Kayaks
Kayaks are as varied as the people who use them. Whether you’re a landlubber from the Midwest, a hippie from out west, a conservative from the south or a sailor from the east, there is a kayak that can fit your kayaking needs. Just like anything, there are varying categories of kayaks and different reasons for using them. A freshwater kayak, for example, is quite a bit different than a seagoing kayak. If you’re going to be going through rough waters—like white water rafting but with a kayak—then you’ll again want to choose a kayak that befits the water and paddler. If you choose the right kayak for the job, you’ll have some nice challenges without worry to equipment failure. If however you use the wrong style of kayak for the watercourse you’re attempting, the loss could in reality be fatal.
The four general types of kayaks include the recreational kayak, the white water kayak, the racing kayak and the touring kayak. Like a bike, you’ll want a kayak that will serve you well under the conditions you’ll be facing. You would never want a road-racing bike to take you down the mountain trails, for instance. The same holds true for kayaks—you’ll want the right kayak for the right terrain. And believe you me, the right kayak for the job can make or break your on the water.
A recreational kayak is good for anyone wanting to dabble in calm waters, perhaps going longer distances, like canoeing. These boats have buoyancy so stable that you couldn’t dunk it, sink it, turn it over or hurt it if you tried. The only downside is they are hard to make quick maneuvers with and they are quite a bit heavier, usually made of durable plastic. You can, moreover, combine recreational kayaks with other forms of, well, recreation. You can use these as a floating base for snorkeling, diving, or swimming. Additionally, there is plenty of room for fishing equipment and lures and bait. You can attach your catch to the back of the boat when you’re done. Bringing a small cooler full of your favorite beverage seems to be the norm for this style of kayak as well.
The white water kayak is great for rushing rivers, where you might see others using a raft to float and paddle down the river. These kayaks are quite a bit smaller and lighter than their recreational counterpart, allowing for easier turning and quicker maneuverability to help you get out of sticky situations that can creep up on you. The bottoms are usually thick, allowing you to bounce over rocks and lower levels of water. The white water kayak usually has a skirting that allows you to almost wear the kayak, keeping the frigid water out. You’ll actually get into this kayak, whereas you’ll sit inside a recreational kayak with no water protection.
The touring kayak is made for entirely other purposes than the white water and recreational ones. The touring kayak is light, narrow and longer than other styles. One stroke with your paddle on a touring kayak, for example, can send you scurrying over the water for quite the distance when compared to the same energy used for momentum in a recreational kayak. These kayaks are great for long distances and can carry a variety of gear. Some but not all touring kayaks have rudders and foot controls, giving easier turning.
The racing kayak, similarly, are very long and narrow, but are so on both ends—its almost hard to tell the differences between the front and the back. Some of these are over twenty foot long while not even reaching two feet wide. The kayaks are as strong as the recreation or touring kayak but are lighter because of the advanced technology implemented in making them. These are not made to go the distance or for having a pleasurable ride. No, the racing kayaks are built to create as little resistance as possible, giving way to record times and blue ribbons. A strong and light rower (paddler) in one of these can go across water at very high speeds.
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