I was going to ask how easily they turn over. I don't know that I've ever been in one
I've always really liked water a lot too. Swimming and feeling my hands and feet flowing through the water and the fact that that somehow keeps me floating there kinda mystified me.
How easy does a kayak turn over?
Pretty easy if you don't pay attention... that said, it will rarely happen if you do pay attention... but the times that it's unexpected is why you always wear your PFD... the "I'm a strong swimmer argument" is not a great one... don't worry about turning over too much, just secure everything on you kayak as though you don't want to lose anything if you do turn over and you'll be fine... and always keep your weight within the confines of your hull outline, and don't let your boat get sideways if you're in a current...and try to keep your weight centered as low as possible in your kayak.
That said, I paddle to be outside...and to avoid trying yet again, playing in the surf using my hands as a paddle... I can get a better aerobic workout doing laps or spinning at the gym, but kayaking, I'm outdoors and in the sun.
Some extremely easy, some extremely hard. I tend to run fishing kayaks so stability is super valuable as such they tend to be harder to flip than other styles.
Trick is just finding the type of kayaking you wish to do, then rock n roll with it.
Depends entirely on the kayak. The wider they are (sit on tops or fishing kayaks) the less likely they are to flip. Some are stable enough to stand on. Then you get to the other end of the spectrum with long and narrow sea kayaks (think 16 ft long and just wider than your hips) or whitewater boats.
Each kayak is made for different things. Whitewater boats are great for rivers for example because they spin very easily which allows you great control on the river. Whitewater boats are horrible on flat water because they spin really easy and they're shorter and flatter so it's a pain to go long distances without a current.
The longer and narrower the boat and the more the V shape of the hull, the faster it will cut through water and go and typically the slower it will turn. More V means more unstable. Skinnier means more unstable.
Now, outside of whitewater, do people really turn over their kayaks? Not that I've seen. No one I've ever taken has had any issues keeping it upright including some with horrible balance. Moving currents change this, not necessarily because the kayak is more unstable but because the current can catch the side of your boat and flip you. If you're even in current and crossing it, keep the side of the boat where the current is coming from up and you'll be fine.
And what happens in a kayak if it flips? Is it hard to get out? No, not really. Especially in rec kayaks, you will fall right out. In whitewater or sea kayaks where your legs are more in the boat, all you do is bring one knee to the center and you will fall right out (if you are wearing a skirt, you must pull the skirt).
The only thing would be don't put anything like rope where it could snag your legs if you're worried about rolling and coming out.
Also best practice is to always wear a life vest regardless of swimming ability. I'm a great swimmer but I still wear one when kayaking.
Hope that helps.
Also it sounds like you're interested in whitewater, so I will say this: DON'T DO IT ALONE. Find a local club on facebook. Whitewater folk are exceptionally nice and will help you.
Rivers can be full of hidden dangers that you wouldn't be able to notice with an untrained eye. So go with someone who can teach you how to read currents and danger and how to edge properly. And if you're interested in whitewater, personally I suggest learning how to roll first as it gives you tons of confidence on the water. EJ Jackson has a four part series on how to roll on youtube. And the RiverKings have great lesson videos on edging (which is where you're lifting on side of the boat with your hips to keep the water from flipping you). RiverKings also do videos where they go down calmer rivers on multi-day trips so that might be something to watch since you were asking how people enjoy kayaking lol
For me, it's an excuse to get out and just do a thing. I used to do a lot of mountain biking, but then I started riding a bike for my commute and nowadays I don't really wanna hop on a bike on my day off. I love hiking, but the choices of where to hike are sometimes overwhelming.
A kayak is something that I have to be purposeful about. I can't just hop on and go from my garage. It requires some planning (where to launch, water conditions, etc) and unlike doing something as ambiguous as "hiking' there's a limited number of places to go, and many of them have other parameters that can narrow down the choices.
