My first Kayak

[able]

Started shopping today for a Kayak, whoo hoo!

I have read the information here and on most sites I can get my hands on about selection, what I have to ask though is about Wooden vs Plastic.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[keith]

Great question. It seems to me that most of the interest in wooden kayaks these days comes from people who are considering building a wooden kayak, usually from a kit. The primary reason that most modern kayaks are plastic is just due to the low cost of the rotomolding manufacturing process. The primary considerations when comparing hull materials are performance and durability. When it comes to determining performance, hull design is more important than hull material and most of us will never push our kayaks to the edge of their full performance anyway. Durability is where plastic wins out, at least over composite. Composite hulls tend to be more rigid, which some people argue improves performance, but definitely makes them less forgiving than plastic (and generally wood too) when it comes to impacts. Wood is a classic material for boat building (to this day) and can certainly create exceptionally durable kayaks. If you're considering buying a used wooden kayak, just inspect it thoroughly, as you would for a used composite kayak. If you're thinking about building a wooden kayak, your biggest challenge may be in deciding which kit or plans are most appropriate for your style of paddling. Either way, best of luck and keep us posted.

[able]

Thanks Keith. I am going this weekend to try out a few wooden Kayaks at the local club.

Will let you all know how it goes.

[Russell123]

keith nice comments and information provided no doubt that wooden Kayaks is more reliable.

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