Most of these suppliers are in the United Kingdom. For the USA and Canada, see www.kayarchy.com. Continued from previous page about:
• Sea kayak shops
• Sea kayak suppliers
• Surf kayak suppliers
• Paddle suppliers
Clothing, accessories, magazine & book publishers, parts & materials, sailing kayaks, sailing canoes
Most of these suppliers are in the United Kingdom. For the USA and Canada, see www.kayarchy.com. Continued from previous page about:
• Sea kayak shops
• Sea kayak suppliers
• Surf kayak suppliers
• Paddle suppliers
Smaller manufacturers or importers who sell direct to the public:
The big boys, who we think sell only through retailers:
Typhoon International (established 1947, world's largest manufacturer of drysuits for military, civilian, diving and surface applications). www.typhoon-int.co.uk. Also Kokatat, see above. As far as we know, they both sell only via retailers.
Direct sales from:
Most sea kayakers use buoyancy aids which are available from every kayak retailer and are easy to buy in good used condition on eBay.
If you prefer a lifejacket, be careful, because the standard lifejacket that you see everywhere these days has a surprisingly short shelf-life. Please don't buy a used one from eBay!! Most modern lifejackets are just a cheap nylon waistcoat containing an even cheaper inflatable bladder made of polyurethane-coated nylon. The coating pretty soon starts peeling off the nylon, and the seams (which seem to be heat welded) soon start to fail where the deflated bladder is folded to fit inside the waistcoat.
If you want a comfortable, supple lifejacket that's hand-made from excellent materials and will last you ten or fifteen years, buy a neoprene-coated nylon model like the Slimline lifejacket made by Vacuum Reflex in Colchester, which was happily used by a generation of sea kayakers. VR discontinued the Slimline some time ago but continued to make the Royal Navy Type 9 and hazardous duty lifejackets. When we asked in April 2010 the cost with VAT was about £68.50. We think VR may recently have ceased trading, which would be sad if true.
See Kayak Shops and Crafts, Books, Jewellery, Etc
For multi-day trips kayaking or backpacking, you can't easily carry all the water you need for drinking and cooking. Unless you can expect to find a tap or a clear, clean stream, you need a good filter which can rapidly produce a couple of pints of drinking water minus the chemicals, bacteria and smaller virus-sized pathogens.
So that your filter does not get clogged up with mud and bits of vegetation, it is a good ideal to sieve the water first through a high-capacity pre-filter. You can buy pre-filter and filter systems direct from www.drinksafe-systems.co.uk
For all woodworking hand tools, power tools, machine tools, abrasives, adhesives and books, Axminster Power Tools. www.axminster.co.uk
Timber for paddles and cedar strips for strip-plank construction:
Marine plywood:
If you want plywood which is both good and environmental, you'll have to make some telephone calls. See Which Plywood?
To buy boatbuilding epoxies, East Coast Fibreglass Supplies and CFS Fibreglass Supplies, above. For budget epoxies you could try Robnor Resins at www.resins-online.com
See also Biocomposites. For technical information about epoxies from the big boys:
Metric fabric weights are given in grammes per square metre, abbreviated to gsm or g/m2. Most suppliers of heavy uncoated fabrics are unwilling to supply small quantities to private purchasers. In Britain, major industrial suppliers include Lows of Dundee who have an enormous range but generally supply only 50m-100m lengths of fabric. British Millerain and Multiple Fabrics also prefer to supply fairly hefty quantities. As a result, most British kayak builders either use a natural canvas product or buy a nylon or polyester fabric from one of these US suppliers who know exactly what kayakers need:
We have found some suppliers in Europe who have relevant fabrics and are happy to accept small orders:
When you've put a skin on your SOF kayak, you need to make it waterproof. See Skin-On-Frame Materials In Europe.
See Wetsuit Material. Want to make a tuiliq or similar accessories? The quality of foam neoprene is very variable, and a cheap one from an unknown Chinese manufacturer may quickly wear through or delaminate.
Shell dressings for First Aid, Buffalo / Montane clothing, cheap Gore-Tex bivouac bags. Both of these companies have been trading since WWII:
Paul Caffyn, kayak circumnavigator and writer, has kindly provided us with his list of books about kayaking and canoeing. Who knew there were so many? Click here to view.
Take a look at the website of Kruger Canoes, Michigan. They make the Sea Wind, Dreamcatcher and Cruiser, which have probably been more extensively tested than any other 50:50 paddling-sailing canoes intended for use on open water.
Go to next page for:
• Paul Caffyn's booklist
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