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Life is hectic, rapid and is always filled with pressure. Hobbies and vacations are the perfect stress relievers to handle this tension and pressure. We often see people running after worldly entertainment when there is a horde of natural gifts and wonders to explore. The vast oceans and seas have always been a mystery we want to unfold and explore. Water activities and sports are in vogue nowadays. Kayaking is a very popular water sport and it involves using a small boat called a kayak to glide over the waters. Kayaks can typically seat one to three paddlers sitting in forward positions and using a double bladed paddle. Kayaking is sometimes done on backwaters and rivers and called white water kayaking. Another form is sea or ocean kayaking on oceans which is done by many veterans who have years of kayaking experience.

Kayaks are long and slender boats. The kayak fits one or more people, with a deck which allows them to sit in the boat with their feet forward and covered. The deck is called a water deck or spray deck. The kayak is also known to be classified by their use in the waters, such as surf, polo, whitewater, touring/day trip and general recreation. There are also subcategories in the levels.

There are two designs of the kayak. One is the cockpit style, which has the deck, and the other is the sit on top style. Obviously, the sit on top is just that, the kayaker sits on top. Kayaking has many fans, but sea kayaking is especially popular. Sea kayaking involves paddling through the waves and exploring the untouched, unknown marine life. Fighting your way through the waves, you get to see in close proximity the orcas or killer whale, humpack, minke, blue, fin, gray and other types of whales. Sea lions and seals are mammals which you would have seen only on TV, but sea kayaking lets you get a glimpse of these magnificent creations. Dolphins and eagles can also be seen in their natural habitats.

Sea kayaking lets you enjoy waterfalls, hidden coves and glacial views in a very pleasant tropical weather all by yourself or with your friends. When you kayak your way through the waves, you can discover the hidden beauties of nature first hand. The high point of kayaking is that it excites beginners and veterans equally. If you desire, you can also find well trained, efficient guides for your protection and safety. Guides are trained in cold water rescue and Wilderness First Aid. Sea kayaking offers numerous attractions to geologists, adventurers, researchers and photographers. There are guided paddling tours designed especially for amateurs. Here, you will cruise to specific locations with your guide in close proximity. Modern kayaks are made of materials like fiberglass and plastic and are rigid and sturdy compared to ancient kayaks, which are more flexible.

We have heard poets and philosophers write and talk in praise of the positive influence of solitude on man. Sea kayaking lets you enjoy the pleasure of wilderness, solitude and a peaceful vacation. Enjoying the beauty of sunsets and sunrises, near a far off island, kayaking through backwaters, or alone with your significant other is a pleasant experience. Sea kayaking gives you an opportunity to see and enjoy marine life at its fullest glory also keeping in mind to preserve the biodiversity. It is taken care that the rich ecology is not disturbed even the slightest. Do not waste a moment and start planning your first sea kayaking expedition right away.

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Larry Kang is a writer on outdoor recreation topics such as hiking, kayaking, and nature photography. To learn more information about kayaking tips, kayaks, and other topics, visit Basic Kayaking 101: Kayaking for Beginners.

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Cheap kayaks can give you a lot of enjoyment. They can also stand up well to fair wear and tear. Originally kayaks were timber framed covered with animal hide. This basic shape persisted for many years with the main changes veering towards a more streamlined look with different types of material being used to stretch over the wooden or aluminium frame.

Gradually though, more innovative designs crept in and with the growth of technology spurred by the introduction of synthetic material, a much broader spectrum of possibilities suddenly opened up for kayak manufacturers.

Why are some kayaks cheaper than others today? The answer is that price is almost consistently related to the material from which they are made.

The materials used to make most modern kayaks fall broadly into those constructed from:

PVC (polyvinyl chloride). It is cheap, durable and easy to work with. It came onto the market in 1926 after Mr. B.F. Goodwin, a physician and industrialist who began a tire and rubber manufacturing company worked with a Mr. W. Semon, a well known American inventor. Together they found a way to ‘bend’ rigid PVC. This was done by combining it with different additives. PVC can be economically rotomoulded. (Rotomoulding works a little like those fairground rides where you are whizzed around in a rotating drum, starting at the bottom you find yourself rising up and sticking to the sides – only when the kayak is made, the rotomould is heated first).

