A Sea kayak or touring kayak is a kayak developed for the sport of paddling on open waters of lakes, bays, and the ocean. A kayak is a small human-powered Boat. It typically has a covered deck and a cockpit covered by a Spraydeck. Paddle (disambiguationWith regard to Watercraft, paddling is the act of manually propelling or navigating a small boat using a blade that is joined to a shaft known as Sea kayaks are seaworthy small boats with a covered deck and the ability to incorporate a spraydeck. Seakeeping ability is a measure of how well-suited a Watercraft is to conditions when underway A spraydeck (or spraycover or sprayskirt) is a flexible cover for a Boat, in particular for a Kayak or a Canoe. They trade off the extreme maneuverability of whitewater kayaks for cargo capacity, ease of straight-line paddling, and comfort for long journeys. Whitewater is formed in a Rapid, when a River 's gradient drops enough to disturb its Laminar flow and create Turbulence, i

Sea kayaks are now used around the world for marine journeys from a few hours to many weeks, as they can accommodate one or two (occasionally three) paddlers together with room for camping gear, food, water, and other supplies. The sport of sea kayaking (sometimes called ocean kayaking) combines much of the appeal of hill-walking with a maritime aspect, few access issues and a seemingly unlimited area to enjoy.

Contents 1 Origins of the Sea Kayak 2 Design 2.1 Size 2.2 Material 2.3 Bow, stern, and deck 2.4 Equipment 3 Paddles 3.1 Dimensions 4 Forms of Sea Kayaking 4.1 Kayak Sailing 4.2 Expedition Trips 4.3 Surf Kayaking 4.4 Sea Fishing 5 Pioneering Sea Kayak expeditions 6 Safety 7 See also 8 References 9 Further Sea Kayaking links (non commercial)

Origins of the Sea Kayak

Main article: Kayak

Contemporary sea kayaks trace their origin to the native boats of Alaska, northern Canada, and Southwest Greenland. Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" Grønland is a self-governing Danish Province located between the Eskimo hunters developed a fast sea going craft to hunt seals and walrus^[1]. Eskimos or Esquimaux are Indigenous peoples who have traditionally inhabited the circumpolar region from eastern Siberia ( Russia) across The true seals or earless seals are one of the three main groups of Mammals within the seal Suborder, Pinnipedia. The walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus) is a large flippered Marine mammal with a discontinuous circumpolar distribution in the Arctic Ocean and The ancient Unungan name for a sea kayak is Iqyak^[2], and earliest models were constructed from a light wooden frame (tied together with sinew or baleen) and covered with sea mammal (sea lion or seal) hides. The Aleuts ( self-denomination from Aleut language allíthuh 'community' older or regional self-denomination Unangax̂, Unangan or A kayak is a small human-powered Boat. It typically has a covered deck and a cockpit covered by a Spraydeck. A tendon (or sinew) is a tough band of Fibrous connective tissue that usually connects Muscle to Bone and is capable of withstanding tension Baleen or whalebone is the means by which Baleen whales feed These whales do not have Teeth, but instead have rows of baleen plates in Marine mammals are a diverse group of roughly 120 species of Mammal that are primarily Ocean -dwelling or depend on the ocean for food For other uses of the term "sea lion" see Sea lion (disambiguation. Archaeologists have found evidence indicating that kayaks are at least 4000 years old. ^[3] Wooden kayaks and fabric kayaks on wooden frames (such as the Klepper) were dominating the market up until 1950s, when fiberglass boats were first introduced. A folding kayak is a direct descendant of the original Inuit Kayak made of animal skins stretched over frames made from wood and bones Rotomolded plastic kayaks first appeared in 1984. Rotational molding or moulding is a versatile process for creating many kinds of mostly hollow Plastic parts Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products

Design

Modern sea kayaks come in a wide array of materials, designs, and sizes to suit a variety of intended uses. The primary distinction is between rigid kayaks and folding kayaks. A folding kayak is a direct descendant of the original Inuit Kayak made of animal skins stretched over frames made from wood and bones While many modern kayaks carry the design features of traditional craft, recent design innovation includes:

• Recreational kayaks, shorter sea kayaks with wide beams and large cockpits;
• Sit-on-top kayaks, rotomolded boats without an enclosed cockpit, but with some other sea kayak features;
• Inflatable kayaks, sometimes employing a rigid frame with inflatable sponsons; and
• Surf skis, long, narrow boats intended for open ocean racing. A Recreational Kayak is a type of Kayak that is designed for the casual paddler interested in fishing photography or a peaceful paddle on a lake or flatwater stream they Sponsons are projections from the sides of a Watercraft, for protection stability, or the mounting of equipment such as armaments or lifeboats etc A surf ski is a long narrow lightweight Kayak with an open (sit-on-top cockpit usually with a foot pedal controlled Rudder.

Size

Most production sea kayaks are between 12 feet (3. 7 m) and 24 feet (7. 3 m) in length, the larger kayaks often built for two (or in rare cases, three) paddlers. The width (beam) of typical kayaks varies from 18 inches (460 mm) to 32 inches (810 mm), though specialized boats such as surf skis may be narrower. The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point or at the mid-point of its length A surf ski is a long narrow lightweight Kayak with an open (sit-on-top cockpit usually with a foot pedal controlled Rudder. The length of a kayak affects not only its cargo capacity (for both gear and paddlers) but may also affect its "tracking" ability -- the ease with which the boat travels in a straight line. While other design features also impact tracking, very long kayaks are easier to paddle straight (and harder to turn). The width of a kayak affects the cargo capacity, the maximum size of the cockpit (and thus the size of the paddler in that cockpit), and (to a degree that depends on the design of the hull) the stability. Stability conditions (watercraft is the term used to describe the various standard loading configurations to which a Ship, Boat, or offshore platform may be subjected

Material

Most rigid production kayaks are now made out of fiberglass, rotomolded polyethylene, or carbon-kevlar. Fiberglass (also called fibreglass and glass fibre see Spelling differences) is material made from extremely fine Fibers of Glass. Rotational molding or moulding is a versatile process for creating many kinds of mostly hollow Plastic parts Carbon (kɑɹbən is a Chemical element with the symbol C and its Atomic number is 6 Kevlar is the registered Trademark for a light strong para-aramid Synthetic fiber, related to other Aramids such as Nomex and More exotic materials include carbon fiber and foam core. Foamcore is a strong lightweight easily cut material useful for backing mounting photographic prints framing 3D design and painting Some kayaks are hand-built from plywood or wood strips covered with fiberglass. Plywood is a type of Engineered board made from thin sheets of Wood, called plies or veneers Fiberglass (also called fibreglass and glass fibre see Spelling differences) is material made from extremely fine Fibers of Glass. Skin-on-frame kayaks are built on wood or aluminum frames covered in canvas, dacron, or other fabrics, and may include inflatable tubes called sponsons. Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making Sails Tents Marquees Backpacks and other functions Uses PET can be semi-rigid to rigid depending on its thickness and is very lightweight Sponsons are projections from the sides of a Watercraft, for protection stability, or the mounting of equipment such as armaments or lifeboats etc

Bow, stern, and deck

There are many design approaches for the bow, stern, and deck of kayaks. Some kayaks have upturned bows, which are meant to provide better performance when paddling into waves, as well as better wave-shedding ability. Other kayaks achieve this through increased buoyancy in the bow. In Physics, buoyancy ( BrE IPA: /ˈbɔɪənsi/ is the upward Force on an object produced by the surrounding liquid or gas in which it is Kayaks with unobstructed stern decks may ease certain types of self-rescue. Waterproof bulkheads in modern kayaks provide flotation in the event of capsize.

Sea kayak decks typically include one or more hatches for easy access to the interior storage space inside. Kayak decks often include attachment points for deck lines of various kinds, which are aids in self-rescue and attachment points for above-deck equipment.

