Selecting a Whitewater Kayak

Inflatable kayaks are the ultimate crafts for your own personalized whitewater river adventure but for recreational whitewater use, three categories are of importance: whitewater play-boats, whitewater touring kayaks, and squirtboats. Whitewater touring kayaks for years have been, and will continue to be, an all around boat for whitewater. The whitewater kayak you select depends on the type of river running you prefer (rodeo, big water, steeps creeks), personal preference, and boat design. Stores carry a wide range of whitewater kayaks including compact and agile freestyle kayaks and the more general purpose whitewater river kayaks.

There are four sub-categories generally found in whitewater kayaking: river-running, creeking, slalom, and playboating. New longer whitewater kayak designs have more speed, more buoyancy, real nice recreational and touring hulls. The sea kayak has less rocker and more horizontal keel, it is longer, faster, and straighter-tracking than a whitewater kayak. Modern whitewater kayaks are generally pretty tiny, mostly small enough that any respectable big person would sink them if they could get into them. It is thought of as a hybrid between a sea kayak and a whitewater kayak, making it possible to spend several days on a river.

The rodeo or freestyle boats, represent whitewater kayaking's growth. This composite boat merges the traditional surf kayak's speed with a whitewater kayak's agility. Whitewater kayaks and sea kayaks are meant to handle very rough water. Sea kayaks are meant to be rolled just like whitewater kayaks. Whitewater touring kayaks for years have been, and will continue to be, an all around boat for whitewater. Another helpful little gadget that many whitewater boats have, which sea kayaks don't, is a drain plug in the stern end.

Kayak competitions are now in the Olympics. In "freestyle" competition ("kayak rodeo"), whitewater kayakers use features of rapids to do tricks, typically while remaining in one place on the river. There is also a sub-class of whitewater kayaks called play boats which are used by rodeo kayakers and for trick paddling.

Also whitewater kayakers and playboaters often surf non-competatively. Extreme racing is a new competitive form of this aspect of whitewater kayaking.

Unlike most sporting goods, whitewater kayaks don't vary much in price. The only material used today in the construction of whitewater kayaks for recreational use is roto-moulded polyethylene. Recreational whitewater kayaks are now manufactured primarily from polyethylene plastic and are all similarly priced.

About the Author: Rob Daniels is an avid kayaker and outdoor enthusiasts more at Snorkeling Shop http://www.snorkeling-shop.com and Kayak Escape http://www.kayak-escape.com