Kayaks

Whether you want to leisurely paddle  or aggressively churn through rapids, kayaks,  in their various designs, accommodate all types of water sport action. The design of a kayak is a matter of tradeoffs between stability, maneuverability, tracking, speed, and storage. They come in single  and tandem  models and in a variety of sizes, shapes, materials, and prices.

Parts and Construction

There are a number of styles of kayaks  in a variety of lengths and widths, but they all share some common characteristics.

Materials

Common materials used to construct kayaks are plastic,  wood,  fiberglass,  or high-performance  composites like Kevlar  and carbon fiber. 

• Plastic
• Though heavy and difficult to repair, plastic is inexpensive and highly impact resistant.
• Plastic kayaks  are prone to degrade when exposed to sunlight. Make sure you have a dark storage space.
• One of the most popular options for beginners.
• Fiberglass
• Fiberglass kayaks  are more expensive, but easier to maintain and repair than plastic kayaks.
• Lighter than plastic kayaks, but heavier than many of the composite models.
• Less durable than plastic, and prone to cracks and scratches, which require occasional maintenance to restore.
• Composites
• High performance composites  are lightweight and tough.
• More expensive than plastic or fiberglass.
• Wood
• Wood kayaks  can be lightweight and durable (when not heavy and cracking, of course).
• Often home made from kits bought from designers.
• They require regular maintenance to preserve the finish.
• More aesthetically pleasing.

Parts

• Rudders 
• What are they? A rudder is a small, flat, fin located at the back of the kayak that helps the kayaker steer.
• Foot pedals allow the user to rotate the blade on a fixed point to control the rudder, which allows for hands-free steering.
• Hinges allow them to lift up over seaweed and other obstructions that might be encountered while moving downstream.
• Hinges also make it easier to transport, launch, land, and back over obstructions.
• Why have a rudder? For bird-watching, taking photographs, or fishing.
• Improved paddling efficiency and the ease of hands-free maneuverability.
• Improved designs incorporate tougher materials and more durable construction, which improves rudder dependability.
• Why not have a rudder? Detractors say that rudders can fail and they accuse them of deroding basic paddling skills and making paddlers sloppy.

• Hatches 
• What are they? Easy access points through the deck to store gear inside the hull.
• Smaller hatches are generally more water-tight and dependable, but larger hatches will allow you to store larger items.
• Detractors say hatches can compromise the waterproof integrity and strength of the deck.
• Advances in materials and construction have improved the reliability of hatches dramatically.
• What to look for: Secure, easy-to-operate closures, and hatch designs that use a durable gasket.

• Bulkheads 
• Bulkheads are water-tight walls that divide the sections of a kayak's interior into watertight storage compartments for your gear.
• They provide areas to stow gear and improve buoyancy in case of capsize.
• Bulkheads are usually made of fiberglass resin or rigid foam.
• They’re usually located behind the seat and at the very front of the boat.

• Seats 
• The seat is the easiest feature to replace or adapt to your individual needs.
• Replacing hard seat backs  with padded back bands  is common.
• A kayak seat should be comfortable, provide a low center of gravity, and give you a secure feel in the boat.
• The seat back should provide adequate lumbar support without interfering with motion.
• Seats can be adjusted with sections of closed-cell that can be glued in place with a waterproof adhesive.
• A seat can be suspended from the cockpit rim or set directly on the bottom of the boat.

• Footbraces 
• Footbraces give you a fixed location to rest your feet, allowing your knees to rest against the underside of the deck.
• Proper footrest placement will allow the boat to become an extension of your body.

Hull Features

• Rocker 
• The rocker is the feature that allows you to control the kayak.
• It’s the curvature from bow to stern, as viewed from the side.
• A kayak that lies flat has little rocker, while a boat with a “U” shape has more rocker.
• Typically, a kayak with more rocker will turn more quickly.
• More rocker will also allow it to handle rapids better because ends won't get caught by the incoming water.
• Less rocker is better when paddling longer distances on calm water because it’s more efficient.

• Hull Shape
• Hull shape is the primary factor in stability.
• Elements that are important when considering the shape are the boat’s beam or width, flare, and chine.
• The flare is the angle of the hull outward from the bottom of the kayak to the deck.
• Chine is the transition from the hull to the deck.
• Chine contributes to the overall shape of the hull and the distribution of volume within it, and is a factor in the sense of balance, especially when leaning.
• Chine can be hard or soft, single, or multi.
• Soft-chined kayaks feel more forgiving.
• Multi-chined kayaks can feel awkward at first, but are more responsive.

