Tips For Buying a Kayak

Tips For Buying a Kayak

Have you ever thought about trying the magnificent experience of gliding your way through the smooth and sleepy waters of the ocean? Ever thought about the thrill of maneuvering a sleek boat through choppy rills and rivulets, gushing rivers and bubbling streams? Do you dream of a sport that takes you outdoors in the sun, water and lush, green foliage of forests, that will not only challenge and test your skill, but also take you to faraway places you hadn't dreamt of? If you do, then kayaking, with its combination of unspoiled natural surroundings pitted against technical expertise, is the ultimate sport for you. An important part of the expertise, of course, comes from first taking lessons in a hired kayak, and eventually, in choosing the right one to buy. An inappropriate purchase can cost dearly on the high seas!

Choose your kayak keeping in mind the focus of your mainstay kayaking interest as kayaks are made to specification for the differing intensities in water mediums. There is a special kayak for the torrents of white-water rafting and another for the bobbing and surfing of sea kayaking. For the gentle forays of river kayaking, there is a touring kayak. Sit-on kayaks are also on offer. Explore all possibilities and options before you make your choice.

If you’re a beginner you’ll want to buy a kayak that is shorter than a kayak for the more experienced boater. This is because shorter boats are easier to handle than longer ones. A sea kayak will come in lengths from 10 to 22 feet. A kayak meant for white water will generally be 9 feet long or less. Once you become more experienced at kayaking you’ll want to have a longer kayak, since long kayaks are more suitable for fast paddling and for tracking.

Having determined the right size of your kayak, the next step is to ensure that it "fits right". Your purchase is an important one and it is imperative that it meets all your personal requirements. You should therefore first test the seat, shifting around in it, adjusting the backrest, footrest and seat leverage, making sure you achieve optimum comfort levels and that it "feels right". Remember that you're likely to spend long pleasurable hours in this kayak!

When you’re looking for a kayak to buy you should also bring along your spray skirt to make sure that it fits any boat that you’re considering. You don’t want to buy the kayak only to find that you now need to buy a new spray skirt.

Don’t forget to take a look at the advantages of different hull sizes. A shorter hull that is made of plastic is good if you’re just starting out as a sea kayaker. You may like the way a wooden hull looks but it requires a lot of maintenance and you won’t want the worries of damage if you’re a beginner.

The key thing about kayak buying is that like every other important purchase, it ought to be done in consultation with an expert, well versed in the art of kayak buying, thereby leading to the incredible and memorable experience and thrill of kayaking.

Article Source: http://www.travelarticlelibrary.com Melody Veloce is the webmaster and operator of SPB Kayak, a web site which focuses on how to select a Kayak to meet your needs