long lean boat (fast, efficient) with a small cockpit (doesn't ship water). It was used by arctic tribes, like the Inuit and Aleut, as a hunting and fishing boat, and was well adapted to rough cold water (it stayed dry). It is the smallest seaworthy boat in existence. The Native boats were made of a wooden frame (usually driftwood collected from beaches), or whalebone, covered in sealskin. Hull shape varied from Greenland to the Bering Strait, but each boat was built to fit the individual paddler. When Europeans settlers got hold of the boat, they covered the frames in fabric. In the 1950s, fiberglass became the material of choice. In 1984, the first plastic kayak was made. today they come in plastics, carbonlite, fiberglass, and wood (actually quite light). Today's kayaks come in a variety of hull shapes for different uses.
A nifty bit of history here: http://kayakin.tripod.com/history.html
And here: http://www.chicagokayak.com/kayak_%20history.htm
Aaaaaaaand here; http://www.frontenacoutfitters.com/onlinetutorials.cfm?id=14 (with some info on modern kayaks too).
Modern versions are:
...the Whitewater Kayak; (the size 13 shoe you cram yourself into to bounce off rocks) which is designed to ride a current. It is agile, will get you through class five death rapids (if you've done your homework) but horrendous to paddle on water that isn't bouncing off rocks. Wear a helmet! Do not use a paddle leash!!!
Get specialized training!!!
This is critical! Anything beyond mildly moving water can be a death trap without the proper gear and skills... and buddies.
...the Recreational Kayak; (aka: the Bucket That Floats, The Rubber Ducky, The Bathtub). This is the most popular and common kayak, seen on slow moving creeks and lakes. It's the one most used by rentals at parks. It is easy to transport, handle and usually inexpensive. There are both sit-IN and sit-ON versions. Short (8 to 12 feet) and wide with a generous cockpit (it makes claustrophobes feel safe and is easy to get in and out of, especially if you are a large paddler or have physical issues like arthritis), it has lots of primary stability (it is very stable on flat water) but does not necessarily have secondary stability (the ability to be agile on waves and to be heeled over in turns or on waves). It comes in a variety of hull designs, some better than others. A short wide boat will always be slower, less efficient and harder to push through the water than a long narrow boat (it's science), but some hull designs will track straight even in wind and current (with proper paddling technique). A well built rec boat can introduce newbies to the fun of kayaking, get you on the water safely, and carry kids and dogs. As you improve your skills and expand how far and in what conditions you want to paddle, you will want a bigger boat...
STUFF TO KNOW: while you can acquire a small rec boat cheap, you can also get a good touring or sea kayak cheap, used. The rec boat is NOT for open water, long distances, wind, current, tidal waters or swiftwater. It is, in fact, deadly if you push it and you beyond the calm lake and creek waters it was designed for. It does not usually have bulkheads, so it will sink, at least under the surface if not to the bottom (you can add flotation like pool noodles, gallon jugs of air, or float bags). The large cockpit will ship water, and if you are in the open, your boat is now taking on water and becoming more unstable with each splash (have a bailing device). The broad design does not have secondary stability on waves, or if you heel over, or if you get hung up on a rock. Many are much much harder to get back onto or into if you fall out (you will), than a long narrow boat (you can throw yourself over a pointy end and straddle those). Paddling any distance, especially in conditions of wind or current, will exhaust you quicker than you imagined, dangerous if you have overestimated your endurance and now have to paddle miles back. The plastic is often cheaper and less durable, leading to cracks and limited years of use, whereas a typical longboat can last decades. The big box stores that sell these usually do not have people who paddle, they are reading from catalogs and upselling you on whatever they can sell you. A real outfitter, with people who paddle, can advise you on what you actually need to be safe and enjoy the sport.
... the Touring Kayak; 12 to 15 feet long, more or less, with a reasonable cockpit that doesn't ship water, lean enough to be efficient, wide enough to feel comfy, often with bulkheads which divide the boat into watertight compartments (with hatches to stow stuff for a day trip), handy enough to throw on a car roof. Will float in four or five inches of water, take you down the creek, across the lake, or into the waves offshore. You will be able to laugh maniacally at your buddies in their rec boats as you paddle one stroke for every twenty of theirs.
...the Sea Kayak; the original model designed by northern tribes. Light, lean, fast, efficient. Small cockpit (doesn't ship water). Long (15 feet or more). Does not navigate well around rocks on a creek, but will also float in four or five inches of water, take you across the lake, into the saltmarsh, or into the waves on a weeklong expedition. You'll be the one towing the guy in the rec boat at the end of the day when he's totally exhausted trying to keep up with you.
