What sort of investment is involved for the beginner in kayaking?
To get the kayak, life vest, and all of the equipment, how much should I be looking to spend if I’m just beginning and planning on just doing local rivers/creeks and lakes. What equipment do I need anyway?
Mail this post
July 27th, 2010 at 1:04 am
You don’t need a wetsuit or helmet if you will be paddling in fair weather in flat water lakes and rivers. You need a PFD (life jacket) which can run from $30 to over $100 (more money = more comfort), a good paddle (don’t scrimp here — don’t buy an aluminum paddle. Get a fiberglass shaft two piece paddle which will run you $75 and up though you can sometimes find one on sale for around $60). A spray skirt is not an absolute necessity on calm water in warm weather but you will probably want to have one. These run from $20 on sale up to $60 or more and need to be sized for your kayak cockpit.
Safety gear should include flotation bags (unless the boat has sealed bulkheads — a set is around $30, a hand pump ($20) and a paddle float ($15-$20). A good small waterproof LED flashlight will work for a night safety light.
A decent boat will cost you $500 and up new or $300 and up used. So you are looking at a $700 and up TOTAL investment if you buy new and maybe $400 if you buy used. Keep in mind that weight is a big factor in how easily you will use the kayak. Too many people buy cheap heavy boats and then find they are too much hassle to load and haul. The average cheapo plastic kayak weighs around 50 pounds or more which is a b1tch to wrestle onto the top of a car, let alone an SUV. Plus if you buy a quality boat you will be able to sell it for more when you decide you want a better boat or get tired of the sport.
Right now my favorite boat for a starter is the Pakboat Puffin Sport, a slick ten and a half foot long 18 pound folding kayak (yup, folding — you can stash it in a duffel bag). They are discontinuing the model and selling them off for $600. This cool little boat has a completely removable top deck ($60 extra) so you can paddle it either as an open boat like a canoe or with the deck like a true kayak. I just bought one of their larger models but this is an extremely cool little boat. Figure you will save at least $100 on not having to buy a roof rack, too. They set up quickly and paddle really well. Look on youtube for some videos of people paddling them. I doubt there is a lighter boat on the planet that can carry a 250 lb load. Heck, my one cat weighs almost as much as this boat!
Just Google "pakboat puffin sport" and you’ll find the company website and the dealers selling them on sale.
July 27th, 2010 at 1:04 am
Depends on which kind of kayaking you want to be doing and what your rivers are like. You will need a kayak (obviously), paddle, spray deck, life vest, wetsuit, helmet, maybe a kayaking cagoule. I wouldn’t buy all of it until you have kayaked for a while and enjoy it enough. I started by getting a wetsuit and spray deck really as using other peoples can be annoying, then moved onto a boat, helmet paddle etc.
I don’t know what it is in dollars but I wouldn’t spend more than £300 - £350 in beginner equipment.
Have fun
July 27th, 2010 at 1:04 am
Hello Leslie, the answer is any amount you can afford. To avoid bad buys can I suggest you get along to a local club who might have a variety of boats for loan or hire. I agree your own wet suit is best along with a buoyancy aid and helmet. The hardware, kayak, paddle and spraydeck can come later when you have had a chance to explore what is available and best for you.
Hope you have success and great fun in what is a fantastic sport.
July 27th, 2010 at 1:04 am
Well assuming you will not be going on overnight trips you can get a relatively cheap kayak. I got my kayak whick is a 10ft pelican sit in for $150 a cavpro paddle for $40 and a life jacket for $20. If you can afford a little more though I would go for the oldtown otter you can sometimes get them at Dunhams for $200. That’s pretty much all you need for small rivers and lakes. You may also need to get some kind of carrier to transport it on your vehicle though. If you only have one kayak and you want to go cheap I would reccomend a foam carrier because they are about $25-$30. My pelican does the job for me though, and I can’t complain to much about it.