What do I need to know?

On my hols right now I have access to a large heavy sit in sea kayak. Just been playing in a safe shallow cove but my son is managing to paddle and steer this thing and we’ve had some fun.

I live near the coast in Dorset. IveI done plenty of sailing windsurfing swimming etc but not much kayaking. It occurred to me this could be a great father son quality time activity.

Sit on or sit in? 2 man or 2x 1 man?

Help me STW I haven’t got a scooby about this pastime.

Join a club. You’ll have access to  wide range of differant boats to try, all the kit you need and lots of experienced people who will teach you how to do it properly and safely.

I live near the coast in Dorset. IveI done plenty of sailing windsurfing swimming etc but not much kayaking. It occurred to me this could be a great father son quality time activity.

I used to do quite a bit of sheltered sea kayaking using an old slalom type kayak. It was quite hard work keeping it in a straight line. Proper sea kayaks are much better in that respect but quite expensive. I’ve not used a plastic sit-on, but guess they’d be a bit more comfortable but less secure in bumpy conditions and not very directional either (I may be wrong). I joined a club and learnt some technique in a pool, which was useful but not essential for the sheltered conditions I was generally in.

Hello!

Kayaker of many years here – join a club. You can try boats, get instruction and meet other people, its social and fun. Kayaking is awesome, however it is far far more sketchy than most other common outdoor sports due to the environments you will find yourself in. So go to a club, have some fun, pick the correct gear and above all learn how to be safe.

Join a club. You’ll have access to  wide range of differant boats to try, all the kit you need and lots of experienced people who will teach you how to do it properly and safely.

^this

(And a canoe is the ‘correct’ answer. Half the paddle, twice the man and all that.)

[url=https://flic.kr/p/uMRugF]Allier canoe[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/rrwxMf]Canoe Loch Katrine[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/dp92XK]Canoe river Spey[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/cHRnX7]Abernethy Ardeonaig[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/d6z3sf]River Awe canoe surf[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/dYNv2D]Instructor Training Course[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/r5rShf]Canoe Loch Tay Islands, Killin[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/uMX7Wz]Allier Canoe[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/yXuG7x]Royal Dee Canoe[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/MBBo1t]River Spey Canoe Descent[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/25dsqKm]Sunny Loch Archray[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/25dspZU]Sunny Loch Archray[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

Ok MoaB – that’s enough showing off!

No, no its not….

..and of course the open’s pictured are just perfect for paddling the Dorset coastline. Not.

So joining a club is a great idea but meanwhile if you just want some family fun then get a double Sit on Top or 2 singles. They are self draining and hard to capsize. the double will be great for getting younger children out as you can do most of the work. Even older children get tired paddling so a double is better for longer journeys or if you go out in anything other than a flat calm 200 yrds from the beach. Singles are good for playing in the waves and having races etc but a child can’t paddle very far against the wind and tide so factor this in.

make sure you budget for a bouyancy aid each (approx £40) and a couple of dry bags for gear plus an aquapac for your phone.

Good makes of sit on top are Wavesport / Perception (same company) and Feelfree. Ocean Kayak are good secondhand but stupid prices new as the dollar has climbed.

Go see Sam at Bournemouth Canoes and say Rob from Brighton sent you – should be good for a small discount!

Definitely join a club – once you’ve learnt to develop your paddling technique and tried a few different boats you’ll be able to move beyond sit-on-tops which is most cases are the kayak/canoe equivalents of BSOs – heavy, slow to steer / don’t ‘run’ very well and not much good in anything but flat water. A club will also teach you the correct techniques for water rescue etc.

If you’re interested in kayaking look around the local town for a second-hand bookshop and ask if they’ve got a copy of Argonauts of the Western Isles by Robin Lloyd-Jones. Or order it from Amazon. A fascinating little book, as good on the lore and allure of kayaking as The Escape Artist is on road cycling.

Borrowed this behemoth off a friend at the weekend, it’s quite the sizeable object to manoeuvre. It did however give a stable platform and easily fitted three of us. It’s was also very easy to get up to a decent pace and hold on a straight course. I don’t think I’d put it in ‘equivalent to a BSO’ category.

tasty catch too!

I don’t think I’d put it in ‘equivalent to a BSO’ category

Ignore. It’s an elitist thing. Or like roadies poo-pooing disk brakes.

Ocean Kayak are good secondhand but stupid prices new as the dollar has climbed.

Assuming that means it is USA then they will be really stupid prices now the trade war has kicked in. Kayaks are on the tariff list. Think 25 but might be 20%. Either stings a bit.

You can book yourself on a course or even just some guided trips if you don’t fancy joining a club.  Clubs have many positive feature but I quite like the peace and freedom that being afloat brings and clubs to some extent contradict that.

whichever route you go you need to know how you will right the kayak, drain it if a sit in, and get back on board in the conditions that you managed to capsize in.  This is best practiced in the sheltered areas and a guide, instructor, book or YouTube will provide help – but bear in mind it’s far more alarming 1/2 a mile from shore in a big swell than where there is advice to hand or you can just swim up the beach.  The other thing to consider is how hard to paddle upwind; again a little instruction can help you learn how to make the most of the boat, the tide, the shelter, to get where you want.  Some bits are better than others for this.  Kids often struggle more due to strength and so you either need to be good enough and skilled enough to tow them; go for the double (and accept it will turn like a super tanker so may not be as good in some other situations); or have a contingency plan the involved heading the other way: you need to understand wind and tides more than many other watersports.

finally – tell someone where you are going, when you will be back, and make sure they know what to do if you are overdue (and to do it when you said not wait another hour before calling 999).  Take some method of calling for help.  The RYA safetrx app is free and lets you not only record your position but if in trouble the coastguard can access your last reported position which will help a lot in any search.

Sounds like you already possess boat sense, so the suggestions of joining a local club and trying stuff out and instruction and guidance seem a great approach.

I’ll just try and put this here…. if I can remember how to do the photo thing…

Seems impossible for me on an iPad, as I’m unable to highlight and select the whole bb code from the Flickr app…

Its a cool pic, so I’ll try on the desktop

Cheers all. A few clubs round my way so I’ll talk to them. Most take children 10+ so maybe a sit on in safe sheltered conditions in the mean time.

And Matt those canoe pics remind me of one thing… Deliverance 🤣😉

I’m a reasonable kayaker and canoeist having been paddling for 35+ years.

I have never been a ‘club’ person and whilst I whole heartedly support that route it is not the only route.

It is no doubt the safest way and the cheapest as you will get to try different boats and meet lots of people who will give you advice and training on staying safe.

However I also appreciate this approach also turns some people off and isn’t the only way. You can read up on line (ask forums for advice!), watch the weather forecasts, learn about the tide etc Poly gives good advice above.

Despite having a number of kayaks I still love my Ocean Kayak Malibu which is fantastic for playing around with children. Its very slow, very heavy and I’m confident it will be around long after I have turned to dust. As Poly said make sure you can right it, and get you and your son back on board if you do capsize.

Make sure you are dressed to get wet with wetsuits and buoyancy aids. Plus make sure you have a way to call help if you need it. Mobile, VHF, flares, emergency beacon – look at the options and decide based on where you are paddling. (I sometimes carry all of these.)

Oh and have fun paddle sports are great!