...the sit-on (SOT) or ocean kayak; a DNA collision of a raft, a surfboard and a kayak which got caught in some sort of space-time warp and melded together. It ranges from short and wide to long and lean (again, short and wide is slower than long and lean). You sit ON it, and water drains through the scupper holes (no bailing device needed). Utterly versatile from surf to creek to lake to marsh. You can add kids or dogs easily to most. Super easy to get on and off of (excellent for anyone with issues getting in and out of cockpits). Easy to get on from deep water: I keep fins on deck and can swim right up onto the boat. I also have done this in a mermaid tail.
Any gear you carry must be in dry bags, or not mind getting wet, there is no belowdecks storage as there is in traditional cockpit kayaks with their bulkheads and stowage compartments. There usually is a hatch to the space between the hulls, but this is best left alone: opening that on open water can flood and sink your boat. I stuffed my between-hulls space with pool noodles in case it leaks through hatch or plug. The plug can let water out if it leaks, but also air if the boat is in the heat! The two hulls basically form a sealed air raft. Most of these could be paddled standing up, like a SUP (stand up paddleboard).
...the fishing kayak; a specialized version of the recreational sit on top (SOT); usually not over 12' long, but quite wide and bulky with places to stow rods and gear. Often has a stadium or "lawn chair" type seat. Often can be stood up on. Useful for fishing in quiet waters, but NOT a seaworthy craft for open water. Most fishermen are not going far and fast, they are floating, fishing. The fishing kayak is not for expeditions or big water, it is a quiet fishing platform for calm lakes and creeks.
...the SUP kayak: a stand up paddleboard that can have a seat added so you can paddle it like a kayak
There are also inflatable kayaks (seaworthiness varies, but they tend to be blown around by the wind more than traditional kayaks) which can work if you have no place to store a traditional boat, and a tiny car. Also foldable (think origami, again, quality varies) kayaks, and sectional kayaks which are built in watertight parts, then lashed together. Again, easier to transport and store. But seaworthiness varies. Ask a real outfitter.
And finally, the kayak "waka" or kayak katamaran. Add outriggers and a sail and you can recreate every scene in Moana...
Nature. To balance mind, body and spirit. To sharpen your mind, your senses.
The original kayak (which means"hunter's boat") was the sea kayak, a long lean boat (fast, efficient) with a small cockpit (doesn't ship water). It was used by arctic tribes, like the Inuit and Aleut, as a hunting and fishing boat, and was well adapted to rough cold water (it stayed dry). It is the smallest seaworthy boat in existence. The Native boats were made of a wooden frame (usually driftwood collected from beaches), or whalebone, covered in sealskin. Hull shape varied from Greenland to the Bering Strait, but each boat was built to fit the individual paddler. When Europeans settlers got hold of the boat, they covered the frames in fabric. In the 1950s, fiberglass became the material of choice. In 1984, the first plastic kayak was made. today they come in plastics, carbonlite, fiberglass, and wood (actually quite light). Today's kayaks come in a variety of hull shapes for different uses.
A nifty bit of history here: http://kayakin.tripod.com/history.html
And here: http://www.chicagokayak.com/kayak_%20history.htm
Aaaaaaaand here; http://www.frontenacoutfitters.com/onlinetutorials.cfm?id=14 (with some info on modern kayaks too).
Modern versions are:
...the Whitewater Kayak; (the size 13 shoe you cram yourself into to bounce off rocks) which is designed to ride a current. It is agile, will get you through class five death rapids (if you've done your homework) but horrendous to paddle on water that isn't bouncing off rocks. Wear a helmet! Do not use a paddle leash!!!
Get specialized training!!!
This is critical! Anything beyond mildly moving water can be a death trap without the proper gear and skills... and buddies.
...the Recreational Kayak; (aka: the Bucket That Floats, The Rubber Ducky, The Bathtub). This is the most popular and common kayak, seen on slow moving creeks and lakes. It's the one most used by rentals at parks. It is easy to transport, handle and usually inexpensive. There are both sit-IN and sit-ON versions. Short (8 to 12 feet) and wide with a generous cockpit (it makes claustrophobes feel safe and is easy to get in and out of, especially if you are a large paddler or have physical issues like arthritis), it has lots of primary stability (it is very stable on flat water) but does not necessarily have secondary stability (the ability to be agile on waves and to be heeled over in turns or on waves). It comes in a variety of hull designs, some better than others. A short wide boat will always be slower, less efficient and harder to push through the water than a long narrow boat (it's science), but some hull designs will track straight even in wind and current (with proper paddling technique). A well built rec boat can introduce newbies to the fun of kayaking, get you on the water safely, and carry kids and dogs. As you improve your skills and expand how far and in what conditions you want to paddle, you will want a bigger boat...
