help

[kardar2]

So okay my wife and I are green horns and wanting to get in to kayaking there is a store here in town that will take you out and use demos to figure out what kind of kayak you need/want But I do not want to be a sucker for a salesman wanting to make that sale so from what I have learned is that you have poly, fiberglass, and some carbon and pvc. kayak's As a beginner I think I want a poly or a fiberglass ? We were looking at some kayaks I was told that poly is heavier and it can warp. we get 115 in Redding, CA. but looking at the weight the poly kayaks are all most the same weight as the fiberglass. now why is some kayaks shorter and fatter than others. what is the pro's / con's of the shape and sizes. I know you have sea kayaks and fishing kayaks. The wife and I would only be going in lakes may be ocean later on but for learning purposes we will start with lakes. What does touring mean? is that like going out for days in the ocean? See I have a lot of questions. I wish I could have found a beginner forum thanks

[cyak]

Allright... Lets put this together and hopefully I'm right. Others can comment and add to show me where I might be wrong.

You can find information on the types of materials here

Information regarding the shape and length of a kayak can be answered here

Touring kayaks are basically used for journeying on the ocean, rivers, lakes and canals. They are normally used for day tours and also when paddlers are looking for a weekend on the water. The touring kayak have a wider and flatter hull including a larger more open cockpit giving it more stability on flatter water. On rougher water the flatter hull tends to follow the surface of the water, making it less stable as the kayak pitch and rolls. Touring kayaks are great to use by beginner and intermediate kayakers that want to venture further or wants to do shorter trips but needs to carry more equipment. They are about 12 - 15 feet in length and contains one or two hatches for storage, a skeg or a rudder.

Fishing kayaks are generally sit on top kayaks that has been modified to include rod holders and holders to mount a fish finder. Most or all of the fishing kayaks has been customized to include a place where you can mount a cooler bag for bait etc. while others are specifically made for places to mount and store all the fishing equipment you will need and even a place to store the fish you caught.

So, it all depends on what kind of kayaking you want to do. For white water rafting you will need a shorter sit in kayak (white water kayaks). For recreational purposes you will find a variety of sit in and sit on top kayaks. You get tandem kayaks which is good if you and the misses will regularly go kayaking together as they offer seating for 2 or 3 people on a single kayak. For fishing kayaks, you can either get a sit on top kayak and customize it to your needs or you can buy one specifically made for fishing. For touring or expedition a touring kayak would be your best bet.

After deciding what kind of kayaking you are interested in (it seems to me you are looking for a recreational kayak) ask in the forums and kayak shops what kind of kayaks are best for your purpose. Don't just go out and buy the first kayak you see, ask around, read some reviews. Listen to what other kayaks has to say about their type of kayak. After that you can visit demo days where you will be able to test these kayaks and if you can't find kayaks shops that has demo days, you can ask them to rent a kayak or two, which in its turn is more pricier than demo days. Please note that when you choose a kayak, you have to consider your weight and size.

Don't just take my word for it. This is a active forum and there will definitely be other members that can help you even more. I just hope that the information I gave is fairly accurate. Someone will definitely point out if it wasn't.

[rcurry]

Longer boats are better for covering long distances’ and usually track better than short wide boats. Longer boats can hold a lot more gear but you may not be able to load and unload the boat by yourself. If you intend on paddling for several miles and have a short time to get there a longer aerodynamic boat would I believe, be best.

Short wide boats usually don’t track as straight as a long boat but I believe they feel more stable. A short wide boat is not going to be as aerodynamic and glide thru the water to cover long distances as quickly but you can maneuver in tight places easier. You can load and unload shorter boats by yourself. If you intend on paddling for several miles and have all the time you choose to enjoy nature and explore as you please, a shorter boat will get you there.

If you have friends that have boats try them out to learn what you do and don’t like about them. Sometimes it is hard to explain, so when I am helping a friend decide on a boat I take two boats to put them in. I purposely put them in my new boat, the boat that I like the least for their first test paddle. When they get out of the first boat they are fine and ready to buy one. Then I put them in my favorite boat so they can feel the difference. Trust me there is a difference. My favorite boat is a very inexpensive 2nd hand boat I picked up from a guy that was upgrading. But the thing is the 2nd hand boat handles so much better, the seat is a lot more comfortable, it tracks better and it’s perfect for what I use it for. Its short wide and very stable, but I’m sure it isn’t going to win a speed race. Oh and one other thing, If I really want a good workout I can get it easy enough.

I suppose it all comes down to what you’re going to do with the boat. Paddle for speed and distance, fish out of, nature watch at a leisurely pace, kayak camp with lots of gear...

The way I look at this hobby is if you get a boat and are really unhappy with it they are easy enough to resale if you want to upgrade.
Good luck with what ever boat you decide on. But be warned paddling is very addictive!

[kardar2]

Thank you you. The Wife and I just want to get out and expolre and won't be in no hurry so I now have a direction to head in Thanks again

[bluefintuna]

Touring kayaks are basically used for journeying on the ocean, rivers, lakes and canals. They are normally used for day tours and also when paddlers are looking for a weekend on the water. The touring kayak have a wider and flatter hull including a larger more open cockpit giving it more stability on flatter water. On rougher water the flatter hull tends to follow the surface of the water, making it less stable as the kayak pitch and rolls. Touring kayaks are great to use by beginner and intermediate kayakers that want to venture further or wants to do shorter trips but needs to carry more equipment. They are about 12 - 15 feet in length and contains one or two hatches for storage, a skeg or a rudder.

Fishing kayaks are generally sit on top kayaks that has been modified to include rod holders and holders to mount a fish finder. Most or all of the fishing kayaks has been customized to include a place where you can mount a cooler bag for bait etc. while others are specifically made for places to mount and store all the fishing equipment you will need and even a place to store the fish you caught.

[kingsbay]

Karder, you will find that this is a great place for information for a newbie. You just have to be patient and use the search function. Alot of you questions have already been answered in other posts.

Let me take a stab at some of your questions though ...

Width and Length have to do with stabilty and balance. There are needs to be able to roll quick in areas that have rapids, ie the ability to right your self. There are others that you don't want this, such as stand up fishing ... can't think of why you would want it to roll fast while standing

You want something that fits your Kayaking style, are you going to go out on long trips, overnight, out to sea and need gear, which is the definition of a Touring Kayak by the way or are you a day tripper? There are many great reputable sales people that will help you decide, then you can come here and check the info.

The quick and easy steps are ...
1. Choose the type of kayaking.
2. Choose a budget
3. Choose a Kayak for your body type. In some areas a general fit like a mitten will suffice, others such as sea kayaking you want a glove fit.

Hope this helps and when you get your answers, come back here and share. It is what makes this community better.

[Ozarkwoods]

All the previous posts here are right on. It is all individual preferences. It does look like the recreational kayaks will serve your purpose. The wife and I were like you and needed the basic information. Demo Days are a perfect place to test many different makes and models they are all there in one place and the both of you can test, try them out and you can take notes what you like and don't like about a particular model, make. What works for us wont work for others. We have picked ours and love what we picked out, got to go now because we are going to explore a river we have not been on yet.