Types of Kayaks
The kayak's history dates back to 4000 years ago and they were initially developed by the Inuit, Yup’ik and Aleut. The first kayaks were constructed from animal skins or seal. The Inuit used whalebone due to the lack of trees in the land. The natives constructed the boats which they were using based the experience they had and of the generation before them. The knowledge of building the boats was passed on to the next generation orally. The term kayak was as result of the way they were built, meaning man made boats or the hunters boats. The original purpose for their construction was for fishing or hunting. The Eskimos used them for hunting. The construction of each boat depended on the individual creativity and usually they were assisted by their wives who sewed the skins.
We have different types of kayak brands based the specific or intended purpose. The purpose could be recreation, whitewater, sea or folding. There are some factors to consider when choosing the best kayak brand. The factors include; the comfort ability which refers to the design the kayak could take the paddling and ergonomics, the weight for its portability, its durability to withstand all weather conditions and lastly its quality. The following are the major types of kayaks. Recreational Kayaks, Touring Kayaks, Sea Kayaks, Sit on Top Kayaks, Inflatable Kayaks, Fishing Kayaks, Whitewater Kayaks among others.
Recreational Kayaks: they are majorly operated casually. They contain boats of many different styles which are more stable than any other designs. This stability is attributed to by their speed and their wideness. They are usually designed for those who wish to have more fun. Their disadvantage being that they don’t perform well compared to their counterparts in sea.
Touring Kayaks: These are ocean kayaks. They are designed in such a way that they are narrow in their width and longer lengthwise. Their narrowness gives them speed. They not much stable although they can withstand rough conditions. They are also designed in different types depending on the material used for their construction e.g. Hull material.
Sit-on-Top: These kayaks are used for recreational purposes. Sit on top kayaks look alike with their previous counterparts. As the name suggests, one doesn’t sit inside the kayak, rather sits on a molded top. Great consideration need to be taken while deciding to choose a kayak. For the first timers, they need to keep simple till they real know what they are looking for in a kayak. Thse kayaks have their own advantages over their counterparts-sit inside kayaks. They are more comfortable, enough space due to their hugeness allowing flexibility to all kinds of people.
Sea Kayaks: Sea Kayaks have good and various hull styles that greatly expand their way of performance. The styles will accommodate various conditions, or usage. Boats are available in several lengths, whereby shorter boats are usually additional and maneuverable, and longer boats usually travel straighter and quicker. Dimension of beams have an effect on a boat's stability, speed, and talent to bring back a position. The number of rocker (the curve from bow to stern) will greatly have an effect on the flexibility of a ship to show. Many have gear mechanism within the type of rudders or Skegs. In most cases rudders are hooked up at the strict and operated by lines from foot pedals within the cockpit. Rudders are usually retractile for beach landings. Skegs are usually retractile straight blades that drop from a well within the stern of the boat. Each devices assist in paddling once a robust wind or waves are coming back from a direction aside from directly before. The usage of Skegs could also be simpler at countering pitch.
Inflatable Kayaks: The primary advantages of associate expansive kayak are the relative simple transportation and storage, likewise as typically cost accounting but most rigid kayaks. If you don’t have area to store a rigid kayak, associate expansive kayak is ideal since it is deflated, place in a very storage bag and unbroken in a very closet. Expansive kayaks sometimes fall at intervals the recreational kayak class but some are geared towards performing very best.
Fishing Kayaks: Fishing kayaks are basically recreational kayaks that are designed with fishing in mind. They feature numerous fishing-specific options like rod holders, hatches for bait and kit, etc. they'll be either sit on high kayaks or additional ancient civil disobedience kayaks, however sit on high kayaks are usually additional widespread for fishing.
Whitewater Kayaks: Whitewater kayaks became terribly specialized and, therefore, there are many subcategories (creek boats, play boats, etc.). As a result of the inordinateness of data relating these numerous subcategories of whitewater kayaks, I even have not nevertheless side steerage regarding a way to select a whitewater kayak. However, I do hope to feature whitewater kayaks as shortly as I will, therefore please marker Kayak Review and check back periodically.
Tandem kayak: Kayaking is fun, sensible exercise, and ideal thanks to get enter the contemporary air and explore lovely places. Something this sensible are double as nice once shared with some other person, and tandem kayaks allow you to split the journey in two ways. Most makers build tandem kayaks these days, therefore the solely challenge for the tandem kayak is selecting the correct boat. Tandem kayaks have several things in common with their smaller counterparts, however they're conjointly totally different in some ways, and there are 2 things that you simply should think about first once buying a bicycle kayak: storage and transport.
Budget Inflatable Kayak: Budget inflatable Kayak is a very flexible boat with light weight enough to move and carry things. It is also designed in such a way that it can store luggage.
Folding Kayaks: These were originally constructed by Klepper and Folbot who are referred to as the oldest commercial manufacturers. Their knowledge for the construction of folding kayaks is believed to have been derived from one Alfred Heurich who worked on the skin on frame kayak and named it “Delphin”. Currently, the craftsmen have improved on the technology combining it with the modern materials. From the onset of 1900’s the sport of kayaking became available to the public with invention of modern folding kayak designs.