STUFF TO KNOW: while you can acquire a small rec boat cheap, you can also get a good touring or sea kayak cheap, used. The rec boat is NOT for open water, long distances, wind, current, tidal waters or swiftwater. It is, in fact, deadly if you push it and you beyond the calm lake and creek waters it was designed for. It does not usually have bulkheads, so it will sink, at least under the surface if not to the bottom (you can add flotation like pool noodles, gallon jugs of air, or float bags). The large cockpit will ship water, and if you are in the open, your boat is now taking on water and becoming more unstable with each splash (have a bailing device). The broad design does not have secondary stability on waves, or if you heel over, or if you get hung up on a rock. Many are much much harder to get back onto or into if you fall out (you will), than a long narrow boat (you can throw yourself over a pointy end and straddle those). Paddling any distance, especially in conditions of wind or current, will exhaust you quicker than you imagined, dangerous if you have overestimated your endurance and now have to paddle miles back. The plastic is often cheaper and less durable, leading to cracks and limited years of use, whereas a typical longboat can last decades. The big box stores that sell these usually do not have people who paddle, they are reading from catalogs and upselling you on whatever they can sell you. A real outfitter, with people who paddle, can advise you on what you actually need to be safe and enjoy the sport.
... the Touring Kayak; 12 to 15 feet long, more or less, with a reasonable cockpit that doesn't ship water, lean enough to be efficient, wide enough to feel comfy, often with bulkheads which divide the boat into watertight compartments (with hatches to stow stuff for a day trip), handy enough to throw on a car roof. Will float in four or five inches of water, take you down the creek, across the lake, or into the waves offshore. You will be able to laugh maniacally at your buddies in their rec boats as you paddle one stroke for every twenty of theirs.
...the Sea Kayak; the original model designed by northern tribes. Light, lean, fast, efficient. Small cockpit (doesn't ship water). Long (15 feet or more). Does not navigate well around rocks on a creek, but will also float in four or five inches of water, take you across the lake, into the saltmarsh, or into the waves on a weeklong expedition. You'll be the one towing the guy in the rec boat at the end of the day when he's totally exhausted trying to keep up with you.
...the sit-on (SOT) or ocean kayak; a DNA collision of a raft, a surfboard and a kayak which got caught in some sort of space-time warp and melded together. It ranges from short and wide to long and lean (again, short and wide is slower than long and lean). You sit ON it, and water drains through the scupper holes (no bailing device needed). Utterly versatile from surf to creek to lake to marsh. You can add kids or dogs easily to most. Super easy to get on and off of (excellent for anyone with issues getting in and out of cockpits). Easy to get on from deep water: I keep fins on deck and can swim right up onto the boat. I also have done this in a mermaid tail.
Any gear you carry must be in dry bags, or not mind getting wet, there is no belowdecks storage as there is in traditional cockpit kayaks with their bulkheads and stowage compartments. There usually is a hatch to the space between the hulls, but this is best left alone: opening that on open water can flood and sink your boat. I stuffed my between-hulls space with pool noodles in case it leaks through hatch or plug. The plug can let water out if it leaks, but also air if the boat is in the heat! The two hulls basically form a sealed air raft. Most of these could be paddled standing up, like a SUP (stand up paddleboard).
...the fishing kayak; a specialized version of the recreational sit on top (SOT); usually not over 12' long, but quite wide and bulky with places to stow rods and gear. Often has a stadium or "lawn chair" type seat. Often can be stood up on. Useful for fishing in quiet waters, but NOT a seaworthy craft for open water. Most fishermen are not going far and fast, they are floating, fishing. The fishing kayak is not for expeditions or big water, it is a quiet fishing platform for calm lakes and creeks.
...the SUP kayak: a stand up paddleboard that can have a seat added so you can paddle it like a kayak
There are also inflatable kayaks (seaworthiness varies, but they tend to be blown around by the wind more than traditional kayaks) which can work if you have no place to store a traditional boat, and a tiny car. Also foldable (think origami, again, quality varies) kayaks, and sectional kayaks which are built in watertight parts, then lashed together. Again, easier to transport and store. But seaworthiness varies. Ask a real outfitter.
