Kayak Types

Recreational Kayaks

Recreational kayaks are intended for beginner use or casual paddling in calm fresh water or protected salt water inlets and marshes. They are also suitable for fishing or photography. A recreational kayak can be a single, tandem or tri to fit one, two or three paddlers and usually has larger cockpit openings than other kayak types, making entry and egress easier. They are usually wider, for more stability, and shorter, which limits their cargo capacity and makes them slower, but they are also lighter to lift and easier to maneuver in portages.

Touring Kayaks

Sea kayaks or touring kayaks are longer than recreational or white water kayaks. They are relatively wide and flat, with narrow tips and hard angles at the outside corners of the hull (chines). They sacrifice maneuverability in order to go faster and glide further in a straight line with each stroke. These can typically seat one or two people and may have a ruder to help steer. Sea kayaks come in sit in or sit on top models.

White Water and Surf Kayaks

One-person white water kayaks are shorter and more maneuverable than recreational or touring kayaks, but because of this they have less stability. They are usually about 8 or 9 feet long and have as little surface area in contact with the water as possibly at any given time. This is aided by the relatively blunt, rounded angles on the sides (soft chines) and a relatively steep hull angle on the bottom (minimal flare). They also have a lot of up-sweep at each end of the kayak (a lot of rocker) and are built very sturdily to endure passage through white water rapids. Surf kayaks are a lot like white water kayaks except that they usually have a flat stern, just like a surfboard, right down to the fins.