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What type of paddling do you do?
Kayaking is one of the simplest and safest outdoor recreational activities. Just about anyone can jump aboard, grab a double-bladed paddle, and start exploring. A few years ago, most kayaks were general-purpose boats. Today, there are a variety of specialized designs that have evolved for different applications. To get started selecting a kayak, your first task is to identify the type of kayaking that you are likely to be engaged in most of the time. The following are some of the available categories of kayaks:
General recreation
Recreational kayaks are made for all-around casual use on lakes, rivers and bays. They are shorter and beamier than touring kayaks, so they turn more easily and have more stability, but do not travel in a straight line as effortlessly. If you are new to the sport, a recreational kayak would probably be a good choice.
Whitewater and surf
Specialized boats for whitewater use are often very short in length with planing hulls and lots of rocker (with raised ends) for maneuverability and for handling waves effectively. Waveskis are a type of short kayak designed especially for surf use. They are usually of the sit-on-top style, and are very easy to reboard after a wipeout.
Touring and cruising
Longer kayaks go faster once they are up to speed and track in a straight line better. Touring kayaks are made for weekend trips with the gear that you carry along, and have storage compartments to hold gear stored inside of plastic dry bags. Some of the higher-priced boats are made of fiberglass, and are very long (17' for a single, to 22' for a tandem) including waterproof bulkheads and fiberglass hatches in the deck. Multi-week voyages under near-offshore conditions are possible with the top-end touring kayaks. They are sometimes described by the name "sea kayaks," but are not used only in the ocean. Some touring kayaks have a rudder, connected to foot pedals, to improve steering and turning ability.
Fishing or diving
Built for anglers or divers, special kayaks such as the Sportfisher Inflatable, Prowler Trident, Prowler 13 and Scrambler XT kayaks include baitwells, fishfinder mounts and transducer scuppers, tackle boxes, rodholders and many other features just for anglers or divers. Note also the large number of fishing accessories made expressly for kayaking, as companies like Scotty have discovered the popularity of this type of angling.
Alone or with a partner
A tandem kayak is lots of fun to paddle with a partner and less expensive than two single kayaks, but is difficult to paddle alone (which requires sitting in the back and ballasting the front). Tandem kayaks are also faster than singles, since they combine the effort of two paddlers for one boat. They are good for paddlers of different strengths, who might not move at the same pace in two singles.
Convertible kayaks, such as the Advanced Frame Double, are a good compromise. With seats for two, convertibles also have a center position for balanced solo paddling. Zip on an optional removable deck conversion, and you can turn your tandem into a covered touring kayak with a sprayskirt.
Types of kayaks
Sit inside kayaks
Best for colder conditions, because they provide more protection from the elements, having a small oval-shaped deck opening with a nylon fabric "sprayskirt" that seals your lower body inside, allowing you to stay drier. Your center of gravity is lower, since you are sitting below the water line, so you have greater stability. You can also brace your lower body better, so you feel more connected to the boat, and can handle rough water more effectively. The down side is that recovery from a capsize is more difficult. Practicing an Eskimo roll to get upright and learning how to disengage yourself from the sprayskirt are required.
Sit on top
Great for warm weather fun. Sit on top boats are self-bailing because the floor is above water level and is fitted with scuppers, holes that go through the bottom for drainage. Because of your higher center of gravity, sitting in a molded depression in the hull, capsizing is more likely but self-rescuing recovery is easier, about like climbing back on a surfboard. Since you are not inside a skirted cockpit, expect to get wet, and wear a swimsuit (or wetsuit) because you are exposed to the wind and waves. Sit-on-top kayaks do not give the same feeling of being connected to the boat you get in a sit-inside boat, but claustrophobia is also not a problem.
Inflatable kayaks
Portability is the primary advantage. Most inflatable kayaks fall into the "basic recreational boat" category, but the Advanced Frame models offer a higher level of performance. Their design is a hybrid of a folding and an inflatable kayak, with aluminum frames adding rigidity to the bow and stern. Due to their length and seaworthiness, these kayaks offer performance comparable to hardshells, but are easy to setup and compact to stow.
Accessories
Your paddle is the most important accessory, and should be sized correctly for you and your boat. You can choose either unfeathered blades (which are in the same plane) or feathered blades (set at right angles to each other). Feathered blades allow the blade that is out of the water to cut more easily through the air. Other items you may need include a cartop rack, sprayskirt, seat backs or bailer.
A few words about safety
As with any small open vessel, kayaking requires you to be aware of the weather conditions. Changing currents, a wind that suddenly springs up and is blowing offshore, or the onset of darkness can turn your "three hour tour" into something less than fun. Because kayaking is so easy to learn, we sometimes see paddlers, through naive ignorance and inexperience, in questionable situations. Dress appropriately for the conditions, possibly wearing a wetsuit, a hat, neoprene gloves and a spraytop. Wear your PFD. Consider traveling in pairs with another kayaker. We also think a small compass, a waterproof VHF radio (in a dry bag), a handheld GPS or a PLB are great safety aids.
Conclusion
We love the pure simplicity of paddling. A kayak can go places no other boat can travel, and allow you to experience the wildlife and serenity of estuaries, rivers and other marine environments, or the excitement of whitewater and surf.
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