And finally, the kayak "waka" or kayak katamaran. Add outriggers and a sail and you can recreate every scene in Moana...
NO MATTER WHAT BOAT YOU GET, GET TRAINING!
This can be as simple as joining a club and paddling with experienced and expert paddlers who know how to navigate, rescue, and deal with the hazards that might arise. Most outfitters have courses you can take, and they may save your life and that of your friends and family. It never hurts to watch some videos and read some books, but learning with expert paddlers is your safest bet.
Don't buy from a sporting goods store! buy from people who paddle!
Go to a real outfitter. Talk to people who paddle, who have experience. They'll tell you what you really need to buy, not what they'd like to make money selling you. And they will fit you to the size and type of boat you need for the kind of paddling you are doing. The sporting goods store guys are just reading out of their catalogs.
go to a paddling demo
Most outfitters run demo days, where you can for free (or a small fee) try out a couple of 'yaks, talk about paddling, look at gear, and figure out if you want to buy the stuff.
rent, borrow, wheedle a friend into taking you
Many parks rent kayaks in the summer, usually sit-ons. Also some outfitters rent. Good way to try out the sport. Or maybe you know somebody with a spare boat. Offer to help with the gas.
BUT stay in calm waters, and paddle with experienced paddlers on these trial runs!
BUT stay in calm waters, and paddle with experienced paddlers on these trial runs!
used stuff...cheap!
While your chances of finding a $100 kayak at a yard sale are limited (helps if you get there before the butt crack of dawn, while they're still setting up), you can find used (trade-ins) or last year's demo model (been used at a couple of demos by the store) Stupid Cheap. Kayaks rarely wear out (even the plastic ones). A basic fishing PFD will work till you can get the fancy paddling vest. A sawed off laundry detergent bottle is a bailing device. The cheesy sporting goods store paddle will do as a spare. Fleeces, wool and windbreakers will keep you warm, even if you fall out of the boat (until you can get a wetsuit, and dive shops often have used, or leftover school wetsuits) or better, a proper paddling drysuit. But invest in a decent paddle; it will make several miles per hour difference when you're on a long paddle! (I've got good ones for $60 - $125; talk to your outfitter!)
you need...
even if you are just renting or going with a friend, here's some of the gear you need... (the boat owner should have all of the boat gear, you just need food, water, and water friendly attire)
this stuff if you are paddling somebody else's boat, or renting...
water friendly shoes
hiking sandals, Keens and similar designs with closed toes, water mocassins, old sneakers, Crocs will do
but not flip flops (the words flip and flop are a clue)
wetsuit boots are terrific in cooler weather (and are often available in the used gear bin at the local dive shop), or if you are getting out on beaches that are mucky, muddy or deeply silted.
water
in bottles, to drink: hydrate early, hydrate often. Lose the soda, use the Gatorade, 100% juices, tea.
snacks, lunch
no donuts; this leads to the phenomenon referred to as Sugar Bonk...
first, you'll feel like a squirrel on caffeine, then you'll crash, generally in the middle of the Bay...
camera, binoculars, and a dry case to stow them in;
the point of all this is to see stuff, and you will see more stuff than you do on land
hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
those sporty surfer shirts, UnderArmour, and similar spandex superhero suits are 100 proof sunscreen and they don't wash off.
I used a spandex diveskin because I got tired of trying to reapply sunscreen every 10 minutes to wet skin.
... now I use mermaid leggings and rashguards from Fin Fun ...spandex, dries fast! and easy to swim in, also keeps you cool when it's wet, so on hot days, easy way to stay cool.
...remember, cotton is rotten!
this stuff if you are buying your own boat (you also need the other stuff, in red)...
