I’m thinking of taking up tour/sea kayaking and was wondering if anyone had any advice or gear recomendations? Will be mostly canals and rivers and some coastal paddling as I get a bit more experience.
Thanks

Different types of boats there. Rivers = smaller, more manoevarable, sea = larger, less manoevarable. I’ve got a P&H Capella, great boat for the money, used it on a canal and lochs but it’s too big and cumbersome for rivers. That said, boats are like climbing boots, you really need to try thek out. Where are you? Sea kayak Oban do weekend paddling trips around Oban where you can trya number of differeent boatds and see what fits you. Glenmore Lodge do the same. If these don’t work for you, there’s bound to be somewhere closer

Sea kayaking is something I have been looking at too. Be interested in any info of the S.Wales scene.

Find a local club. Get some days in, get some coaching, borrow and try out all sorts of boats.
Then make a decision of what boat.

I’m about as far from the sea as it’s possible to get so it’s not a major priority. I’ve been reading reviews arc and quite a few are described as ‘do it all’ boats that will do a bit of everything reasonably well bit nothing as good as a dedicated one would.

Good manufacturers/makes

Wilderness Systems – Tarpon 100/120

Emotion Temptation (10 or 11)

Perception Scooter (comfort)

Ocean Kayaks Frenzy

These are Sit On Tops and would be ideal for starting off as you don’t need to learn to roll, they are generally quite stable, they don’t fill up with water if you capsize and they are easy to get back into if you do come out. You will get wetter and colder than a sit-in.

Sit In Kayaks are more advanced – manufacturers/models:

Dagger Blackwater or Approach

Robson Waikiki

You won’t go far wrong with any of the above manufacturers. Avoid cheap Chinese imports. A lot of sit on tops are fun beach boats which are more suited to surf than rivers/estuaries and coastal waters.

Obviously this is all very simplistic but hope it helps.

Rich.

Thanks rich. I’ve got some limited experience but haven’t been on the water for maybe 10 years. I live right next to the river soar which is also right next to the grand union canal. I also work Ruth next to the ashby canal and just up the road for a sizeable lake that I can paddle on. I think I’d prefer a sit in rather than a sit on but there’s no shops round here that I can go and see and talk to. Have a free day next week so migh travel somewhere and have a talk through some boats.

I bought a dagger axis earlier this year with no experience. Its a general purpose boat.used it on rivers and in the lakes. Its very stable and the drop down skeg makes a big difference.

The axis is one that I was looking at. And the approach.

I’ve got one of these…
http://www.perception.co.uk/product/index/products/touring_and_sea/carolina/carolina_fourteen/

Use it mainly on the thames but have taken it in the sea.

Few things to remember – the longer you go for the faster they go, I’ve been out with guys in 10ft kayaks and they were really struggling to keep up and I wasn’t really trying.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull_speed

I think 14ft is a good compromise between speed, manoverability and being able to store it. I’d also go for a plastic one like the Carolina as they are cheaper and more robust, you can beach them without worrying about it. If you really get into it you can upgrade to a slightly lighter glass fibre kayak later on, but these are more expensive.

My wife uses a Venture Islay for just that kind of mix.
It’s fast enough, can handle more sea than she is ever likely to go out in. I had a go and liked it so much I recommended my dad got the same. He got the LV model and has been having a great time on the North Sea all summer.

Goes without saying get some safety kit and the knowledge to use it!

Is that the 12 or 14? Looks a nice boat.