To paddle on club meets your sea kayak must fulfil certain requirements.
With this in mind we have written this guide to buying a sea kayak.
It is intended to help you choose the most suitable sea kayak for your needs. It is not intended to be definitive but should help you in your decision making when choosing a kayak.
The following topics are covered:
• What type of paddling will you do with your kayak?
• Bulkheads, hatches, skegs, rudders and deck lines
• Fitting
• Cockpits
• How long should your kayak be?
• What material is the kayak made of and what is its hull shape?
• Keel strips
• Volume
• Things to look out for when buying second hand
KEY POINT: ALWAYS TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!
Ask a club member if you can sit in or try their kayak during a paddle.
Ch Marine Kayaks and Watersports, Icanoe, Paddle & Pitch Adventurekit.ie and The Canoe Centre, all sell and offer demo kayaks.
WHAT TYPE OF PADDLING WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR KAYAK?
When choosing a sea kayak one of the first things to consider is the type of paddling will it be used for:
a) Single day touring, with some rock hopping in good weather and usually summertime
(b) All season, all round paddling in rough water and higher winds, with rock- hopping, a bit of surf and weekend camping
(c) Distance paddling and multi day expeditions of a week or more
(d) Surf and dedicated rock hopping.
There are sea kayaks to suit all these so consider carefully what you think you will end up doing..
BULKHEADS
Modern sea kayaks are designed to be emptied in a rescue situation by one person at sea. The cockpit is isolated from the rest of the kayak by fixed bulkheads which prevent water filling the hatches. A sloped bulkhead just behind the seat allows water to flow out easily. Some sea kayak designs do not have this bulkhead close to the seat meaning water stays inside the kayak when emptied. This means more water inside when you re-enter after a rescue, more instability, and more pumping out. Ensure bulkheads are sound if buying older kayaks as water can leak into the hatches compromising safety.
HATCHES
Your sea kayak should have a day hatch and two other hatches fore and aft of the cockpit. Some sea kayaks also have a small hatch just in front of the cockpit. Check if watertight as they often are not, by design.
A day hatch is a small round hatch just behind the cockpit. A day hatch is safer to have as it avoids the need for someone else to open/close one of the main hatches at sea - which is difficult to do. A day hatch is useful for spare food, drinks, cag, repair and emergency equipment. Hatch covers vary in quality; if second hand make sure all these are serviceable and have no cracks or heavy wear. Care for hatch covers by storing inside during long periods off the water and regular applications of Aerospace 303 Protectant. Do not keep hatches on in hot weather when stored. Protect from frost and remember to tie them on to the kayak because they sink and are expensive to replace.
SKEGS AND RUDDERS
Most sea Kayak designs come with a skeg and this is used to give straight line tracking in a tailwind or a cross wind. Usually it’s not needed in calm wind/waves. Some shorter kayaks need a skeg to maintain a straight line at all times. The experienced paddler will be able to steer using edging and strokes so that a rudder is not necessary in most kayak designs.
A rudder avoids the need for the kayaker to learn, practice and use edging and stroke skills. However, a lot of expedition paddlers covering long distances use rudders as they can then concentrate on forward paddling.
DECK LINES
Your kayak must have non stretch bow to stern deck lines. These are a safety feature in the event of a capsize or other rescue situation.
FITTING
You need to ensure that the kayak fits you. This means that when you sit in it, the sides of the kayak fit neatly to your hips and there is not too much wriggle room, Adjust the back band and the foot rests and you need to be able to get your knees slightly bent under the cockpit to grip gently – it should not be excessively tight.
Foot size is a major consideration for many. Above a size 8 foot the room to get your feet in and comfortable can be limited. You must sit in the kayak wearing the shoes you will wear while paddling.
The type of seat is important as you will be spending long hours in it. Materials are padded foam, hard plastic or glass. Make sure the shape suits you and doesn’t affect your circulation.
COCKPITS
Key Hole cockpit Ocean Cockpit
Today most sea kayaks come with a Keyhole cockpit design. Getting in/out is relatively easy. The keyhole design requires you to brace your knees so you sit generally with legs splayed.
You may see the odd ocean cockpit kayak for sale. Beware of these unless you have experience. The ocean cockpit needs practice and you have to ease your legs in first, your knees remain in the middle and legs are straight. For those new to sea kayaking, generally it’s not a good idea to start with an ocean cockpit.
HOW LONG SHOULD MY SEA KAYAK BE AND WHAT IS ITS HULL SHAPE?
Kayak length and especially waterline length is important for straight line tracking, hull shape is important for speed but also stability and turning.
A good general purpose sea kayak is about (5m) 16.5 Feet. At a minimum nothing less than (4.5m) 14.5 Feet.
Longer boats are generally faster, but it depends on the paddler too. Shorter boats are more manoeuvrable but have less storage and speed (depending on paddler skills). Each kayak design will be a compromise. For a kayak to perform well for rock hopping and surfing, it will be shorter, whereas a long distance expedition kayak typically will be longer.
We could write pages about hull shapes, chines and stability and each kayak manufacturer will have their own shapes and designs depending on the intended use of the kayak. Here we will briefly discuss stability and hull shape. If you want to do further research check out this link
There are two types of stability that we need to be aware of and they are often mentioned in the sales blurb for a sea kayak: Primary stability refers to the initial steadiness of the kayak on flat water, whereas secondary stability refers to a kayak’s ability to stay stable when tipped on its side (which is useful in poor water conditions).
Often, kayaks that are very stable in rough water feel tippy in flat water and vice versa. This is to do with the way their primary and secondary stability has been designed.
Very briefly, the curvature of the hull from side to side is called its Hull Shape. Rounded hulls usually make for more manoeuvrable kayaks and are more stable in rough water. A more V shaped hull cuts better through the water, making them more effective at tracking in straight lines. These hulls are generally fast and sometimes considered ‘tippy’. A flat bottom means stability and speed, especially riding surf waves. They have great primary stability.
KEEL STRIPS
Keel strips are protective strips of fiberglass or polyester tape. They help protect the keel of glass boats from scratches and dings. They are not supplied as standard so you must request one if buying new and organise application if doing it yourself. They come in different colours and thicknesses. Irish paddlers tend to apply them the full length of the keel from bow to stern and this style is known as ‘The Full Irish’.
WHAT MATERIAL IS THE KAYAK MADE OF?
VOLUME
Most kayak manufacturers give details of the volume of the kayak on their websites. This is key info when planning to go kayak camping and deciding if you need a kayak to go for a weekend, a week or 3 weeks or a few months.
Generally speaking a kayak with 270l volume is good for a weekend and up to 1 week kayak camping trip. Smaller than this and really you won’t have enough storage for tents, cookers, sleeping bags and food, so just consider this before you buy. There are plenty of options so research your choices.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN BUYING SECOND HAND
1. Avoid buying a sea kayak without a day hatch.
2. Check the seat – is it cracked or are connections loose?
3. Are the foot pegs secure and can you move them? Salt can seize up metal sliders.
4. Check that the deck lines are not frayed or loose and that their attachment points are secure.
5. Hatch covers should not be perished or cracked. Bulkheads must be sound.
6. Check that the plastic has no deep gouges or dents inside and out, and that composite kayaks have no deep cracks or holes. Shine a strong light through the hull of a glass boat to reveal star cracks which can absorb water. Gel coat should be generally smooth.
7. Sunlight can degrade plastic and glass hulls. The kayak should have been stored under cover.
KEY TAKEAWAY: TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!