Polymer is a material which is made from either natural or synthetic substances. (Rubber is a natural polymer) A synthetic example is polyethylene, a mix of ethylene – from sulphuric acid and alcohol, and monomer – a glucose derivate. These are all more commonly known as plastics.

Fibreglass (Extruded fibres of glass) as the name suggests, began to be used commercially from 1936. Often today, the method would involve layers of cloth fibres which would be strengthened by saturating them with plastic resins – called composite material. These boats are lighter than the plastic varieties.

Nylon fabrics around 1000 denier (consider that ladies sheer stockings are around 8 denier).

Hypalon (chlorosulfonated polyethylene) – a common name for all kinds of synthetic rubber, noted for its resistance to chemicals, temperature extremes and ultraviolet light.

Kevlor (a registered trademark) is a light, strong synthetic fibre made from aramids which themselves are heat resistant synthetic fibres. Bullet proof vests are made from this type of material. It is often quoted that Kevlor is “5 times stronger than steel on an equal weight basis”. Synthetic fibres have their origins in the chemical industry. Most of them are a by-product of the process which changes crude oil into gasoline and other related products.

The outcome of all this is that cheap kayaks today are made from PVC and its derivatives.

Consider this. The Sevylor Tahiti Classic kayak has been down the Amazon River, which has class V rapids, twice. That is a distance of more than 6186 miles. The kayak is made from PVC which has been modified to make it suitable for the rough and tough of kayak paddling. This journey is a first class achievement for the humble PVC.

Sevylor, Sea Eagle, Advanced Elements and Intex all make kayaks under $200. All of them are inflatables and most of them use PVC or related material.

For more on Cheap Kayaks go to

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Buing a Kayak to Meet Your Personal Requirments

Have you ever thought about tyring the magnificent experience of gliding your way through the smooth and sleepy waters of the ocean? Ever thought about the trill of mneuvering a sleek boat through choppy rills and rivulets, gushing rivers and bubbling streams? Do you dream of a sprot that takes you outdoors in the sun, water and lush, green folaige of forests, that will not only callenge and test your skiill, but also take you to faraway places you hadn't dereamt of? If you do, then kayaking, with its coombination of unspoiled natural surroundings pitted against tehcnical expertuise, is the ultimate splort for you. An important part of the expertise, of course, coes from first tsaking lssons in a hired kayak, and eventually, in choosiong the riht one to buy. An inasppropriate purchase can cost dearly on the high seas!

You can choose from a wide rnge of kayaks from sit-on sea kayaks or kayaks for white water. Before byuing a kayak chooose what type of watr suface you will vsit more often. In this way you can cut short your search. If gentle kayaking down the river is your style, then purchase a toruing kayak.

If your are a novice then go for a kayak that is short in length as compared to experienced baters. A shorter kayak is easier to handle and opertae than the long ones. A sea Kayak can be prchased in lengths from 10 to 22 feet long, whereas a kaak for white water will be 9 feet long or less. As you gain experience and increase your kayaking skills you can go for a longer kayaks, as they are more suitabple for fast paddling and for tracking.

Before you buy a kayak take the time to sit in the boat so that you can feel if youre comfotrable or not. Make sure that you adjust the backrest, seat, and footrest to get a feel for the way you sit. Take the kayak out on water befoer making your final choice to see how it handles. Remember that a kayak is an important purchase and its crucial that you have the right fit for you and your kayaking purpoose.

To avoid having to nicur unneccessary expenditurre, be sure to bring your spray skirt along with you when shoppping for your kayak. This way you can ensure it can be fitted onto the boat you're considering buuying and can elkiminate additional outlays for a new one.