(these are "don't leave home without it" items)
a kayak: look for used ones, look for one that fits you, talk to your outfitter
a paddle; light, and measured to your body and the width of the boat you are using
they have narrow blades (easy to push, but less power), or wide (more power, and you can still put less of it in the water for an easy stroke) , bent shafts or straight. I (and my gurus) love the classic straight shafted paddle: you can change your grip on it during your paddle. the "ergonomic" bendy ones stick your hands in the same place.
a PFD (personal floatation device, never leave home without it!)
a bailing device (bilge pump or sawed off bottle or bucket) and
sponge (to get the last few inches of water)
dress for the weather, and for immersion (when you fall out of the boat)
spare paddle, so you won't be up the creek without one
paddle leash; to keep paddle from floating off when you drop it (a bungee and some velcro works fine), OK in open water, don't use in whitewater (can create a deadly tangle)
drybags (to stow stuff you don't want to get wet; like the first aid kit, windbreaker, fleece, and blanket)
ziplock bags work well too (use several in layers)
compass (some environments, like small lakes and rivers, are easy to navigate...
unless it fogs up, it's cloudy, it's dark, it's raining, it's storming, or the whole treeline looks alike...
other environments, like salt marshes, are a maze of water and grass when you get inside. A simple river crossing turned into a near disaster when I raced a thunderstorm back across the river. If I had got caught in it, (zero visibility!) the compass would have helped me find shore.
The compass is your friend. GPS optional, but useful.
whistle; to call your buddies, to shriek at the idiot on the Jet-ski
air horn; to shriek at the idiot on the Jet-ski, and the really BIG boat bearing down on you
spray skirt; if you are planning on going out in waves or rough water, most sea and touring kayaks can handle some waves without a skirt
many kayakers feel naked without one... I tend to use mine only if it's rough, but I always take it with me (conditions can change)
net or mesh bags
good for containing those water bottles behind the seat, (they sink!) for containing stuff in the holds, for collecting clams and mussels or seashells
find them at dollar stores (beach bags) or dive shops (goodie bags for diving)
dry boxes
found a cheap functional one at WalMart, expensive ($25 or so) ones at outfitters and dive shops (Pelican, Otter boxes), grocery stores have plastic containers with an "o ring" gasket to seal gooey contents inside; they work fine to seal out water.
dive slates (white plastic you can write on underwater) are fun: you can take notes even in rough waves
strainers and containers
use a fine net (like a butterfly net) or an old kitchen sieve to see what lurks beneath the waves, temporarily put things in a white pan/tray or frisbee, photograph it, and set it free... use video mode for your very own Jaques Cousteau Special.
snorkeling gear
...or in some waters, scuba gear. While much of the water you explore might have "visibility inside the mask", you never know when you can jump into a bed of SAV (submerged aquatic vegetation), a shallow back bay, or other water clear enough to see what's on the bottom. Keep the kayak on a leash (bow line, or perimeter line in your hand) or anchor it (I used five pound dive weights in most tidal or slow river current areas). Don't let the boat drift; it'll blow faster on the wind than you can swim!
stirrups and fins
to help you get back in the boat... I keep a pair of fins on deck. If I fall in , I can put the fins on and kick myself back up onto the boat's pointy end and then back into the cockpit... a tiedown strap tucked under a deck bungee or behind the seat can be slung around the boat's bow or stern like a stirrup and used to heave yourself back up onto the boat
a towing package
not like on your 4x4, this is a belt, with a quick release, and a towline that you can use to tow a tired or injured paddler... or for someone to tow you... any good rope will also be useful (you can tie boats stern to bow if necessary, though the quick release is best)
this stuff if you are paddling somebody else's boat, or renting...
water friendly shoes
hiking sandals, Keens and similar designs with closed toes, water mocassins, old sneakers, Crocs will do
but not flip flops (the words flip and flop are a clue)
wetsuit boots are terrific in cooler weather (and are often available in the used gear bin at the local dive shop), or if you are getting out on beaches that are mucky, muddy or deeply silted.
water
in bottles, to drink: hydrate early, hydrate often. Lose the soda, use the Gatorade, 100% juices, tea.
snacks, lunch
no donuts; this leads to the phenomenon referred to as Sugar Bonk...
first, you'll feel like a squirrel on caffeine, then you'll crash, generally in the middle of the Bay...
camera, binoculars, and a dry case to stow them in;
the point of all this is to see stuff, and you will see more stuff than you do on land
hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
those sporty surfer shirts, UnderArmour, and similar spandex superhero suits are 100 proof sunscreen and they don't wash off.
I used a spandex diveskin because I got tired of trying to reapply sunscreen every 10 minutes to wet skin.
... now I use mermaid leggings and rashguards from Fin Fun ...spandex, dries fast! and easy to swim in, also keeps you cool when it's wet, so on hot days, easy way to stay cool.
...remember, cotton is rotten!
this stuff if you are buying your own boat (you also need the other stuff, in red)...
