Kayak buying guide: Touring and Recreational Kayaks

Voodoo's Guide to Touring and Recreational Kayaking

Types of Kayaking

The first thing you need to do when trying to decide what type of kayak to buy is to first decide what type of kayaking you would like to do. Keep in mind that no matter what the sales pitch, kayaks are made to handle only one or two types of water well. If you buy a touring or recreational kayak, keep it on the lakes and oceans. If you want to paddle whitewater, buy a whitewater kayak and learn how to safely navigate whitewater rivers.

The Long and Short of It

This guide will focus on touring and recreational kayaks. I have written a guide to buying a whitewater kayak as well, which can be found here: (guide coming soon).

While a recreational kayak can be enjoyed on both lakes and rivers, you won't want to paddle it all day. The shorter length of a recreational or day trip touring boat will not track as well (go in a straight line) as a longer touring kayak. This makes it less than ideal for long trips, especially when gear must be carried for overnight excursions. Recreational kayaks are generally shorter kayaks in the 9 to 12 foot range, and are best suited for day trips on the lake, lazy-flowing rivers, and some will even fare well in ocean surf. Because of their short length, they are much more manueverable than a true touring kayak.

Recreational kayak courtesy of Perception kayaks (the Swifty)

A touring kayak on the other hand is usually a boat that is more than 13' in length, and for longer multiple-night trips and heavy duty use you will want a boat that is at least 16.5' to 17' in length. This allows the boat to track straighter, move faster, carry more gear, and due to the narrow width of the boat is much easier to roll should you ever learn to do so.

Kayak courtesy of Perception kayaks ( the Carolina 13.5)

Another added feature of touring kayaks is the ability to store gear in front and/or rear hatches. Higher end boats also have these hatches sealed off with minicell foam bulkheads, just behind the kayak seat and then another in the front past the paddlers feet. They are usually accessed by removing a rubber or plastic cover on top of the kayak, and then you can stuff gear into the dry storage compartments. "Dry" is a relative word for a vehicle that spends its time on the water however, so make sure you pack your gear in waterproof bags.

Touring kayak courtesy of Dagger kayaks (the Euro-X 16.8)

Although I won't discuss them here, there are other boats such as Sit On Tops which are very good for younger children, paddlers who don't like the feeling of being inside a cockpit, and ocean surf.

Sit On Top kayak courtesy of Old Town kayaks (Double Helix)

Kayak Materials

With few exceptions, most recreational kayaks today are made of some type of rotomolded or polyethylene plastic. These are very durable, reasonably lightweight, and are less expensive than their touring counterparts. Quite a few of the larger touring kayaks are made of this type of plastic as well, although if you are buying a touring boat and need the lightest, fastest kayak out there then you need to find a model that is made of a composite material. This would include fiberglass boats, as well as those made from other materials such as Perception's Airalite material. Kayaks made with a composite material offer better rigidity and lighter weight, which translates to more speed and better control on the water. Bear in mind however that composite boats are not cheap; prices usually double when going from plastic to composite material.

Composite kayak courtesy of Boreal Design kayaks (the Alvik)

Usually you can tell a composite boat immediately because of its glossy finish, and sometimes they are done in two colors such as the Boreal Design kayak pictured above. This gives the boat a very nice look and is instantly recongizeable as a composite boat.

One Size Doesn't Fit All

A few years ago I bought a boat on impulse because it looked great and the price was right. I sat in the kayak in the store and fit perfectly, so I took it home. It wasn't until I got it into the water however that I found out why the boat didn't fit me; I was over the recommended weight for the kayak, and it made the boat ride lower in the water and water came into the cockpit everytime I leaned over even a little.

Boat manufacturers tell you how much "volume" their kayak has, and that volume will give you an idea of how much weight the boat can carry. They will almost always publish an ideal paddler weight as well, and you need to find this information out before buying the kayak. If you are too heavy for the boat, even if you fit, it will not perform as intended and you won't be a happy paddler!

This isn't just a problem with smaller kayaks. The boat I bought was 16.5' feet long, but I later found out was designed for a smaller female paddler. Coming from a whitewater background I was used to slipping into tight cockpits, but I soon found out why the boat just wouldn't work for me. Make sure you fit the recommended weight range for the boat you are buying.

If you will be using the boat for overnight camping or multiple night trips, try to estimate how much weight in gear you will be packing as well. Make sure the boat you choose has enough volume to support your gear and your weight and still perform well.

How Stable is She?

A lot of first-time kayak users choose short, wide kayaks because they feel more comfortable with the perceived stability of the boat. The logic being a wide kayak will not tip over in the water as quickly as a very narrow kayak. Yes. And no. Every kayak has two types of "stability" built into the hull. They are known in the boating world as Primary stability and Secondary stability. If you choose a wide boat with great primary stability, this means that simply sitting in your kayak on the water the boat will feel very stable and not "tippy". However, any boat that has great primary stability has poor secondary stability.

