Kayaks are small
boats with a covered deck. The kayak cockpit is covered by a spray
skirt or similar waterproof material. A double blade paddle is used
to propel the kayak. Kayaks were mainly developed for the people
of the Arctic region. Kayaks can accommodate wo to three paddlers
facing in the front direction in one or more cockpits. The spray
skirt is attached to the edges of the cockpit to prevent the water
from entering and roll the kayak without letting the water to fill
in it.
Rigid kayak, folding boats, and inflatable
boats are the three classifications of kayaks according to their
structure.
Rigid Kayak: these boats are made
of fiberglass, plastic, wood, carbon fiber or Kevlar. Amongst these
hardshell boats, plastic kayak is quite cheap but is heavier. Plastic
kayaks are tough, and repair ability is not that easy if damage
occurs. A fiberglass kayak is light in weight and more expensive
in comparison to plastic ones. These can be easily damaged and easily
repaired. Carbon fiber, Kevlar and graphite kayaks will be more
expensive and even lighter.
Wooden kayaks are different as they possess beauty
of hand-made quality. People like to assemble the wood kayak by
themselves and so purchase it in the form of kit. The price of wood
kayaks varies depending on their quality. These kayaks are easily
repairable and do not require maintenance.
Folding Boats: these kayaks are
advantageous because of their easy portability and storage. These
kayaks are made of aluminum or wood and are collapsible. They are
expensive and last longer as compared to rigid kayaks. The resale
price of folding kayaks is high. Although folding kayaks are flexible,
tough, and stable, they lack in performance and speed to that of
hardshell boats. With folding kayaks, construction is traditional
and brings about a sense of nostalgia.
Inflatable Boats: inflatable kayak
is a special type of kayak offering easy portability and storage.
These kayaks can be transported easily using a carry bag. Inflatable
kayaks are very cheap and are made of PVC, hypalon (type of neoprene)
or polyurethane coated cloth. You can inflate these boats using
electric pumps, hand, or foot. Inflatable kayaks use low-pressure
air. These kayaks are non-rigid, pointed rafts. Inflatable kayaks
are suitable on calm water or rivers.
Apart from easy portability, these boats are stable
and can be mastered easily. However, paddling requires more effort
and are slower in comparison to traditional boats. Recently, some
manufacturers have combined the design principles of the folding
boat with the overall design of the sit-on-top kayak by making use
of various inflatable sections to develop an inflatable sea kayak.
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