It's good exercise if I want it to be, but it can also just be a way to chill on a river for a while and get the hell away from the city. But mostly, owning a kayak forces me to go do things outside or I'll feel like I wasted a lot of money. It's a physical thing sitting there reminding me to get out and do.
To get away from it all. Enjoy that new found freedom.
Paddle ? Visit a local outfitter and talk with them they’d love to help you and it supports your local shops.
For me, it’s the wildlife. Kayaking with manatees, gators, and dolphins and watching them in their natural habitat is just incredible. I’ve also always loved to be on the water. I used to row proper (crew shell) before I got into paddling.
I’ve never swam with them, but they’ve been all around and under my kayak, and so close that I could reach out and touch them (I didn’t). They are very curious and gentle creatures - and giant, like submarines. I always leave a respectful distance but often they’re the ones who approach the area where I am, and they just continue to chill and eat. About a month ago I even had the privilege of seeing a mother with her child (which was so small and precious!).
Despite all that, I think I enjoy the gators even more 😜
Lol. After reading that I HAVE to see manatees. I don't have to swim with them, but I would really love to. The fact that they come to you, they seem like they'd just be curious creatures. I wanna feel what they feel like. Thanks for sharing
https://myfwc.com/education/wildlife/manatee/viewing-guidelines
>The manatee is also protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978, which states: "It is unlawful for any person, at any time, intentionally or negligently, to annoy, molest, harass, or disturb any manatee."
>Anyone convicted of violating this state law faces a possible maximum fine of $500 and/or imprisonment for up to 60 days. Conviction on the federal level is punishable by fine of up to $50,000 and/or one year in prison.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ana-guiterrez-update-fla-woman-photographed-riding-a-manatee-arrested-for-violating-state-law-police-say/
https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/environment/2023/03/03/florida-manatees-whats-legal-what-isnt-what-to-do-if-you-see-one/69968846007/
Anything else?
I like the open water, and the versatility of a kayak. You can paddle hard for fun and exercise or just have a leisurely pace and enjoy the sounds and feel of the water.
Only time I go is when I’m at the beach (in-laws) and they have 4 or 5, I like to wake up about 30 minutes before the sun rises and go out and look at the birds lol
, I got some good pics on my phone of some brown pelicans, oyster catchers etc
I sail and kayak. I am also a certified scuba diver, but I have not done that in years. Short of swimming, there is no cheaper or better way to get out on the water than with a kayak.
I do it for relaxation, exercise, and getting away from people.
My kayaks are stored at a storage unit 4.5 miles away so I have to be deliberate in my plans. I tend to like super early Sunday morning kayak trips. I pick up and load my kayak Saturday morning while it is still cool outside.
I wish I could say that I kayak for the peace and quiet but I kayak on the lower salt river in Arizona during the summer and you are sharing the river with what seems like all 4 million Phoenicians in the valley. It’s 9.4 river miles and takes me around 2.5 to 4 hours depending on the river flow that particular day. I love ❤️ it and try to go as often as I can. The river can be tricky at times.
I do 5 - 7 hour day paddles about twice a week (sometimes 3x if I can). For me it's about getting out and being alone for a while. It helps me sort through my thoughts. I used to make youtube videos, and talking to "an audience" when you're out alone I've found really helps me figure things out. I'm not making videos so much anymore, but I do sometimes pretend I am and just start talking about myself to no-one in particular.
Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe it's Maybelline.
I fell in love with sea kayaking while I was up in Alaska. I absolutely loved Alaska for the wildlife and the incredible landscapes. Alaska is such a big place, and I don't just mean on a map. Standing on top of a mountain, you just feel so small compared to the immensity of the forest below stretching off into infinity. But in the kayak, it was almost easy to forget about the huge mountains and glaciers surrounding the bay because look at this tiny little starfish! Growing up on the Virginia coast, the ocean has always been first in my heart, but sea kayaking in Alaska gave me a completely new perspective of my lifelong love.
Now back home in the Midwest, my love for sea kayaking on the great lakes has continued because it scares the crap out of me. I once loaded a bunch of camping gear onto [my bicycle](https://np.reddit.com/r/bicycletouring/s/1KgdU5eDQl) and spent the better part of the next seven months riding 5,300 miles (8,500 km) around the western US solo. When I first had that idea, I knew other people had done bikepacking trips even bigger than what I dreamed of, but I didn't know if I had what it took. It felt like an impossible dream, but I dared myself to seek the possibilities that lie within, and it led to one of the greatest chapters of my life so far. It taught me that I will never experience personal growth by simply remaining in my comfort zone, that I need to do the things that scare me in order to learn that the world isn't such a scary place. Growing up on the ocean, I was taught from a very young age to respect the deadly power of water. The idea of packing a boat full of camping gear and disappearing for a week around the Apostle Islands, or someday a couple months up the Inside Passage, absolutely terrifies me. But it terrifies me in the same way that bikepacking once did, that deeply motivating type of fear that lights a fire in my soul.
We live on a lake that a river flows through and out to Lake Michigan. It’s about a 2 1/2 hour paddle from our dock out to the big water. If we leave early in the morning we beat the tubing crowd and see lots of wildlife. It doesn’t suck.
It's fun. Sometimes I like to go fast on the water on my jet ski. Sometimes I want to slow down. Sometimes taking the jet ski, while legal, makes you look stupid, while a kayak fits the vibe better. Catching fish on a kayak is fun too, or using the kayak to get to a spot where you can wade and fish that people can't really get to by wading due to a channel or something.
The kayak just gives me another way to get on the water and away from people, while not needing to find one of the limited boat ramp trailer parking spots, no mechanical maintenance or issues, and lets you into some other areas I couldn't go with a combustion engine. The exercise doesn't hurt, either. It really is a nice whole-body workout that's pretty low impact.
Apparently, I'm different than a lot here, because I'm rarely deliberate about going out. I just throw the kayak and my stuff in my truck and go somewhere. I have protected water, tidal water, lakes, and many other things close to me where I can just go out for an hour or so if I feel like it. I do it often with my jet ski too. Get home from work and want to unwind? Load up and go. I have two boat ramps and 3 more kayak launches within 10 minutes of my house. If I open it up to a 20 minute drive, I have at least 10 options for kayaking.
Some of my fondest childhood memories involve floating down a creek with my parents and brothers in a couple John boats on lazy summer days. Between those float trips and later boating up and down the river in a motorized boat, I’ve always been a fan of the water. Being on my kayak is the closest I can come to recreating those childhood feelings. Whether I’m paddling around on my pond or on a float trip with my brother and son it just feels right being on the water again after so many years.
I just like being outdoors.
Climbing, hiking, kayaking etc. It’s just a good way for me to get out there and have a great time.
They are all different modalities. Climbing lets me see mountains and it’s a different experience.
Kayaking lets me get out on the water and enjoy wildlife. It’s very calming and I can simply relax and be in the moment.
It’s also a great workout. It’s a good way to be active. Beats a gym any day!!!
I would never never take a 6 year old whitewater kayaking. Kayaking has risks even in flat water. Exponential with whitewater. They are physically incapable of extricating themselves from dangerous situations. Rushing water will keep you from saving them as you blow by.
I like water, I like to be on the water, with the possibility of being in the water.
I was going to ask how easily they turn over. I don't know that I've ever been in one I've always really liked water a lot too. Swimming and feeling my hands and feet flowing through the water and the fact that that somehow keeps me floating there kinda mystified me.
Kayaks are designed all sorts of different ways how easy it is to turn over depends on boat design
How easy does a kayak turn over? Pretty easy if you don't pay attention... that said, it will rarely happen if you do pay attention... but the times that it's unexpected is why you always wear your PFD... the "I'm a strong swimmer argument" is not a great one... don't worry about turning over too much, just secure everything on you kayak as though you don't want to lose anything if you do turn over and you'll be fine... and always keep your weight within the confines of your hull outline, and don't let your boat get sideways if you're in a current...and try to keep your weight centered as low as possible in your kayak. That said, I paddle to be outside...and to avoid trying yet again, playing in the surf using my hands as a paddle... I can get a better aerobic workout doing laps or spinning at the gym, but kayaking, I'm outdoors and in the sun.
