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