(these are "don't leave home without it" items)
a kayak: look for used ones, look for one that fits you, talk to your outfitter
a paddle; light, and measured to your body and the width of the boat you are using
they have narrow blades (easy to push, but less power), or wide (more power, and you can still put less of it in the water for an easy stroke) , bent shafts or straight. I (and my gurus) love the classic straight shafted paddle: you can change your grip on it during your paddle. the "ergonomic" bendy ones stick your hands in the same place.
a PFD (personal floatation device, never leave home without it!)
a bailing device (bilge pump or sawed off bottle or bucket) and
sponge (to get the last few inches of water)
dress for the weather, and for immersion (when you fall out of the boat)
- if the water temp and the air temp add up to less than 120 F wear a wetsuit or drysuit
- ... or layers that will keep you warm when you fall in (fleece, wool, wind layer)
- have extra layers in a drybag
- hypothermia is not your friend; have a plan for getting back in the boat, and a cell phone (in several ziplock bags or an Otter box) to call River Rescue or the Coast Guard when you can't. Paddlers have gotten dead because they wore T-shrits in April and fell in...
spare paddle, so you won't be up the creek without one
paddle leash; to keep paddle from floating off when you drop it (a bungee and some velcro works fine), OK in open water, don't use in whitewater (can create a deadly tangle)
drybags (to stow stuff you don't want to get wet; like the first aid kit, windbreaker, fleece, and blanket)
ziplock bags work well too (use several in layers)
compass (some environments, like small lakes and rivers, are easy to navigate...
unless it fogs up, it's cloudy, it's dark, it's raining, it's storming, or the whole treeline looks alike...
other environments, like salt marshes, are a maze of water and grass when you get inside. A simple river crossing turned into a near disaster when I raced a thunderstorm back across the river. If I had got caught in it, (zero visibility!) the compass would have helped me find shore.
The compass is your friend. GPS optional, but useful.
whistle; to call your buddies, to shriek at the idiot on the Jet-ski
air horn; to shriek at the idiot on the Jet-ski, and the really BIG boat bearing down on you
spray skirt; if you are planning on going out in waves or rough water, most sea and touring kayaks can handle some waves without a skirt
many kayakers feel naked without one... I tend to use mine only if it's rough, but I always take it with me (conditions can change)
net or mesh bags
good for containing those water bottles behind the seat, (they sink!) for containing stuff in the holds, for collecting clams and mussels or seashells
find them at dollar stores (beach bags) or dive shops (goodie bags for diving)
dry boxes
found a cheap functional one at WalMart, expensive ($25 or so) ones at outfitters and dive shops (Pelican, Otter boxes), grocery stores have plastic containers with an "o ring" gasket to seal gooey contents inside; they work fine to seal out water.
dive slates (white plastic you can write on underwater) are fun: you can take notes even in rough waves
strainers and containers
use a fine net (like a butterfly net) or an old kitchen sieve to see what lurks beneath the waves, temporarily put things in a white pan/tray or frisbee, photograph it, and set it free... use video mode for your very own Jaques Cousteau Special.
snorkeling gear
...or in some waters, scuba gear. While much of the water you explore might have "visibility inside the mask", you never know when you can jump into a bed of SAV (submerged aquatic vegetation), a shallow back bay, or other water clear enough to see what's on the bottom. Keep the kayak on a leash (bow line, or perimeter line in your hand) or anchor it (I used five pound dive weights in most tidal or slow river current areas). Don't let the boat drift; it'll blow faster on the wind than you can swim!
stirrups and fins
to help you get back in the boat... I keep a pair of fins on deck. If I fall in , I can put the fins on and kick myself back up onto the boat's pointy end and then back into the cockpit... a tiedown strap tucked under a deck bungee or behind the seat can be slung around the boat's bow or stern like a stirrup and used to heave yourself back up onto the boat
a towing package
not like on your 4x4, this is a belt, with a quick release, and a towline that you can use to tow a tired or injured paddler... or for someone to tow you... any good rope will also be useful (you can tie boats stern to bow if necessary, though the quick release is best)
cotton is rotten
On the water, that is. Use quick dry materials. If it's hot, you can stay wet, and cool. If it gets chilly, you can dry off and add layers. Cotton will stay soggy for hours and suck the heat right out of you. Wool keeps you warm even if wet. I like a wetsuit in colder weather, drysuits are good, and at least one expert I know likes layers of fleece and windproof stuff like Gore-tex.
you will fall out of the boat (don't panic)
I've heard the "I never fall out of the boat" story a few times. Usually this is the guy who ends up on the news barely saved from hypothermia when he went paddling in a T-shirt in April (water temp: about 40).
