Buying a Kayak to Meet Your Personal Requirments - By:

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!

You’ll be able to pick from a variety of kayaks that include sit-ons, sea kayaks, or kayaks for white water. Decide what type of water you’l most frequently be kayaking on so that you can narrow down your search for the right kayak. If you’re going to be doing some gentle kayaking down the river a touring kayak may be right for you.

If your are a novice then go for a kayak that is short in length as compared to experienced boaters. A shorter kayak is easier to handle and operate than the long ones. A sea Kayak can be purchased in lengths from 10 to 22 feet long, whereas a kayak for white water will be 9 feet long or less. As you gain experience and increase your kayaking skills you can go for a longer kayaks, as they are more suitable for fast paddling and for tracking.

Before you buy a kayak take the time to sit in the boat so that you can feel if you’re comfortable or not. Make sure that you adjust the backrest, seat, and footrest to get a feel for the way you sit. Take the kayak out on water before making your final choice to see how it handles. Remember that a kayak is an important purchase and it’s crucial that you have the right fit for you and your kayaking purpose.

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.

As a beginner, it is a good idea to weigh the benefits accruing from the sizes of the hulls and the material they are constructed from. A small hull size in plastic, while not necessarily appealing from an aesthetic point of view, is ideal for a beginner in sea kayaking and a wooden hull, though considered attractive, is high on maintenance costs and expensive in the long run, especially in the event it is damaged.

The important thing to remember when buying a kayak is that you don’t make an impulse buy and that you have the help of someone experienced and knowledgeable about kayaks to give you advice about your kayak selections.

Copyright 2006, Melody Veloce, All Rights Reserved. This article may be published on web sites or in newsletters provided this notice and the resource box is included without ammendment.

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!

Melody Veloce runs the SPB Kayak, web site that focuses on a range of resources about buying a kayak. For more details, go to: http://www.spbkayak.com

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