Learn All About Kayaking

Getting Started in the Sport of Kayaking

Kayaking Forward Stroke — A kayaker demonstrates a low angle forward kayak stroke. Photo © by George E. Sayour

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Updated on 05/24/19

Where ever there is a body of water you can find people kayaking on them. Over the last 20 years kayaking has grown by leaps and bounds and continues to do so. Advances in manufacturing and materials technology have improved both the affordability and the accessibility of the sport of kayaking. This coupled with the increased desire for physical fitness and the allure of water sports ensures that interest in kayaking will continue to increase for decades to come. The more people who are become interested in learning to kayak, the more chance there is for misinformation out there. This guide will help you and your friends who are interested in learning all about kayaking to get started.

Getting into Kayaking

Many people want to get into and learn about kayaking without knowing specifically what type or even where they will go. These are two important questions to have answered as they will have an impact on the type of kayaking gear a person will buy. Some of the many types of kayaking are whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, touring, recreational kayaking, sit-on-top kayaking, kayak fishing, and kayak camping to name a few. Each of these genres require different gear and have different skill requirements. It is therefore important to know which you want to get into. Here are some resources to help a person get off to the right start as far as kayaking is concerned.

All About Kayaking Gear

Having settled on the type of kayaking you’ll be doing, the next thing to do is to purchase some kayaking gear. You don’t want to just walk into a big box sporting goods store and buy the first kayak you see. Sit-on-top kayaks are different from whitewater kayaks. Sea kayaks are different from recreational kayaks. Doing your research to know what type of boat, paddle, and gear you want will help save you the aggravation of making a costly mistake when it comes to gear purchase. It will also help you to know what to look for if you decide to buy used gear. Here are some articles to help with that process.

All About Kayaking Skills

It is true that kayaking appears to be effortless. The boat seems to glide across the surface of the water with little exertion by the paddler. While there is definitely the case at times, it is only with proper kayaking form that paddling a kayak can remain efficient and effective. Most kayakers are only familiar with the forward stroke and they don’t use proper form when it comes to it. There are many more strokes than just that. Here is a guide to the skills kayakers should learn to advance their ability and enjoyment of kayaking.

All About Kayaking For Fun

While there are many reasons to kayak, the goal of kayaking should be enjoyment. Whether a person kayaks for serenity, relaxation, adventure, fishing, camping, or exploring there should be a level of fun that accompanies the outing. Kayakers form a group bond that feeds this enjoyment. That’s why there are so many kayaking festivals and get-togethers. Kayakers will look for any excuse to party together! So, find festivals, expos, and demos to reminisce with other paddlers. And of course, Have Fun!

5 Goals for Every Kayaker
Enjoying Paddling Festivals