Discover Canoeing and Kayaking

With kayaks and canoes, you can skim across the water with the grace of a swan, or dart around a pond to get a duck’s-eye view of the world. Unlike other forms of boating, canoes and kayaks bring you close to the water, and their enhanced maneuverability makes it easy to explore.

If you’re new to paddle sports, it’s best to stay away from the whitewater and get a sense of how these small boats handle in controlled conditions. You don’t need to make a huge investment to get started, either, as you’ll find rentals available at popular lakes and ponds.

More and more people are taking up kayaking as a hobby or recreational sport.

Each year, more people find the time to start kayaking, whether they do it as a sport, as a hobby, or just for fun while they're on vacation. Unlike some other recreational activities or sports, kayaking can fit the activity level that you want and can provide hours or even days of fun for entire families - or just for one person.

Kayaking originated with the Inuit people who lived in the Arctic region of North America. It is essentially a specialized type of canoeing done in a specially designed canoe. The original kayaks were made out of seal skin and wood, and were meant for only one person. Today, there are many different types of kayaks made out of several different materials. There are even kayaks that have been built for two people!

The one-person kayak has room for one person to sit inside of the boat comfortably. Then, there is usually a skirt that goes over the top to keep water out of the boat. Kayaks use a double-sided paddle instead of a regular canoe paddle, and are designed to be easily righted if flipped.

Anybody can enjoy kayaking, since the sport has so many different facets. For instance, if you're just looking for something to do for fun while you're on vacation, then you'll probably want to go kayak touring. Touring can be fun for the entire family as it is a calm, sightseeing experience. These are usually where the multi-person kayaks are used. While these kayaks are usually a little harder to maneuver, that is not as important in a location that has calm water. Plus, it's more fun to share your experience with another person!

For the more brave, there are some more extreme kayaking activities, including whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, or even kayak racing.

What is Canoeing?

Canoeing is the activity of paddling a canoe for the purpose of recreation (also called a float trip), sport, or transportation. It usually refers exclusively to using a paddle to propel a canoe with only human muscle power. A kayak is propelled using a paddle with two blades where paddlers sit with their legs mostly extended in front of them, whereas canoes are propelled using single- or double-bladed paddles where the paddler - a "canoeist" or "canoer"- is kneeling or sitting on seat or thwart, with their knees bent and their legs more or less beneath them. Kayaks are usually closed-decked boats with a spraydeck, while canoes are usually open boats. There are also open kayaks and closed canoes. Technically, a kayak can be seen as a special kind of canoe. When exactly a canoe can be called a kayak is difficult to determine though, and often arbitrary. Internationally, the term canoeing is used as a generic term for both forms though the terms "paddle sports" or "canoe/kayak" are also used. In North America, however, 'canoeing' usually refers only to canoes, as opposed to both canoes and kayaks. Paddling a kayak is also referred to as kayaking.

Open canoes may be 'poled' (punted), sailed, 'lined and tracked' (using ropes) or even 'gunnel-bobbed'.

In modern canoe sport, both canoes and kayaks may be closed-decked. Other than by the minimum competition specifications (typically length and width (beam) and seating arrangement it is difficult to differentiate most competition canoes from the equivalent competition kayaks. The most common difference is that competition kayaks are always seated and paddled with a double-bladed paddle, and competition canoes are generally kneeled and paddled with a single-bladed paddle. Exceptions include Canoe Marathon (in both European and American competitive forms) and sprint (high kneeling position). The most traditional and early canoes did not have seats, the paddlers merely kneeled on the bottom of the boat. Recreational canoes and kayaks employ seats and whitewater rodeo and surf variants increasingly employ the use of 'saddles' to give greater boat control under extreme conditions.

What is Kayaking?

Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking is generally differentiated from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is defined by the International Canoe Federation (the world sanctioning body) as a boat where the paddler faces forward, has their legs in front of them, and uses a double bladed paddle. Almost all kayaks have closed decks, however, there are many sit-on-top kayaks, and these boats are growing in popularity. A canoe is defined as a boat where the paddler faces forward and kneels in the boat, using a single bladed paddle. Canoes can be closed deck or open deck.

Whitewater kayaking involves taking a kayak down rapids. Sea kayaking sometimes also referred to as Ocean Kayaking involves taking kayaks out on to the ocean or other open water e.g., a lake. Sea kayaking can involve short paddles with a return to the starting point or "put-in" or expeditions covering many miles and days. Kayaking of all kinds has continued to increase in general popularity through the 1990s and early 21st century.

Kayaks are classified by their intended use. There are six primary classifications: polo, slalom, whitewater, surf, touring/expedition, light touring/day tripping and general recreation. From these primary classifications stem many sub-classes. For example, a fishing kayak is simply a general recreation kayak outfitted with features and accessories that make it an easier kayak from which to fish. Also within these classifications are many levels of performance which further separate the individual models. In other words, not all touring kayaks handle the same.

There are two major configurations of kayaks - "sit on tops" which as the name suggests involves sitting on top of the kayak in an open area and "cockpit style" which involves sitting with the legs and hips inside the kayak hull and a "spray skirt" that creates a watertight barrier around the waist. Whether a kayak is a sit-on-top or a cockpit style has nothing to do with which classification it falls under. Both configurations are represented in each of the five primary classifications. While most kayaks are designed to be paddled by a single person, other configurations include tandem and even triple cockpit boats.

Because of their range and adaptability, Kayaking is popular amongst divers, fishers, and adventure enthusiasts.

How do I get started with canoeing or kayaking?

One of your first steps should be to read our "Getting Started" pages!

Is Kayaking expensive?

Before you start kayaking, this is one thing that you will probably be concerned with. [ more info... ]

The thrills of kayaking!

First, what is it that you want to do? Do you want to use the boat in river cruises? Do you want to travel around the lakes? Do you intend to travel in oceans or a section of a river, which meets the sea? (Estuary) [ more info... ]

The history of kayaking

Kayaking is the process by which used a kayak, is to move through rivers or lakes. The kayak is a small boat being driven by a man. It is a bridge to bridge, and it is also a cockpit is covered. A special paddle is used to push forward, and the boat was invented by the Inuit and Aleut hunters in the colder regions of North America. A contemporary kayak can come in a variety of different styles, and kayaking is a sport that is enjoyed by many people. Research has shown that the kayak has existed since at least 4000 years. [ more info... ]

[ further reading about kayaking ]