Sea Kayaking Equpment

Boats

There are a lot of boats on the market. When shopping for a boat you'll quickly become familiar with the basic boat design terminology. The length of a kayak effects its speed and maneuverability. The longer it is the faster it goes. The more volume a boat has the more buoyant it is. The boat's rocker refers to the upward curve of the bottom of a boat. Less rocker provides better tracking or enhances the boat's ability to move in a straight line. More rocker will help the boat to ride over waves. A wide boat adds stability.

Beginner boats are great to have around. They're fun for the kids and friends to play around on. But they don't perform well. If you're looking to do some long distant trips, say 10 miles, you won't want to be in a beginner boat. Beginner kayaks are about 12 to 14 feet long and around 25 to 27 inches wide.

If your committed to the sport, it is usually recommend that you start with an intermediate, plastic (polyethylene) boat. The boat should have a solid design for the water conditions you'll be paddling in. A plastic boat is much more forgiving than a fiberglass or composite boat. You'll be able to drag it on to a beach or cause much less damage if you drop it. If you plan to do some over night camping trips, look for a boat with waterproof bulkheads.

Clothing

Drysuits

For extreme cold weather and water a drysuit will be safer than a wetsuit. Drysuits also come in handy for whitewater kayaking, sailing and windsurfing. Try to get one the meets all your needs.

As the name suggests, a drysuit is a waterproof jumpsuit that will keep you dry if you go for a swim. The suit has rubber seals around the neck, wrists and ankles that prevent water from getting into your suit.

Life Jackets or PFDs

For kayaking a Personal Floatation Device (PFD) is mandatory. The great thing about a kayaking PFD is that they're so comfortable, you'll wear them for other sports. They're perfect for dinghy sailing or working the foredeck on a sailing boat. The kayaking PFD is cut high and has large armholes so it won't hinder your mobility. They also have well positioned cinch straps to get a secure fit. Some of the better manufacturers are now making women's models, which offer an even better fit and more comfort.

Pockets are an important feature of any life jacket. For sea kayaking you'll need to attach some key safety items to your PFD. At the least you'll want to have a whistle and flares secured to your life jacket. Make sure you're able to attach these items to the jacket you choose.

• Extrasport
• Kokotat
• Lotus
• Perception

Paddles

There are a lot of aspects to a paddle and by no means is it a simple purchase. You need to consider length, materials, weight, feathered or unfeathered, shaft, and blade shape.

Sea kayaking paddles are much different than whitewater paddles. For sea kayaking you'll need a longer, lighter and narrower paddle. Touring paddles range in lengths between 210 and 240 cm. The taller you are the longer the paddle you should use. The weight of the paddle is important, because you're paddling over a long period of time. A heavier paddle will take more effort to use. Additionally they found that narrower blades are more efficient and economical with your energy.

Paddles come either in one piece or two pieces, which you can take apart for easy storage and transportation. Your extra paddle should be a take apart paddle. That way you can store it on your back deck so it's accessible yet out of the way.

The other aspect of paddles is the degree in which the blades are feathers. A nonfeathered paddle is where both blades are in the same position. The blades on a feathered paddle are in usually 60 to 90 degrees rotated. Paddleing with a feathered paddle requires that you have a control hand and a slip hand. The control hand rotates the shaft so that both blades enter the water smoothly. Some people believe that this repetitive movement can cause tendinitis. Others feel it's a natural movement. It is strictly your personal preference. You can get a take apart paddle that allows you to set it in both the nonfeathered and feathered position. This way you can work out for yourself which style you prefer. Feathered paddles also come as right-handed or left-handed paddles.

You'll be surprised at the cost of paddles. They're expensive. But a good one is worth it. The price of paddles usually coincides with the materials it's made with. The high-end paddles are usually made with Graphite because it's light and incredibly strong. These paddles will cost between $200.00 and $300.00 but are as light as 2 lbs. Other materials include fiberglass, wood and aluminum. Aluminum paddles are the cheapest and heaviest. The low-end aluminum paddles start around $50.00.

Safety Gear

There is a while range of safety items available to a sea kayaker. You must carry at least the minimum; life jacket, whistle, flares, bilge pump, paddle leash, paddle float. Along with the flares you might want to secure a strobe light on your life jacket. A new device to locate people in the water is a long bright orange streamer. It extends about 40 feet and floats on the surface. Because it floats up over the swells it makes it much easier to see and therefore find you. Similar to the streamer is a dye marker to be used in the water. And a similar concept to using flares is a bright orange smoke signal. You can also equip your boat with an EPIRB, emergency locator beacon. This sends out an electronic call for help. Another good item to have is an extra paddle.

If you're going to be participating on extended trips, the more safety items the better. Keep in mind that your safety gear must be easily accessible. This means having all safety items secured to the deck. If you can't get to it, it won't help.

Sprayskirts

Finding the proper sprayskirt isn't always easy. It must properly fit you and the boat. The skirt is designed to keep water out of the boat, so it needs to provide a solid seal from water. It is also important that it releases quickly when the pull strap is grabbed. Remember the pull straps must be easy to grab and not be caught inside the skirt. Double check this before you launch and every time you resecure your skirt. For cold days you'll want a neoprene skirt and for warm days you'll want a nylon skirt.

Wetsuits

A wetsuit will allow you to extend your kayaking into the winter months. Wearing a wetsuit is an essential safety item while paddling in cold water. It only takes a few minutes in cold water to become hypothermic. If you capsize, a wetsuit will help maintain your core body temperature longer enabling you time to get back into your boat and warm up.

A sleeveless farmer john style wetsuit is preferred. The full sleeve styles are too constricting around the arms making it uncomfortable to paddle.