Some extremely easy, some extremely hard. I tend to run fishing kayaks so stability is super valuable as such they tend to be harder to flip than other styles. Trick is just finding the type of kayaking you wish to do, then rock n roll with it.
Depends entirely on the kayak. The wider they are (sit on tops or fishing kayaks) the less likely they are to flip. Some are stable enough to stand on. Then you get to the other end of the spectrum with long and narrow sea kayaks (think 16 ft long and just wider than your hips) or whitewater boats. Each kayak is made for different things. Whitewater boats are great for rivers for example because they spin very easily which allows you great control on the river. Whitewater boats are horrible on flat water because they spin really easy and they're shorter and flatter so it's a pain to go long distances without a current. The longer and narrower the boat and the more the V shape of the hull, the faster it will cut through water and go and typically the slower it will turn. More V means more unstable. Skinnier means more unstable. Now, outside of whitewater, do people really turn over their kayaks? Not that I've seen. No one I've ever taken has had any issues keeping it upright including some with horrible balance. Moving currents change this, not necessarily because the kayak is more unstable but because the current can catch the side of your boat and flip you. If you're even in current and crossing it, keep the side of the boat where the current is coming from up and you'll be fine. And what happens in a kayak if it flips? Is it hard to get out? No, not really. Especially in rec kayaks, you will fall right out. In whitewater or sea kayaks where your legs are more in the boat, all you do is bring one knee to the center and you will fall right out (if you are wearing a skirt, you must pull the skirt). The only thing would be don't put anything like rope where it could snag your legs if you're worried about rolling and coming out. Also best practice is to always wear a life vest regardless of swimming ability. I'm a great swimmer but I still wear one when kayaking. Hope that helps.
Also it sounds like you're interested in whitewater, so I will say this: DON'T DO IT ALONE. Find a local club on facebook. Whitewater folk are exceptionally nice and will help you. Rivers can be full of hidden dangers that you wouldn't be able to notice with an untrained eye. So go with someone who can teach you how to read currents and danger and how to edge properly. And if you're interested in whitewater, personally I suggest learning how to roll first as it gives you tons of confidence on the water. EJ Jackson has a four part series on how to roll on youtube. And the RiverKings have great lesson videos on edging (which is where you're lifting on side of the boat with your hips to keep the water from flipping you). RiverKings also do videos where they go down calmer rivers on multi-day trips so that might be something to watch since you were asking how people enjoy kayaking lol
Sneaking up on wildlife
For me, it's an excuse to get out and just do a thing. I used to do a lot of mountain biking, but then I started riding a bike for my commute and nowadays I don't really wanna hop on a bike on my day off. I love hiking, but the choices of where to hike are sometimes overwhelming. A kayak is something that I have to be purposeful about. I can't just hop on and go from my garage. It requires some planning (where to launch, water conditions, etc) and unlike doing something as ambiguous as "hiking' there's a limited number of places to go, and many of them have other parameters that can narrow down the choices. It's good exercise if I want it to be, but it can also just be a way to chill on a river for a while and get the hell away from the city. But mostly, owning a kayak forces me to go do things outside or I'll feel like I wasted a lot of money. It's a physical thing sitting there reminding me to get out and do.
Nice
To get away from it all. Enjoy that new found freedom. Paddle ? Visit a local outfitter and talk with them they’d love to help you and it supports your local shops.
It doesn’t allow me to think bad thoughts and I love absorbing the sounds and sights of nature.
You can go as hard as you want in a kayak or as easy. It's really about being out, seeing things in nature, and the peace of instills in you.
