Kayarchy - the sea kayaker's free online handbook

Kayarchy is all about sea kayaking

Choosing a sea kayak, wind and waves, rolling, reading a chart, becoming a group leader

Stop Putin No War in Europe

Aluminium closed mould for rotomoulding

June 2024: Here on a little island off the west coast of Scotland we have a new project!

Polyethylene rotomoulding of kayaks and canoes.

Do you have manufacturing knowledge? If so, we'll be very glad to hear from you.

Our first task: Find a reputable maker of closed aluminium moulds for smallcraft. Please get in touch - here

“The kayak is far and away the best one-man boat in existence.” - Fridtjof Nansen.
This big free website is mainly about the technique for using a Greenland sea kayak.
But we'll also have a look at sit-on-top kayaks, and at paddling + sailing outrigger canoes.

Greenland-style sea kayak

Kayarchy section summaries:

Introduction
Sea kayaking overview Compared with other sports About Kayarchy Contributors Get in touch Metric measurements Legal notice & privacy policy Translation project: — bilingual text — international glossary

Section 1 - Equipment:
Equipment checklists The sea kayak Other kayaks Outrigger canoes Kayak accessories The paddle Clothing, personal buoyancy, tow-belt Distress signals & rescue Repair, storage & maintenance

Section 2 - Technique:
Paddling your sea kayak Kayaking on fast-moving water Kayaks & surf Rolling your kayak Rafting-up & towing Deep-water rescue & self-rescue Sea kayak navigation Organising a day-trip Overnight trips Kayaking safely: — Cold shock, swim failure & hypothermia — Getting run over — Hand/arm over-use syndromes — Dislocated shoulder — Rockfall & icefall — Solo kayaking

Section 3 - The Sea & The Weather:
Wind Waves Tides Currents Predicting the weather Professional weather forecasts

Section 4 - Access & Environment:
Access to the water Protecting the environment Codes of practice Coastal & sea creatures

Section 5 - Activities:
Courses & holidays in the UK Courses & holidays elsewhere Tours, treks, races & raids Meetings & symposia Maritime festivals

Section 6 - Kayarchy Shopping:
Gifts Kayak shops Sea kayaks to fit adults Sea kayaks to fit children Surf kayaks Fast touring kayaks Sea kayak kits and plans Online yacht chandlers (fittings, rope and paint) Materials for SOF (skin-on-frame) boats

Section 7 - Links to Other Websites

Section 8 - Table of Contents and Index

Section 9 - articles about kayaking and nature
Articles:
1.	Sailing canoes in 1895. From Dixon Kemp's "A Manual of Yacht and Boat Sailing"
2.	Skin-on-frame boats. SOF kayaks, canoes, curraghs and more; light, fast and fun to build.
3.	More articles to follow ... when I have time. In the meantime, if you'd like to see the first few pages of a forthcoming detailed Technical Article about Skin-on-Frame Construction, you're welcome - click here.

Reviews:
1.	"Sea Kayaking Guide - Brittany - 60 paddles" (2013) - detailed guidebook by Véronique Olivier and Guy Lecointre.
2.	More reviews to follow ... when I have time

Kayarchy - the sea kayaker's free online handbook

Kayarchy is all about sea kayaking

Kayarchy section summaries:

Section 4 - Access & Environment: