The Great Wave by Katsushika Hokusai, 1760-1845
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Sea kayaking overview
Compared with other sports
Learn to roll
About Kayarchy
Get in touch
Metric measurements
Legal notice & privacy policy
Translation project:
— bilingual text
— international glossary
EQUIPMENT - kayaks, paddles, clothing & other accessories
Equipment for sea kayaking
The cost of sea kayaking equipment
Equipment checklists:
1 - equipment for a short, easy day trip
2 - equipment for an intermediate trip
3 - equipment for an advanced day trip
4 - equipment for a multi-day trip in a wilderness area
Travelling lightThe Sea Kayak
Choosing a sea kayak
Classic sea kayak
Intended use
Five styles of classic sea kayak
Will this kayak be stable enough for me?
Sea kayak features (rocker, volume, cockpit size & shape, etc)Folding & Inflatable Kayaks
Folding kayaks
Inflatable kayaksSea Kayak Design
Why a long, narrow kayak?
Kayak stability
Radical designsSea Kayak Construction Methods (1)
The basics
A kayak must be light
But not too light
Fibreglass, kevlar & similar composites
Polyethylene
Royalex, Duralex, Airalex & Carbonlite
Materials for folding kayaks
Build your own kayakSea Kayak Construction Methods (2)
Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP)
Biocomposites
Build your own kayak in fibre-reinforced plasticSea Kayak Construction Methods (3)
Build your own wood kayak
Building in wood - plywoodSea Kayak Construction Methods (4)
Building in wood - strip plank
Building in wood - cold moulded
Completing your wood kayak
Protecting your wood kayakSea Kayak Construction Methods (5)
Build your own skin-on-frame kayak
Skin-on-frame materials in Europe
Books, websites, DVDs & courses
Skin-on-frame kayaks & offshore safetyBuilding in Birchbark
Build a birch bark canoeSea Kayaks vs. Other Kayaks & Canoes
Kayaks, baidarkas, canoes
White-water playboats
General-purpose kayaks
Two-person kayaks
Sit-on-top kayaks
Ocean racing skis
Kayaks for surfingSea Kayaks vs. Other Small Boats
Seaworthy small craft
Sea kayakers & their other boats
Sailing dinghies for exposed waters
Rowing boats for exposed waters
Rowing-sailing boats
Sailing canoes for exposed waters
Pacific outrigger canoes
Other multihulls for exposed waters
Yachts & sea kayaksSailing Rigs For Kayaks & Canoes
Why sail?
Sailing a kayak
Sailing a canoe
Making rudders, leeboards & foilsKayak Outfitting (1) - accessories which are essential for safety
Bulkheads
Hatches
Hatch covers
Deck lines
Additional flotation for your kayakKayak Outfitting (2) - accessories which are almost essential
Footrest / foot brace
Back support
Skeg or rudder
Deck elastics
Paddle park / tow pointKayak Outfitting (3) - other accessories
Knee box / knee tube
Cockpit pod
Sea sockKayak Outfitting (4) - other accessories continued
Dry bags & float bags
Deck bag
Built-in pump vs. portable pump
Deck compass
Fourth hatch
Towing cleat
Kayak trolley / cart
Electrical accessories, built in
Cockpit cover
Other interesting ideas
And some other ideasKayak Outfitting (5)
How to add accessories to a kayakThe Paddle (1)
European-style paddles
Paddle length
Paddle feathering / off-set
Materials for paddles
Colours for paddles
Spare paddle
Paddle floatThe Paddle (2)
Greenland-style paddles
Make a Greenland paddle
Using a Greenland paddleClothing & Tow-Belt (1)
Spraydeck
Waterproof kayaking jacket - the cag
Waterproof kayaking jacket - the tuiliq
Personal buoyancy
WhistleClothing & Tow-Belt (2)
Clothing for summer
Clothing for winter
Technical fabrics:
— Breathable & non breathable fabrics
— Wetsuit material
— Thermal stretch materials
— Base layer materials
— Synthetic fleece materialsClothing & Tow-Belt (3)
Wetsuit
Wetsuit boots
Drysuit
Hat, scarf, mitts
Contact lenses, sunglasses
Helmet
Tow-beltDistress Signals & Rescue (1)
Introduction
VHF radio (buying one, safety traffic, distress calls)Distress Signals & Rescue (2)
Mobile phones
EPIRBs
Satellite personal tracker
Personal strobe lights
Flares & smoke
Other distress equipment
Lifeboat & helicopter rescueRepair, Storage & Maintenance
Repairs & repair kits
Storing kayak & paddle
Maintenance for kayak hulls
Metals & salt water
Storing kayak clothing etcTransport & Knots
Transporting your kayak
Knots for kayakers
The Tuniit
The Inuit
Today's Greenland
Vikings in kayaks
Ocean-crossing Inuit
SEA KAYAK TECHNIQUE - paddling, rolling, rafting, towing, rescue
Paddling Your Sea Kayak (1)
Starting out
Carrying your kayak
Getting into your kayak
Capsizing, wet exit, emptying your kayak
Basic paddling positionPaddling Your Sea Kayak (2)
How to paddle forwards
Body rotation
More improvements
Staying on course
Coping with wind from the side
Getting technical
Getting really, really technical
Paddling backwardsPaddling Your Sea Kayak (3)
Forwards sweep stroke
Reverse sweep stroke
Stern rudder
Leaning / edging a kayak
Edging to steer your moving kayak
Edging to spin your stationary kayakPaddling Your Sea Kayak (4)
Draw stroke
Hanging draw stroke
Sculling draw strokePaddling Your Sea Kayak (5)
First, learn the hip flick
Instructions for the full hip flick
Common faultsPaddling Your Sea Kayak (6)
"Low recovery" support stroke
Common faults with the low recovery
"High recovery" support stroke
Common faults with the high recovery
Sculling for support
Keeping a moving kayak upright
Low brace
High brace
Stern brace
ADVANCED KAYAKING - fast-moving water & surf
Paddling Your Sea Kayak (7) fast water
Is it a white-water day?
