Choosing Your First Kayak

These days there seems to be a kayak for everything. There are recreational kayaks, mid-sized kayaks, full-sized kayaks, fishing kayaks, whitewater kayaks, inflatable kayaks, and more. What do you need to know when choosing your first kayak? Well, if you’re looking to go on a trip with two kayaks, then it may be worth finding somewhere where you can find the best trailers for 2 kayaks so that you can safely transport your kayaks to wherever you need to go.

There are three basic categories of kayaks and then a number of specialty categories. Familiarizing yourself with the differences can make choosing your first kayak much easier when you can start to rule out entire categories. This will also allow you to get the right kayak truck rack to ensure you have the correct size to transport the kayak to the various destinations. Please read on for more information:

Recreational kayaks

These are generally 12’ long or less. They can be sit-on-top, or sit-in and are usually meant for tooling around smaller bodies of water. They serve well as knock-around boats or the extra boat available for visitors to use.

choosing your first kayak choosing your first kayak

Recreational sit-in kayaks are strictly for calm, flat water because if you take on water, or flip one over, you will have a formidable struggle to right it and get back in. Sit-on-tops are more versatile and all you to venture into rougher waters. But since recreational boats are built for stability over performance, they are not the most efficient in rough conditions.

Mid-sized kayaks

Mid-sized kayaks are usually in the 12’-14’ range. They fall between recreational and full-sized boats though they are still used mostly recreationally. If you have some kayaking experience, you are somewhat more adventurous, and you are relatively athletic you might want to look at a mid-sized boat.

choosing your first kayak

Mid-sized kayaks are designed to be able to tip over. Since there are bulkheads in front and in back of you, only the cockpit can take on water. It is still going to be much easier to get rescued than to self-rescue, but with proper instruction both are possible.

They are narrower than rec boats and will typically be faster. These kayaks usually have thigh braces to help you control your movements using your hips rather than having to rely solely on the paddle. They provide a more specific fit than rec boats. You should still take a rescue class if you are going to be paddling a mid-sized boat.

Full-sized kayaks

Full-sized kayaks are for adventurous people looking for performance and the option to paddle anywhere. These boats are much more efficient and will cover more ground more quickly than the others. But you sacrifice some stability and comfort for that. These kayaks can be loaded up for long trips and can handle rough water much better than the other types. You will need to be willing to overcome a learning curve and take more classes to safely and efficiently paddle full-sized boats.

choosing your first kayak

The other categories of kayaks are much more specialized and if you are in the market for one, you probably know what you’re looking for.

Fishing kayaks are designed for your fishing needs with rod holders, sometimes pedal drive systems, platforms stable and flat enough to stand on, and room for more gear.

choosing your first kayak

Whitewater kayaks are specifically designed for handling whitewater. You will need to work with an instructor to learn how to navigate whitewater.

Inflatable kayaks are for those with transport and/or storage issues. Typically, if you are looking for something that is easy to transport and store, inflatable kayaks may be the best route for you to go down.

When you are choosing your first kayak the most important things to consider are the type(s) of paddling you want to do and the amount of time and effort you are willing to invest to make that happen.

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