Lots of folks have gotten dead because they thought they could swim much better than they actually could. The water doesn't have to be rough: a nice lady on her first paddle leaned over for a goose feather and SPLOOT! She was wearing her PFD and ended up in waist deep water anyway.
Wear your PFD, and have a plan for getting back in the boat. I get on as if I was leaping on a horse bareback (throw yourself over the pointy ends, bow or stern, stay low, throw a leg over, sit, hitch self into cockpit). There are more elegant ways involving paddle floats and upside down boats which I cannot do. Having a buddy helps (they can steady your boat or at least tow you to shallower water). You can also rig a line or tie-down strap around the boat in a loop, use it like stirrup to heave yourself back aboard. I keep a pair of dive fins on deck: putting those on makes your silly human feet effective in water, now you can kick yourself onto the boat, or tow it to shore.
Oh, that fin? Cartiliginous, yes, shark relative, yes. Dangerous, no. It's the port wing fin of a cownose ray.
However: when in ray country (around here: the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, Assateague) DO WALK CAREFULLY. Do not jump out of your boat and land on the bottom. When walking on the bottom, do the stingray shuffle, slide your feet. They will scuttle out of the way, but if you step down on one, you can get stung, which is no fun. They are not aggressive, many aquariums have them in touch tanks and I've seen them trained to come for food. Just be aware of where they are, and give them polite space. Enjoy your fellow creatures!
Lots of folks have gotten dead because they thought they could swim much better than they actually could. The water doesn't have to be rough: a nice lady on her first paddle leaned over for a goose feather and SPLOOT! She was wearing her PFD and ended up in waist deep water anyway.
Wear your PFD, and have a plan for getting back in the boat. I get on as if I was leaping on a horse bareback (throw yourself over the pointy ends, bow or stern, stay low, throw a leg over, sit, hitch self into cockpit). There are more elegant ways involving paddle floats and upside down boats which I cannot do. Having a buddy helps (they can steady your boat or at least tow you to shallower water). You can also rig a line or tie-down strap around the boat in a loop, use it like stirrup to heave yourself back aboard. I keep a pair of dive fins on deck: putting those on makes your silly human feet effective in water, now you can kick yourself onto the boat, or tow it to shore.
Oh, that fin? Cartiliginous, yes, shark relative, yes. Dangerous, no. It's the port wing fin of a cownose ray.
However: when in ray country (around here: the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, Assateague) DO WALK CAREFULLY. Do not jump out of your boat and land on the bottom. When walking on the bottom, do the stingray shuffle, slide your feet. They will scuttle out of the way, but if you step down on one, you can get stung, which is no fun. They are not aggressive, many aquariums have them in touch tanks and I've seen them trained to come for food. Just be aware of where they are, and give them polite space. Enjoy your fellow creatures!
wear your PFD and have a plan for getting back in the boat!!!
look below the seahorse for another version of
DON'T PANIC
(written for a facebook page, feel free to link or copy/paste)
YOU WILL FALL OUT OF THE BOAT... (don't panic)
I've heard the "I never fall out of the boat" story a few times. Usually this is the one who ends up on the news barely saved from hypothermia when they went paddling in a T-shirt in April (water temp: about 40).
There is no such thing as an unsinkable or untippable boat.
Yes, some are very stable, on calm water, but they are NOT untippable. And bulkheads (or pool noodles, or float bags) make your boat relatively unsinkable in most conditions. But they can still be flooded and unstable enough to be a problem.
Lots of folks have gotten dead because they thought they could swim much better than they actually could. The water doesn't have to be rough: a nice lady on her first paddle leaned over for a goose feather and SPLOOT! She was wearing her PFD and ended up in waist deep water anyway. My friend's kid achieved ramming speed and broadsided her with the other kayak... in she went. I earned an advanced open water scuba cert. I mermaid (yes, it's a verb). I wear a PFD that fits.
Wear your PFD, and have a plan for getting back in the boat.
PRACTICE IT near shore or in a pool, with friends.
Hang onto your boat, even flooded, it is extra flotation and easier for the Coast Guard to see when they come to rescue you... no... seriously, keeps you afloat even better, and gives your buddies an extra tool to work with. If you are in moving water with rocks and strainers though, get away from the boat and keep your feet UP so as not to be snagged by an underwater obstacle (the current can then pull you under).
