Choosing the right kayak type
Are you up a certain creek without a paddle when it
comes to kayaks? Set course for our author and we'll put you back on an
even keel
Modern Kayak Types by :
Milos Pesic
Modern kayaks may be categorized into sea kayak, white water kayak,
racing kayak, and surf kayak. These kayaks are made from wood,
roto-molded plastic, fiberglass, carbon fiber, Kevlar, or fiber over
aluminum or wooden frame. They are available in single, double, and
sometimes even in three- or four-person models. Let us discuss about the
modern kayak in detail.
Modern kayak types:
- Sea kayak
These are designed to accommodate one or two paddlers. These are more
maneuverable and have extreme stability and cargo capacity. Sea kayak
has further subtypes that include:
- Strip-built
That is more close to rigid fiberglass boat but very light in
comparison to it.
- Sit-on-top
These are used for fishing, diving and can usually accommodate 1-2 but
also come have models that can accommodate 3-4 people. Normally, the
seat of this kayak is above the water level, so the center of gravity
is higher. In order to compensate, the width is increased for the same
length of a traditional kayak.
- Skin-on-frame
The design, technique, material and construction of
these kayaks is more similar to traditional kayaks. These are the
lightest among all and are being used in Greenland by Inuit people for
hunting.
- Recreational
These are built for paddlers interested in
photography, a peaceful paddle in a lake, or fishing. These have
larger cockpit and wider beam for stability reasons. The capacity of
cargo is limited, and the length is less than 12 feet.
- Whitewater kayak
Are highly maneuverable and are made of rigid
material like polyethylene. The length of these kayaks is small (6-10
feet) in comparison to others. Small boats are maneuverable but slow.
Whitewater kayaks do not require inherent speed, as they move down
with the current. In kayak rodeo competition, whitewater paddlers use
rapids features to do tricks while they are in one place on the river.
- Surf kayak
Also known as surf skis, are narrow and long kayaks for
surf zone rescue and surf breaking waves. Surf kayaking uses kayaks
similar to whitewater kayak design. The only difference is that they
have a planing hull. Surf kayaks can be 12 feet long to increase the
planing speed on wave and to have good paddling speed for catching
waves. A variation to closed cockpit surf kayak design is open cockpit
(Waveski) design.
- Racing kayak
These are designed for speed. To achieve stability,
the paddler requires substantial skill, as the hull is extremely
narrow. These kayaks have subtypes of flat water and slalom kayak.
- Multi type kayaks
These include inflatable and pedal kayaks.
- Inflatable kayak
These can be easily stored and transported. They
are made of polyurethane, PVC, or hypalon. You can inflate them with
hand, foot, or electric pump. They are highly portable, stable, easy
to master, and are slower than traditional boats.
- Pedal kayak
Is a special type of boat using pedals allowing the paddler to propel the vessel with underwater flippers instead of a
paddle.
About The Author
Milos Pesic is a successful webmaster and owner of popular and
comprehensive
Kayaking information web site. For more
articles and valuable resources on Kayaking related topics, visit his
site at: =>kayaking.need-to-know.net
Article Source:
http://www.articlecube.com
|