or do I want to go canoeing?
Im not sure you see, as im a wattery novice.

I’d like something I can transport on roof bars, that’s big enough for my fat ass and some provisions, that can easily handle local rivers and lakes but also a trip in the sea should I fancy it.

Is there any value in buying new or is 2nd hand the way forward?
what kit must I not be without?
Is it safe to take young kids on a two seater?

so many questions..

Please get some coaching if you’re taking kids out on the water.

Things can go bad quick.

Kayaking is a lot more fun (imo) but canadian the best bet if you’re taking family with you, wouldn’t fancy paddling a canadian in the sea though.

if your near Waltham Abbey and can wait until the Olympics has finished they have a well pukka white water centre and lots of tuition available

I’m no kayaker but I saw this the other day and it looks great fun !

😀

Sit-on-tops kayaks are relativelt stable, can be carried on a roof and you’ll get kids on a two-seater easily enough (maybe two and you).

Be sensible, wear bouyancy aids and have fun.

P1020282 by druidh_dubh, on Flickr

Sit on kayaks are boring! (IMHO)

my mate took me kayaking towards the end of last year, it was difficult but great fun. I’d defo get some sort of instruction if I were you.

check out local club/swimming pool (they might practice there), take a course (which will hopefully include kit) and take it from there

presuambly you’re a strong and confident swimmer, either way understand things like tides, currents, flows, winds etc and the impact on effort they have.

it is lots of fun, you see the world very differently, at leisurely pace.

If this rain doesn’t stop, I might need to go kayaking! 🙂

I did a kayak lesson last year, I don’t swim a stroke and during the lesson sunk, just bobbed around till pushed ashore 🙂 so i reccomend swimming and a good bouancy aid. It was funish but probably more fun if you’re confident in water and Mrs K who started at that time realy enjoys it.

did some kayaking in NZ 2 man sea kayaks ultra stable waterproof compartments etc really cool quite light from memory

Went open-sea kayaking for the first time with Mrs O in Scotland a couple of weeks ago and it was ACE!

That’s all I can add.

I would say go for a Sit On Top, good for rivers, lakes, canals and great fun in the sea/surf.

Check out

http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/

or for a bit of canoe action

http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk

Edit: Oh and you can’t just rock up and paddle your craft wherever you want either (apart from the sea), BCU licence allows access to most waterways though.

Packraft?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvUUq8rn8G0&feature=g-user-u&context=G23ca4a0UCGXQYbcTJ33bk-yNtRwhXBgQJVGdv2Rneq44KrNX_1JU[/video]
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp1toWmSSKw&feature=g-user-u&context=G2c21f97UCGXQYbcTJ33bk-yNtRwhXBtLifbmofs-BNnbN5T3m4Ew[/video] sound track NSFW[u]
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UGTEZ8zsyU&feature=g-user-u&context=G284a4e7UCGXQYbcTJ33bk-yNtRwhXBvZX8bQtBow75nO6eS4iOSs[/video]

Slight deviation from OP, I to enjoy Kayaks on easy water (easier to handle than open Canadians, even in terms of getting off a car roof ;). Suggest initial course for min’ safety awareness, read somewhere that you need to be on lookout for No.1, i.e. you, as if you are not safe you may endanger others, this can get tricky when taking kids out. Certain amount of common sense, but trouble on water and you HAVE to get back to shore to start with, at least on a bike you can rest sitting on the ground.

ononeorange: where did you go in Scotlandshire (real open sea or sea lochs)and what craft did you use, I am looking at this and would like some pointers.
Cheers
C

I’ve got one of the Gemini in Druids pic, great fun, very stable, get the back rests if you go for it. I take mine out on the Sussex coast.

Speaking as a ‘recovering’ kayaker, there is some very bold boating going on in that vimeo vid posted by Robin L.

Sit on kayaks are boring! (IMHO)

Yup

You want to go kayaking. You also probably want to go without the kids.

You want to go kayaking. You also probably want to go without the kids.

Why? I and my staff spend hours introducing little kids to kayaks (and canoes).

Sit on kayaks are boring! (IMHO)

Yep, yep – these are the sort of SOT I paddle (though to be fair probably not what everybody else was thinking of – and very defnitely not what I’d recommend to the OP).

Aracer

You really need to take me paddling, where are you based, still holding my own in Div 2.

To the OP – how young kids are you talking about? I first took my son out in an open boat when he was 3, but then I’m pretty competent in one of those – I’d suggest you really make sure you have a good idea what you’re doing before taking kids out (and also make sure they have some sort of floatation device, and preferably capable of swimming or at least happy in the water).

jonny – I’m in Worcester – obviously I don’t paddle those round here! I go to some races, mainly on the South coast, or take a ski when we go on hols with the kids (off to Minehead for half term) and occasionally head down to Cardiff to paddle on the Severn estuary. Currently pretty unfit in general and especially in a boat, so I’d struggle with div 4 where I’m ranked.

I’d recommend checking out a local club. Whereabouts are you based?
Most clubs will let you have a few taster sessions for free, they will usually be able to lend you all the kit until you know what you’re after, and there are always loads of folk only too happy to help you out and guide you.

Good places for families usually too. I started out in clubs but drifted off when I started to go on harder trips. Its taken me to some amazing places around the world and its a fantastic thing to get into.
Sadly, mostly due to convenience, my biking has totally overtaken it now, but hopefully I’ll return to it as I left it.

Just as an aside, a BCU (British Canoe Union) license certainly does not sadly mean you can access a lot of waterways. The access situation in England and Wales is appallingly limited and full of conflict with competing interests (Fisher folk mainly).

Anyway, seek out a local club and fill your boots…

The access situation in England and Wales is appallingly limited and full of conflict with competing interests (Fisher folk mainly).

That all depends whether you’re prepared to exercise your legal right of access to almost all waters, or get put off by threats from anglers who have an incorrect understanding of the law.

Go join a club, learn how to paddle a Canadian canoe properly. (Yes kayaks are more fun, but if you want your kids with you, this is the best bet)

Sit on tops are so very lame(Those pictures up there do look boring!)

But whatever you get, join a club, and learn how to paddle properly.

Take no notice of the kayak snobbery being bandied around, I bought a sot 4 years ago use it on the south coast and occasional river trip. Brilliant fun for exploring and just chilling out enjoying yourself, bit of fishing etc and the kids love it.

thanks guys, ill be looking to find a club for some more advice and trials then.

im based in surrey near quite a few boating lakes so im sure there is soemthing around if I search

I bought a kayak off the noticeboard on the supermarket wall. Paddling that got me through my finals without too much stress. I took my kids out on the sea last year. It was a calm sea, we didn’t go far, they can swim. You don’t have to make things complicated. Enjoy.

There’s a kayak club in Guildford that have their own kayaks that you can try on the Wey…

Having supported my wife in the Devizes to Westminster race, I think I’m reasonably well qualified to to say that it is almost as boring a sport to watch as rowing. 😉

TroutWrestler – Member
Speaking as a ‘recovering’ kayaker, there is some very bold boating going on in that vimeo vid posted by Robin L.

I’m not sure that video encourage me, or just down right scares me, brilliant video though.