Take that same stable kayak while you are sitting there, lean too far towards the water, and she'll flip over pretty quickly. (This type of boat would also be difficult to learn to roll in the future). Now take a very narrow touring kayak; while sitting still in the water the boat will feel very unstable. But lean the boat over; that's it, a little more...a little more...guess what? While it feels "tippy" initially, you find the secondary stability of the boat to be really good. Which means you can lean the boat over further towards the water, and still not tip right over (with a little practice of course). This makes boats with poor primary stability but great secondary stability the choice for any situation where the water isn't calm and still all the time, and the choice of more experience paddlers. For beginning however, choose the kayak you feel most comfortable in; you can always upgrade later.

Rudder You Waitin' For?

Sorry, bad joke. A lot of people have questions about whether to get a rudder on their kayak or not. First let's look at two types of "rudder" systems. An actual rudder is a fin, usually made of plastic or light metal, that flips down into the water behind the kayak. The paddler can then control the rudder with footpedals found in the cockpit and the pedals allow the paddler to steer the boat by pressing on the left pedal to turn left, the right pedal to turn right, and keeping them even to go straight. While this seems like a great way to steer your boat, there are a few drawbacks.

First, rudders complicate the boat a little. There is usually a line system that runs along the edge of the boat that allows the paddler to raise and lower the rudder by pulling on the line. Second, there are moving pedals in the cockpit, with cables that usually run back past the padder from the pedals to the rear of the boat, usually through the bulkhead foam (if your kayak is equipped with bulkheads) and to the rudder in the rear. Inattentive paddlers can really mess their rudder system up in shallow water, and dealing with a broken rudder and/or broken lines and cables while on a trip can be no fun at all.

The other major reason not to get a rudder on your kayak is that if you are a beginning paddler, a rudder might seem like an easy way to steer a 16' kayak but it will actually keep you from becoming a good paddler, as you will learn to steer with the rudder and not your paddle. However, if you are an experienced paddler and will be using the boat for multiple night trips or especially ocean touring, then by all means get a rudder. The rudder is invaluable on long open-water crossings where wind and waves can be a nightmare for keeping a kayak tracking in a straight line.

The second type of system is not a rudder at all, but is called a "skeg". A skeg is a fin that is housed on the underside of the kayak, and when deployed drops into the water to keep the kayak tracking straight more easily. However, you cannot "steer" a skeg, they are either up or down. The advantages of a skeg is that the system to deploy them or retract them is very simple; usually they are lowered by sliding a small bar of metal or plastic beside the cockpit, and raised the same way. The skeg can be lowered to help the boat track straight, or raised instantly to allow the paddler to turn the boat much quicker. While not as good as a rudder for ocean and long open-water crossings, the skeg is a much more ideal system when the complications of a rudder system are not required.

Of course you may get your kayak without either a rudder or a skeg, and you will develop superb paddling skills that will only be amplified should you upgrade to a kayak with either of these steering systems in the future.

The Small Stuff

Now that you know the major details of choosing a kayak, let's look at the small stuff. Let's face it, most kayak manufacturers are neck and neck with materials and price. So how do you choose the kayak you want? Look at the details. Does the boat have comfortable handles on the bow and stern for carrying the kayak? Pay special attention to the cockpit area where you will spend most of your time. Make sure it has a comfortable seat. Are the footpegs easily adjustable? Sit in the kayak for as long as you need to and make sure you, your legs, and your feet are comfortable in the boat. If the kayak has a storage system, inspect it closely. Are the bulkheads of good quality and sealed properly? Do the hatch covers fit tightly and are fairly easy to get on and off without too much fuss? Does the kayak come in a color you can live with? These are the things you need to take time and look over before deciding which kayak to buy.

Accessorize

Since this is a kayak buying guide I won't spend too much time here. But keep in mind you'll need a few essentials when purchasing a kayak such as a paddle (double-bladed only...no canoe paddles here!), pfd, and a dry bag or two. You'll also need a good way to transport the kayak. However you decide to carry it, please get quickstraps (1" webbing with a metal buckle) found at any outdoor retailer. They are much safer, stronger, and easier to use than tying the boat down with rope or cord.

Also, a quick note about paddles; make sure it fits you! There are several different paddle lengths. Have a good store employee help you choose the correct length and blade type for the type of paddling you will be doing. Don't just buy a paddle because it's the nicest looking :)

Off You Go

I hope I've been able to provide a little information here to help you determine what type of kayak you would like to enjoy. Keep in mind that your first boat shouldn't be the best; start easy and progress from there. You will quickly learn what you like and dislike and you can make your second or third boat purchase the big one. Overall, safe paddling and enjoy your boat!

Know Your Stuff

Bow - front of a boat (rhymes with "wow")

Stern - rear of a boat (rhymes with "fern" :)

Hull - the bottom of a boat

Deck - the top of a boat

Bulkhead - structural wall, usually minicell foam, that seals off a storage compartment inside the boat

Hatch - opening on top of the kayak that allows access to storage in the kayak

Rudder - plastic or metal fin steering system controlled by footpedals

Skeg - plastic or metal fin, retractable or fixed, that helps the kayak track straight; cannot be steered

Polyethylene - plastic material used in boat manufacturing process

Composite- fiberglass or other such type material used in boat manufacturing process

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