Equipment

Sea Kayaks are designed to go fast in a straight line, so many have steering gear or tracking aids in the form of rudders or skegs. A rudder is a device used to steer a Ship, Boat, Submarine, Hovercraft, or other conveyance that move through a fluid (generally air or A skeg (or skag) is a sternward extension of the Keel of boats and ships which have a Rudder mounted on the centre line In most cases rudders are attached at the stern and operated by wires from foot pedals in the cockpit. Rudders are typically retractable for beach landings. Skegs are straight blades that drop from a well in the stern of the boat. Both devices assist in paddling when a strong wind is coming from a direction other than directly in front^[4].

Paddles

Sea-kayak paddles, and the associated paddling styles, fall into three basic classifications:

• European: two roughly spoon-shaped blades at either end of a cylindrical shaft. A paddle is a tool used for pushing against Liquids either as a form of propulsion in a Boat or as an implement for mixing This paddle style was developed for fast acceleration and sudden maneuvering in Whitewater kayaking, and then back-ported to sea-kayaking. Whitewater kayaking is the sport of paddling a Kayak on a moving body of water typically a Whitewater river Euro paddles can be made of aluminum, plastic or even wood, but the best are usually formed of more expensive materials like carbon-fiber for lightness. Often the two blades are feathered, or set at an angle relative to each other (both for ergonomic efficiency, and so that as one blade moves backwards through the water, the opposite blade moving forward through the air presents its edge, rather than its face).

• Greenland: Relatively narrow blades which are rounded and full near the loom and blade roots, and becoming oval near the blade tips. Some paddles feature a "shoulder", or abrupt transition between the loom and blade roots. Greenland paddle blades are most often not feathered. Short Greenland paddles (generally one arm-span in length), called storm paddles, are used with a sliding stroke, where the hands are shifted along the blades for each stroke. Storm paddles are often used as spares and in very windy locations, as there is very little outboard blade to catch the wind.

• Wing: The blade of the paddle is shaped with a profile like a wing. When used with a special stroke, the blade actually produces lift as it moves through the water, enabling the kayaker to produce more forward motion than with any other kind of paddle. The paddling technique is different from both European style paddles and Greenland style. It is most often used in racing, but also sees some limited use in recreational paddling such as touring.

Dimensions

Sea kayaks come in many different designs. The length of a typical solo sea kayak can range anywhere from 12 to 18 feet (3. 7m-5. 5m) long, and tandem kayaks can range from 15 feet (4. 6 m) to 20 feet(4. 6m-6. 1m) long. Sea kayaks can range in width from 22. 5 inches (570 mm) to 30 inches (57cm-76cm). Wider touring kayaks of 26 inches (660 mm) to 30 inches (66-76cm) are better for bigger paddlers, or small/average sized paddlers looking for more initial stability and manouevrability. Narrower beams of 22 inches (560 mm) to 25 inches (56cm-63. 5cm) are good for small-medium sized paddlers who want more speed and less manoeuvrability. And lastly, kayak depth (or the height from the hull to the highest area of the deck) can range from 13 inches (330 mm) to 15. 8 inches (33cm-40cm) high.

This design is typical of modern sea kayaks and has a low rear deck for easy rolling, a white water cockpit, compartments that allow the kayaker to reach into the compartment while at sea and a sloping rear bulkhead that enables the kayak to be emptied by lifting the bow.

Forms of Sea Kayaking

Kayak Sailing

Developed by kayak enthusiasts, kayak sails enhance the paddling experience. Kayak sails such as the WindPaddle either augment the effort of paddling or effectively eliminate the need for paddling. WindPaddle A self-launching light weight small-craft sail for kayaks and canoes They are great for touring, and have established a strong following with recreational sea kayakers, expedition paddlers and adventure racers.

Expedition Trips

Weekend trips with overnight camping are popular amongst recreational kayakers, and many people combine kayaking with watching wildlife. Modern sea kayaks are designed to carry large amounts of equipment, and unsupported expeditions of two weeks or more are conducted in environments from the tropics to the Arctic. Expedition kayaks are designed to handle best when loaded, so it may be necessary to ballast them on shorter trips.