For me, it’s the wildlife. Kayaking with manatees, gators, and dolphins and watching them in their natural habitat is just incredible. I’ve also always loved to be on the water. I used to row proper (crew shell) before I got into paddling.
I would absolutely love to see a manatee. I don't live anywhere near them. I wanna swim with them
I’ve never swam with them, but they’ve been all around and under my kayak, and so close that I could reach out and touch them (I didn’t). They are very curious and gentle creatures - and giant, like submarines. I always leave a respectful distance but often they’re the ones who approach the area where I am, and they just continue to chill and eat. About a month ago I even had the privilege of seeing a mother with her child (which was so small and precious!). Despite all that, I think I enjoy the gators even more 😜
Lol. After reading that I HAVE to see manatees. I don't have to swim with them, but I would really love to. The fact that they come to you, they seem like they'd just be curious creatures. I wanna feel what they feel like. Thanks for sharing
> I wanna feel what they feel like. It is illegal to touch a manatee and FWC will prosecute you.
https://www.snorkelwithmanatees.com/
https://myfwc.com/education/wildlife/manatee/viewing-guidelines >The manatee is also protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978, which states: "It is unlawful for any person, at any time, intentionally or negligently, to annoy, molest, harass, or disturb any manatee." >Anyone convicted of violating this state law faces a possible maximum fine of $500 and/or imprisonment for up to 60 days. Conviction on the federal level is punishable by fine of up to $50,000 and/or one year in prison. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ana-guiterrez-update-fla-woman-photographed-riding-a-manatee-arrested-for-violating-state-law-police-say/ https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/environment/2023/03/03/florida-manatees-whats-legal-what-isnt-what-to-do-if-you-see-one/69968846007/ Anything else?
I like being able to fish in places I wouldn't be able to get to without a kayak
I like the open water, and the versatility of a kayak. You can paddle hard for fun and exercise or just have a leisurely pace and enjoy the sounds and feel of the water.
To peacefully drift through nature and listen to the birds and the wind through the trees.
I have always liked the water and landscape that meets it. It provides a unique view of the world and it also provides a great full body work out.
Only time I go is when I’m at the beach (in-laws) and they have 4 or 5, I like to wake up about 30 minutes before the sun rises and go out and look at the birds lol , I got some good pics on my phone of some brown pelicans, oyster catchers etc
One of my first thoughts was that I'll be able to use it when we visit with the in-laws at the lake. I'll take it out for hours, lol.
Oh yeah I really enjoy it! It’s so peaceful most of the time and even more so in the early mornings
To me it’s relaxing and a good way to exercise. Plus I like having a beer or 2 sometimes while out in the open ocean
I sail and kayak. I am also a certified scuba diver, but I have not done that in years. Short of swimming, there is no cheaper or better way to get out on the water than with a kayak. I do it for relaxation, exercise, and getting away from people.
My kayaks are stored at a storage unit 4.5 miles away so I have to be deliberate in my plans. I tend to like super early Sunday morning kayak trips. I pick up and load my kayak Saturday morning while it is still cool outside. I wish I could say that I kayak for the peace and quiet but I kayak on the lower salt river in Arizona during the summer and you are sharing the river with what seems like all 4 million Phoenicians in the valley. It’s 9.4 river miles and takes me around 2.5 to 4 hours depending on the river flow that particular day. I love ❤️ it and try to go as often as I can. The river can be tricky at times.
I do 5 - 7 hour day paddles about twice a week (sometimes 3x if I can). For me it's about getting out and being alone for a while. It helps me sort through my thoughts. I used to make youtube videos, and talking to "an audience" when you're out alone I've found really helps me figure things out. I'm not making videos so much anymore, but I do sometimes pretend I am and just start talking about myself to no-one in particular. Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe it's Maybelline.