The shape of fast water
- eddies
- standing waves
- holesPaddling Your Sea Kayak (8) fast water
More about holes
Breaking in, breaking out
Ferry glidesPaddling Your Sea Kayak (9)
The nature of surf - spilling or plungingPaddling Your Sea Kayak (10)
Wind & waves
Punching out through surf
Getting back to the beach
Paddle strokes for surfing
Surfing a sea kayak
Surfing a surf kayak
Rescue in the surf zone
Avoiding conflict with board surfersRolling Your Kayak (1)
Rolling is necessary & easy
Where & how to learn
The basics of rolling
Long lever roll
Common mistakes
Try these solutionsRolling Your Kayak (2)
Short lever rolls
Layback rolls
Steyr roll
Short lever layback rollsRafting-up & towing
Rafting up
Towing a kayak
Towing other small boats
Shunting with a kayak ("contact tow")Deep-Water Rescue & Self-Rescue
Swimmer-to-kayaker rescue
Kayaker-to-swimmer rescue
Kayaker-to-kayaker rescues
Emptying a flooded kayak
Self-rescue for solo sea kayakers
Kayak navigation (1)
Introducing navigation
The nautical mile
Kayak speed
Effect of wind & tide
Navigation marks
Night navigation marksKayak navigation (2)
Maritime charts
Chartwork ashore
"North", headings, bearings & reciprocals
Magnetic variation
Distances on a chartKayak navigation (3)
Features on a chart
Co-ordinates on a chart
Navigation tools ashore
Navigation tools afloat
First, take your chart...
Adjusting your plot for currentsKayak navigation (4)
Using tidal streams
Adjusting your plot for wind
Aiming offKayak navigation (5)
Navigation checks while afloat
Visual check on the effects of current & windKayak navigation (6)
Plotting your position
Using a compass afloat
GPS satellite navigationKayak navigation (7)
Distance to horizon
Check your depth
Night navigation
How to learn
Child-size kayaks
Other issues in children's kayaking
Leadership
Before planning a trip
Trip planning
Group equipment
Two days before
At the launch point
On the water
Afterwards
Wild camping
Vehicle-based camping
Kayak-based camping
Expedition equipment
Kayak camp cooking
Cooking equipment
Water & food
Stowing equipment in a sea kayak
Safety (1)
A very safe sport
Cold shock, swim failure & hypothermia
Cold shock
Swimming failureSafety (2)
Hypothermia
Drowning
Getting run over
Heavy lifting
Hand/arm over-use syndromes
Dislocated shoulder
Rockfall & icefallSafety (3)
Solo kayaking
Infections
Mud & quicksand
Unlikely hazardsSafety (4)
Child safety
Child protection lawSafety (5)
First Aid courses
Small First Aid kit
Big First Aid kit
Legal requirements for sea kayaking:
International law
United Kingdom law
Irish law
French law
US law
Canadian law
Other countries
Sea & Weather (1) Wind
Winds & the kayaker
Windward / leeward
The causes of wind
The effect of landscapeSea & Weather (2) Wind, continued
Beaufort Scale for kayakers
LeewaySea & Weather (3) Waves
Waves at sea
Waves at the coast
Waves at the beach
Waves at a river mouthSea & Weather (4) Tides
Tide tables
A visual check on the tide
High / low tide cycle
Tidal range
Rule of Twelfths
Spring / Neap tides
High speed tides
Rivers & tides
Tidal bore wavesSea & Weather (5) Currents
Tidal stream data
Crossing a strong current
Going against the currentSea & Weather (6) Currents
Playing with currents
Strong currents, rough water
Some extreme currents
Currents not caused by the tides
Overfalls & tide races
Large eddies & whirlpoolsSea & Weather (7) Weather forecasting
Prediction from local observations
The origin of wind
Atmospheric pressure
Global circulation
Air masses
Coastal weather in Europe
The classic depression
The classic anticyclone
FogSea & Weather (8)
Professional weather forecasts for Britain
Internet weather forecasts
Radio forecasts - LW / MW / FM - shipping forecast
Radio forecasts - LW / MW - inshore forecast
Radio forecasts - VHF
Telephone (mobile & landline) forecasts
Forecasts for other European countries
Forecasts for USA & Canada
Forecasts elsewhere
Access In England & Wales
Exclusion zones
Where can you kayak?
Where can you carry your kayak?
Finnish lawProtecting The Environment
Wildlife under stress :
— overpopulation?
— terrestrial wildlife
— marine wildlife
— what are we going to do about it?
Implications for sea kayaking
Leave No Trace ethicsCoastal & Sea Creatures
Adult seals
Baby seals
Whales & dolphins
Otters
Sea birds
Estuary birds
Courses & holidays in the UK
Courses & holidays elsewhere
Tours, treks, races & raids
Meetings & symposia
Maritime festivals
Sea kayaks, kayak kits, paddles
Clothing, accessories, magazine & book publishers, parts & materials, sailing kayaks, sailing canoes
Sea kayaking organisations by country
Traditional kayaking
Making kayaks & equipment
Other favourite websites
Good sea kayak blogs
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