Surf Kayaking

For more details on this topic, see Surf skis. A surf ski is a long narrow lightweight Kayak with an open (sit-on-top cockpit usually with a foot pedal controlled Rudder.

Closely related to surf boards and requiring a mix of surfing and kayaking skills, a wide range of sea kayaks are specifically designed for the sport of wave surfing. Surfing is a surface water sport in which the participant is carried along the face of a breaking wave, most commonly using a Surfboard, although wave-riders

Sea Fishing

Main article: Kayak fishing

The sea kayak has long been a means of transportation and a means of accessing fishing grounds and kayak fishing has gained popularity due to the availability of purpose built stable designs. Kayak fishing is Fishing from a Kayak. The Kayak has long been a means of transportation and a means of accessing fishing grounds A kayak is a small human-powered Boat. It typically has a covered deck and a cockpit covered by a Spraydeck. This technological development also solves some ergonomic problems that are associated with sitting for long hours without being able to change positions and special kayaks for fishing are accessorized for this sport, including specially-designed hatches, built-in rod holders, catch bags and equipment mounts.

Many of the techniques used in kayak fishing are the same as those used on other fishing boats. The difference is in the set-up, how each piece of equipment is fitted to the kayak, and how each activity is carried out on such a small craft. Contemporary kayaks can be equipped with fishing aids such as rod holders, electronic fish-finders and live-bait containers. A fishfinder is a type of fathometer, both being specialized types of Echo sounding systems a type of Active SONAR. Kayak anglers target highly-prized bottom feeders like halibut and cod and also pelagics like amberjacks, tuna, sailfish, wahoo, and even marlin. A fisherman or fisher is someone who gathers Fish, Shellfish, or other animals from a body of water A halibut is a type of Flatfish Cod is the common name for the Genus Gadus of Fish, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name of a variety Any water in the sea that is not close to the bottom is in the pelagic zone. Amberjack is the name of 3 species of Atlantic Fish of the Carangidae family which includes the jacks and the Pompanos Greater amberjacks Tuna, are several Species of ocean-dwelling Fish in the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. This article is about the fish For the submarines see ''USS'' Sailfish. wahoo ( Acanthocybium solandri) is a dark blue scombrid Fish found worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas Marlin, Istiophoridae, is a member of a larger grouping of marine Fishes known as "billfish" of which several are popular in Big-game fishing