Some boats are safer than others: I have sea kayaks: a 17.5 ft. Perception Sea Lion and a 15 ft. Wilderness Systems Cape Horn. Long and narrow, they are very stable if you grab a pointy end (either end) to be towed to shore, or throw yourself over the pointy end to get back in the cockpit. Some very small rec boats may be too short or rolly (round in cross section like my friend's boat, and easy to roll) to easily get on. SOTs are super easy, as are SUPs.
I get on as if I was leaping on a horse bareback (throw yourself over the pointy ends, bow or stern, stay low, throw a leg over, sit, hitch self into cockpit). There are more elegant ways involving paddle floats and upside down boats which I cannot do. Having a buddy helps (they can steady your boat or at least tow you to shallower water). You can also rig a line or tie-down strap around the boat in a loop, use it like stirrup to heave yourself back aboard. Check out a class or youtube for additional ideas.
I keep a pair of dive fins on deck: putting those on makes your silly human feet effective in water, now you can kick yourself onto the boat, or tow it to shore.
.
.
.
.
Oh, that fin? Cartilaginous, yes, shark relative, yes. Dangerous, no. It's the port wing fin of a cownose ray.
However: when in ray country (around here: the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, Assateague) DO WALK CAREFULLY. Do not jump out of your boat and land on the bottom. When walking on the bottom, do the stingray shuffle, slide your feet. They will scuttle out of the way, but if you step down on one, you can get stung, which is no fun. They are not aggressive, many aquariums have them in touch tanks and I've seen them trained to come for food. Just be aware of where they are, and give them polite space.
Enjoy your fellow creatures!
I've heard the "I never fall out of the boat" story a few times. Usually this is the one who ends up on the news barely saved from hypothermia when they went paddling in a T-shirt in April (water temp: about 40).
There is no such thing as an unsinkable or untippable boat.
Yes, some are very stable, on calm water, but they are NOT untippable. And bulkheads (or pool noodles, or float bags) make your boat relatively unsinkable in most conditions. But they can still be flooded and unstable enough to be a problem.
Lots of folks have gotten dead because they thought they could swim much better than they actually could. The water doesn't have to be rough: a nice lady on her first paddle leaned over for a goose feather and SPLOOT! She was wearing her PFD and ended up in waist deep water anyway. My friend's kid achieved ramming speed and broadsided her with the other kayak... in she went. I earned an advanced open water scuba cert. I mermaid (yes, it's a verb). I wear a PFD that fits.
Wear your PFD, and have a plan for getting back in the boat.
PRACTICE IT near shore or in a pool, with friends.
Hang onto your boat, even flooded, it is extra flotation and easier for the Coast Guard to see when they come to rescue you... no... seriously, keeps you afloat even better, and gives your buddies an extra tool to work with. If you are in moving water with rocks and strainers though, get away from the boat and keep your feet UP so as not to be snagged by an underwater obstacle (the current can then pull you under).
Some boats are safer than others: I have sea kayaks: a 17.5 ft. Perception Sea Lion and a 15 ft. Wilderness Systems Cape Horn. Long and narrow, they are very stable if you grab a pointy end (either end) to be towed to shore, or throw yourself over the pointy end to get back in the cockpit. Some very small rec boats may be too short or rolly (round in cross section like my friend's boat, and easy to roll) to easily get on. SOTs are super easy, as are SUPs.
I get on as if I was leaping on a horse bareback (throw yourself over the pointy ends, bow or stern, stay low, throw a leg over, sit, hitch self into cockpit). There are more elegant ways involving paddle floats and upside down boats which I cannot do. Having a buddy helps (they can steady your boat or at least tow you to shallower water). You can also rig a line or tie-down strap around the boat in a loop, use it like stirrup to heave yourself back aboard. Check out a class or youtube for additional ideas.
I keep a pair of dive fins on deck: putting those on makes your silly human feet effective in water, now you can kick yourself onto the boat, or tow it to shore.
.
.
.
.
Oh, that fin? Cartilaginous, yes, shark relative, yes. Dangerous, no. It's the port wing fin of a cownose ray.
However: when in ray country (around here: the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, Assateague) DO WALK CAREFULLY. Do not jump out of your boat and land on the bottom. When walking on the bottom, do the stingray shuffle, slide your feet. They will scuttle out of the way, but if you step down on one, you can get stung, which is no fun. They are not aggressive, many aquariums have them in touch tanks and I've seen them trained to come for food. Just be aware of where they are, and give them polite space.
Enjoy your fellow creatures!