Planing Hulls 

• Planing hulls are flat and create a very wide footprint in the water.
• Common for sporting kayaks because they are stable and surf waves well.
• The edges are beveled providing a softer edge, producing a more forgiving boat that’s less tippy in rapids.

Displacement Hulls 

• These are rounded hulls.
• Once the standard for whitewater kayaks, they’ve been replaced by planing hulls in terms of popularity.
• Displacement hulls aren't as stable or as maneuverable, but track more effectively.

Sports Hulls 

• Sporting boats designed for surfing and performing other acrobatics are typically shorter with wider planing hulls, with larger sidewalls, and aggressive edges that maximize maneuverability.
• Less volume in the bow and stern to allow the ends of the boat to be forced under water easily.
• Kayaks designed for more all-around use are longer to increase their speed.
• Have narrower hulls that carve a better track in the water, more beveled, forgiving edges, and more volume in the ends to prevent them from submerging.

Types of Kayaks

It should be noted that these four subsections represent the very tip of the iceberg concerning kayak design. They fall into myriad sub-categories, and no matter what your needs there’s likely a boat that fits those specific considerations.

Recreational kayaks  Perfect for beginners or anyone looking get into kayaking, but not interested in serious paddling. Perfect for paddling in calm bodies of water, fishing,  or bird watching.  Can also handle easy whitewater and day trips near shore on larger more wavy bodies of water. Simplified hull shapes, which limits their performance and versatility. Some can be used to try advanced kayaking techniques. Typically 14-17 feet long and 22-25 inches wide. Ample onboard space to store gear. Great stability. Easy to handle. Recreational kayaks are slower then sea kayaks,  and harder to turn than whitewater kayaks,  but easier to paddle than either.

Recreational Touring  More stable than a sea kayak  and more performance than a recreational kayak.  Good platform to learn more aggressive techniques that are not possible in a recreational kayak. Able to cover longer distances comfortably, and can be used in many of the same ways as recreational kayaks. Two to three feet longer than basic recreational boats.  Less rocker makes them easy to keep in a straight line but difficult to turn. Wider and easier to use than a sea kayak.  Great for a novice paddler who wants to sea kayak, but doesn’t need as much stability or maneuverability as a high performance sea kayak.

Dry Touring Sea Kayaks  Long slender boats that allow the user to travel long distances along a shoreline, or from one island to the next. Good in wide-open expanses of water, big waves, and high winds. They can be unstable and take time to get acquainted with. Boats come in a variety of constructions and prices. Plastic boats will start at $1200,  fiberglass boats around $2500,  and high end Kevlar boats as much as $3000.

Types of Sporting Kayaks
Whitewater  Whitewater requires a more aggressive boat. The boats are designed to turn and maneuver. Paddling in a straight line is nearly impossible.	Freestyle  These are short flat-hulled, low-volume boats that allow the paddler to perform tricks on waves.	River-Running  These boats need to be very durable to handle rocks, and other obstacles as the boat tears down-river.

Folding Kayaks

• Folding kayaks  have a skin over frame design similar to the traditional kayaks used by hunters for thousands of years.
• Easily transported and stored in a small space.
• Perfect for a lightweight kayak that can be easily carried and handled.
• ABout 17-20 pounds.
• Assembled in minutes.
• Excellent paddling speed and tracking.

Inflatable Kayaks

• Once only considered toys, inflatable kayaks  are used by some serious paddlers.
• Easy to store in small spaces.
• Quick inflation using a foot pump. 
• Inflatable kayaks are incredibly stable.
• Very buoyant and impossible to sink.
• Great load-carrying capacity.

New Product!

Hobie Mirage Adventure Island   Hobie has used their Mirage Drive technology in their kayaks for several years now, but the Mirage Adventure Island  "sail/yak" takes alternative kayaks to another level. In addition to the hands-free pedaling system they call "Mirage Drive," the Adventure Island also features a small, easily hoistable sail and two pontoons for stability. The two pontoons (or amas) are retractable by a mechanism controlled from the cockpit for docking and narrow spaces. The rig is based on the Hobie Mirage Adventure,  a stable kayak also powered by pedals. Mirage Adventure kayaks sold in 2007 and on will be sold upgrade-ready, in case you want to transform a kayak into a pontoon boat.  You can pedal, sail, or both. You could even use a paddle! Available in Golden Papaya (yellow) and Red Hibiscus (shown).

Popular Brands

• Ocean Kayak 
• Hobie Cat 
• Liquid Logic 
• Sevylor 
• Old Town Canoe Company 
• Kwiki Tek 

External Links

• Paddling.net: Customer reviews of all manner of kayak, categorized by length.
• GearReview.com: Reviews of top models.