Modern kayak types:
1. Sea kayak: these are designed to accommodate
one or two paddlers. These are more maneuverable and have extreme
stability and cargo capacity. Sea kayak has further subtypes that
include:
• Strip-built- that is more close to rigid
fiberglass boat but very light in comparison to it.
• Sit-on-top- these are used for fishing,
diving and can usually accommodate 1-2 but also come have models
that can accommodate 3-4 people. Normally, the seat of this kayak
is above the water level, so the center of gravity is higher. In
order to compensate, the width is increased for the same length
of a traditional kayak.
2. Skin-on-frame- the design, technique, material
and construction of these kayaks is more similar
to traditional kayaks. These are the lightest among
all and are being used in Greenland by Inuit people for hunting.
3. Recreational- these are built for paddlers
interested in photography, a peaceful paddle in a lake, or fishing.
These have larger cockpit and wider beam for stability reasons.
The capacity of cargo is limited, and the length is less than 12
feet.
4. Whitewater kayak: are highly maneuverable and
are made of rigid material like polyethylene. The length of these
kayaks is small (6-10 feet) in comparison to others.
Small boats are maneuverable but slow. Whitewater kayaks
do not require inherent speed, as they move down with the current.
In kayak rodeo competition, whitewater paddlers
use rapids features to do tricks while they are in one place on
the river.
5. Surf kayak: also known as surf skis, are narrow
and long kayaks for surf zone rescue and surf breaking
waves. Surf kayaking uses kayaks
similar to whitewater kayak design. The only difference
is that they have a planing hull. Surf kayaks can
be 12 feet long to increase the planing speed on wave and to have
good paddling speed for catching waves. A variation to closed cockpit
surf kayak design is open cockpit (Waveski) design.
6. Racing kayak: these are designed for speed.
To achieve stability, the paddler requires subsatntial skill, as
the hull is extremely narrow. These kayaks have
subtypes of flat water and slalom kayak.
7. Multi type kayaks: these include inflatable
and pedal kayaks.
• Inflatable kayak-these can be easily stored
and transported. They are made of polyurethane, PVC, or hypalon.
You can inflate them with hand, foot, or electric pump. They are
highly portable, stable, easy to master, and are slower than traditional
boats.
• Pedal kayak- is a special type of boat
using pedals allowing the paddler to propel the vessel with underwater
flippers instead of a paddle.
Milos Pesic is a successful webmaster and owner of popular and
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articles and resources on Kayaking related topics,
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