Recreational Kayaking and Kayak Touring
Kayaking
gives you the opportunity to experience nature first hand. You can go places and see things that you
couldn’t see by any other means.
Kayaking is good exercise and a great stress reliever. One of the great thing about kayaking is
that you can set your own pace and do as much or as little as you’d like. You can put out a lot of energy or you can
have a nice leisurely day. Kayaking is
also a great family activity. Below is some information about two of the most popular kayaking disciplines.
Recreational
Kayaking is a fun and is very user friendly type of
kayaking. The boats used are generally
wide and stable and are designed to track in a straight line. These boats are great for general cruising,
fishing, and photography on local lakes and streams. The most popular kayaking discipline is
recreational.

Touring
Kayaks are long and can be rather narrow boats, known for
their speed and trackability. They are
primarily used on flat stretches of river, and larger bodies of water such as
lakes, bays, and on the ocean. These
boats are much more seaworthy and are designed to handle single or multi-day
trips.

Kayaking Classes?
You
can learn to kayak on your own, but the bottom line is knowledge and
skill goes a long way. Your experiences will be better and more
enjoyable having developed good basic skills.
You will be safer, have better boat control and have a better
understanding of the water dynamics.
Classes will accelerate your learning curve and get you started in a
safe and supportive environment. The
more knowledge you have the more comfortable you’ll be… Classes are
also a great way of meeting
people and a good way to try kayaking to see if you like it.
Choosing a Kayak:
There
are three basic items you will need to get started if you are recreational
kayaking: a boat, paddle and pfd.
Touring kayaking will require more in the lines of equipment, safety
gear, and education. We carry a wide
variety of both recreational and touring kayaks from the top manufacturers in
the industry; along with a full line of accessories. Boats come in a variety of lengths and
widths; and are designed with different purposes in mind. When selecting a boat you need to consider
your height and weight, what type of water you intend to spend most of your
time on, how much performance you are looking for, and how much you want to
invest. We can help you to identify
which boats will fit your needs the best.
It’s a good idea to try out a variety of boats before making a purchase…
try before you buy!
Where to Look for Information:
- On our Recreational/Touring Forum you can discuss
paddling, ask questions, find people to paddle with, etc.
- Find information
on our local rivers and lakes in our Guidebook ,
Created by You
- Learn about the
different classes offered thru Whitewater Warehouse on our Instruction Page
- On our Calendar you will find a listing of upcoming
classes, dates and descriptions
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TOM UHLMAN
|