Choosing a Touring Kayak
Touring kayaks are kayaks designed for traveling. They are usually fast, designed to go straight and have the ability to carry more gear than you would normally take. Fast kayaks require less effort to paddle and can cover greater distances than a kayak designed for white water rapids. Appomattox River Co. has touring kayaks manufactured from several different materials.

 

 

Low density linear polyethylene is the most common plastic used in the manufacturing of touring kayaks. It is a fairly soft plastic and requires internal supports and careful forming to keep its shape. Most manufacturers in the United States build plastic touring kayaks by rotationally molding linear polyethylene.

High density polyethylene is used by the Prijon Co. in Germany. They "blow mold" their kayaks in a system that results in a rigid hull that does not require internal supports. The molds for this type of manufacturing are very costly, so there are not as many different designs.

ABS Royalex is used by Pyranha Kayak Co., an English builder. Royalex boats are lighter in weight and the hulls are nice and stiff.

Fiberglass kayaks are made by layers of fiberglass cloth in a mold and impregnating it with a plastic resin. This creates a light weight, stiff hull. The gel coats on fiberglass boats are fairly delicate and can be damaged by hitting rocks, coral or oyster beds.

 

Rudders
The true purpose of rudders on touring kayaks is to help keep the kayak going straight, not to turn the boat. Turning is done by a series of correction paddle strokes. These correction strokes are used to keep the boat tracking in a straight line. However, there are times when natural forces, such as a strong tail wind or a following sea, will make it difficult to keep the boat on course and this is when you want to use skeg or rudder.

Kayak Length
Entry level kayaks are offered in the 9 ft. to 10 1/2 ft. range. These are popular with kids or adults who are going short distances or just crushing around in front of the lake cottage. They are wide and stable and can be used for fishing, hunting or bird watching. They do not offer much storage space and would not normally be used for a long trip.

The next general length category would be a kayak averaging 14 ft. to 15 ft. Most at this length are maneuverable enough to be used in rivers with mild white water and are also great for exploring the shoreline and covers of lakes. They are great for day trips and short overnight trips and will usually have one large hatch behind the cockpit for storing camping gear.

 

The last general length category is for kayaks 15 1/2 ft. to 17 1/2 ft. long. These are fairly narrow and have fast cruising speeds. They have front and rear hatches for carrying plenty of gear. They can cover long distances and can cross large lakes, bays and on the ocean.

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