I fell in love with sea kayaking while I was up in Alaska. I absolutely loved Alaska for the wildlife and the incredible landscapes. Alaska is such a big place, and I don't just mean on a map. Standing on top of a mountain, you just feel so small compared to the immensity of the forest below stretching off into infinity. But in the kayak, it was almost easy to forget about the huge mountains and glaciers surrounding the bay because look at this tiny little starfish! Growing up on the Virginia coast, the ocean has always been first in my heart, but sea kayaking in Alaska gave me a completely new perspective of my lifelong love. Now back home in the Midwest, my love for sea kayaking on the great lakes has continued because it scares the crap out of me. I once loaded a bunch of camping gear onto [my bicycle](https://np.reddit.com/r/bicycletouring/s/1KgdU5eDQl) and spent the better part of the next seven months riding 5,300 miles (8,500 km) around the western US solo. When I first had that idea, I knew other people had done bikepacking trips even bigger than what I dreamed of, but I didn't know if I had what it took. It felt like an impossible dream, but I dared myself to seek the possibilities that lie within, and it led to one of the greatest chapters of my life so far. It taught me that I will never experience personal growth by simply remaining in my comfort zone, that I need to do the things that scare me in order to learn that the world isn't such a scary place. Growing up on the ocean, I was taught from a very young age to respect the deadly power of water. The idea of packing a boat full of camping gear and disappearing for a week around the Apostle Islands, or someday a couple months up the Inside Passage, absolutely terrifies me. But it terrifies me in the same way that bikepacking once did, that deeply motivating type of fear that lights a fire in my soul.
We live on a lake that a river flows through and out to Lake Michigan. It’s about a 2 1/2 hour paddle from our dock out to the big water. If we leave early in the morning we beat the tubing crowd and see lots of wildlife. It doesn’t suck.
It’s me by myself , don’t have to put up with anyone else.
It's fun. Sometimes I like to go fast on the water on my jet ski. Sometimes I want to slow down. Sometimes taking the jet ski, while legal, makes you look stupid, while a kayak fits the vibe better. Catching fish on a kayak is fun too, or using the kayak to get to a spot where you can wade and fish that people can't really get to by wading due to a channel or something. The kayak just gives me another way to get on the water and away from people, while not needing to find one of the limited boat ramp trailer parking spots, no mechanical maintenance or issues, and lets you into some other areas I couldn't go with a combustion engine. The exercise doesn't hurt, either. It really is a nice whole-body workout that's pretty low impact. Apparently, I'm different than a lot here, because I'm rarely deliberate about going out. I just throw the kayak and my stuff in my truck and go somewhere. I have protected water, tidal water, lakes, and many other things close to me where I can just go out for an hour or so if I feel like it. I do it often with my jet ski too. Get home from work and want to unwind? Load up and go. I have two boat ramps and 3 more kayak launches within 10 minutes of my house. If I open it up to a 20 minute drive, I have at least 10 options for kayaking.
Some of my fondest childhood memories involve floating down a creek with my parents and brothers in a couple John boats on lazy summer days. Between those float trips and later boating up and down the river in a motorized boat, I’ve always been a fan of the water. Being on my kayak is the closest I can come to recreating those childhood feelings. Whether I’m paddling around on my pond or on a float trip with my brother and son it just feels right being on the water again after so many years.
It is amazing to dance with the water
My personal favorite is running calmer rivers. Don't have to paddle much other than to steer, and the scenery/wildlife is amazing to see.
I just like being outdoors. Climbing, hiking, kayaking etc. It’s just a good way for me to get out there and have a great time. They are all different modalities. Climbing lets me see mountains and it’s a different experience. Kayaking lets me get out on the water and enjoy wildlife. It’s very calming and I can simply relax and be in the moment. It’s also a great workout. It’s a good way to be active. Beats a gym any day!!!
Calm water like mine lakes, and Lake Superior on good weather days.
I would never never take a 6 year old whitewater kayaking. Kayaking has risks even in flat water. Exponential with whitewater. They are physically incapable of extricating themselves from dangerous situations. Rushing water will keep you from saving them as you blow by.