Pioneering Sea Kayak expeditions

• Franz Romer crossed the Atlantic Ocean solo in a kayak in 1928. His crossing from the Canary Islands and Puerto Rico took 58 days at sea but he was lost in a hurricane trying to get to New York^[5].
• Oskar Speck paddled from Germany to Australia in 1932-1939. Oskar Speck (1907-1995 was a German canoeist who paddled by Folding kayak from Germany to Australia over the period 1932-1939
• Hannes Lindemann paddled, with the help of a sail, from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean in 1956. Dr Hannes Lindemann (born 28 December 1922) made two solo transatlantic crossings one in a Dugout canoe and the other Documented in the book "Alone at sea"^[6].
• Derek Hutchinson was the first to cross the North sea in 1976 after several near-death failures he finally managed it in 31 hours^[7].
• Nigel Foster and Geoff Hunter were the first to circumnavigate Iceland in 1977.
• Frank Goodman was the first to circumnavigate Cape Horn in 1977.
• Paul Caffyn was the first person to circumnavigate the South Island of New Zealand in 1977. Paul Caffyn is a well renowned Sea kayaker based on the west coast of New Zealand. The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island He describes it in his book Obscured by Waves.
• Paul Caffyn and Nigel Dennis were the first sea kayakers to circumnavigate Britain in 1980, a distance of 2,200 miles (3,500 km) in 85 days
• David Taylor and James Moore were the first to circumnavigate The Faroe Islands (mid way between Shetland and Iceland) in 1985. Paul Caffyn is a well renowned Sea kayaker based on the west coast of New Zealand. Nigel Forbes Dennis ( January 16, 1912 &ndash July 19, 1989) was an English writer critic playwright and magazine editor The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroe(s or Faeroes (Føroyar meaning " Sheep Islands" Færøerne Old Norse
• Paul Caffyn was the first person to circumnavigate Australia in 1986 covering a distance of 9,420 miles (15 160 km)
• Ed Gillet paddled from California to Hawaii in 1987. Paul Caffyn is a well renowned Sea kayaker based on the west coast of New Zealand. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.
• Adventurer Chris Duff has circumnavigated both Ireland in 1996 and New Zealand's South Island in 2000. Chris Duff is an American expedition sea Kayaker who is most notable for his large scale projects and world-record breaking attempts Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island.
• Jon Turk and his team was the first to cross the Bering strait as they paddled from Japan to Alaska in 2000. ^[8].
• In his book Cold Oceans (1999), Jon Turk describes his solo circumnavigation of Cape Horn^[9]. Cabo de Hornos redirects here for the Chilean commune see Cabo de Hornos Chile.
• Peter Bray crossed from Canada to Ireland in 2001. Peter Bray was in 2001 the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean alone in a Kayak[http //www
• Trys Morris, Gemma Rawlings and Justine Curgenven successfully circumnavigated Tasmania in 2004. Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name It is located south of the eastern side of the Continent, being separated from it by Bass This journey is featured in This Is The Sea 2
• Harry Whelan, Barry Shaw and Phil Clegg are considered to have been the fastest around Britain in 2005, completing the circumnavigation in 80 days
• In November 2005 the first kayak circumnavigation of South Georgia in the Southern Atlantic was completed in 18 days, a distance of 600 km ^[10]. Sources Plaid Cymru Website South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ( SGSSI) is a British overseas territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
• Eric Stiller and Tony Brown attempted circumnavigation of Australia. Eric Stiller is an author and Kayaker based in New York, USA. Tony Brown may refer to Tony Brown (Australian rules footballer, an Australian rules footballer Tony Brown (basketball, former American For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Described in the book Keep Australia on your left.
• Justin Jones and James Castrission made the first crossing from Australia to New Zealand, arriving on 13 January 2008, a journey that took 61 days. Crossing the Ditch was the effort of adventurers Justin Jones and James Castrission to become the first to cross the Tasman Sea and travel from This is the longest two man kayak expedition ever undertaken. ^[11]
• The crossing of Europe by various rivers in 1998. ^[12]

Safety

A sea kayak's primary safety device is its paddler. Some kayakers consider a well-practiced self-righting move such as an Eskimo roll to be essential to safe open-water kayaking, though this can be difficult in a heavily-laden boat. The Kayak Roll (often referred to as an "Eskimo roll" is the act of righting a capsized Kayak by use of body motion and or a Paddle. While there are a number of techniques for unassisted righting and re-entry of a kayak after a capsize, most paddlers consider it safest to paddle with one or more others, as assistance is useful if attempting to roll up solo fails. The common definition for capsized refers to when a Boat or Ship is tipped over until disabled Even if the assistance fails to get you righted, it's a lot easier to climb back into a boat in the open sea if you've got another boat and paddler to help and your boat's been emptied of water first. Nonetheless, experienced paddlers do attempt open water crossings unaccompanied, and several major long-distance kayak expeditions have been carried out solo.

There is a strong culture of self-sufficiency amongst sea kayakers and extensive safety equipment such as compass, towing lines, manual pumps, repair kits including wet application repair tape, flares, spare paddles, and survival gear are routinely carried; along with supplies of food and a flask of hot coffee for non-emergency use. GPS, charts, lights, radios and cell phones, and radar reflectors are also sometimes carried. A corner reflector is a Retroreflector consisting of three mutually perpendicular intersecting flat surfaces which reflects Electromagnetic waves back towards the

See also

• Kayak
• Recreational kayak
• Whitewater kayaking
• Folding kayak
• Kayak polo
• Kayak racing
• Pamlico 140

References

Further Sea Kayaking links (non commercial)

• Wikipaddle Kayak Forum

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