Dont forget to take a look at the advantagews of different hull sizes. A shorter hull that is made of plastic is good if youre just starting out as a sea kayaker. You may like the way a wooden hull looks but it requires a lot of maintenance and you wont want the worries of damage if youre a beginer.

The important tihng to remember when buying a kayak is that you dont make an inmpulse buy and that you have the help of someobne experienced and knowledgeable about kayaks to give you advice abut your kayak selectins.

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Is kayaking dangerous? The short answer is: NO.

Now the caveat - there are dangerous situations out there in the world of kayaking (as there are crossing the street) but like crossing the street, we can control these situations with a high degree of confidence, given the right tools and the right knowledge.

Since the most perilous types of kayaking are by sea and whitewater, I'll restrict my answer to concentrate on these pastimes.

First, I would say beyond a shadow of a doubt that you should - heck, MUST wear a helmet if you're anywhere near a shoreline. This is especially true of whitewater kayaking safety. It only takes 13 pounds per square inch of impact to permanently damage your head. This is certainly not said to discourage or scare you! On the contrary, you should wear a helmet so you can remove this worry from your mind and have a good time. There's nothing macho about being a vegetable, even if you think you look dorky with head protection.

With regard to kayaking safety, buoyancy is key for staying safe and stable. With that said, I'd also recommend a personal flotation device - this sometimes means wearing a lifejacket although they're often referred to as PFD's. You should keep the PFD on and zipped up at all times - this alone could save your life.

Specifically to sea kayaking safety is the question of how far is safe enough to venture from shore. When you're out there, think to yourself, "Can I safely swim back to shore from here?". If the answer is no, get to paddling until your a safe distance from land.

Sometimes, you will become capsized which means you will be turned over in your kayak completely upside-down. Now, before ever going it alone, I would consider it a must to learn how to do an eskimo roll in order to right the craft and get stable again. If you can't do this - learn now from an experienced friend or instructor. The eskimo roll is a pretty counterintuitive exercise that you can't just learn by force of will.

But the alternative to learning how to roll is to abandon your kayak and exit the craft. Once this is done you can swim back to shore and think about how to retrieve your very expensive kayak. Given the choice, I'd take some lessons!

Another preventable hazard is the weather. Check the conditions before you go out on the water and use common sense. Assess your own skill level and don't be afraid to cancel an outing should it become necessary.

And if I can impart just one more thing...

Until you become an advanced sea or whitewater kayaker, ALWAYS go out in groups of two or more. It only makes sense.

Kayaking is such an amazing rush sometimes but it doesn't always have to be an extreme sport. It has aspects that should appeal to all ages and lifestyles. But in order to have the time of your life, you'll need to remove doubt from the equation and be as safe as possible by using common sense and kayaking safety.

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Kayakadvice.com offers lessons for the beginning paddler as well as a buyer's guide and kayak vacation planner for the kayaking enthusiast.

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Ladies, you don't have to settle for gear that doesn't fit right or look good! Almost every manufacturer is now making gear specifically designed for women. There is a variety of women's PFDs that fit the shapes of your upper bodies, small shaft paddles that are easier to hold, helmets with funky designs, sport tank tops and other comfy underlayers in groovy colours. So shop around and have fun picking out your gear!

By buying gear designed for women you're not only investing in yourself, but also in the future generations of girls and women who will enter the sport. Your buying power lets manufacturers know that there is a market for women's gear and encourages companies to invest money in R & D for those products. Your dollars can go a long way in improving the sport for all women.

Since whitewater kayaks are designed mainly by men, they are made with a man's body shape and performance potential in mind. For this reason, some female paddlers have a frustrating time in playboats that are not small and narrow enough for them to consistently perform tricks.

As the industry progresses, boat manufacturers are designing more boats in multiple sizes with women in mind, and you should now be able to find a suitable boat from most of the major companies. Each company makes boats that have their own unique shape and slightly different performance characteristics, so be sure to test drive as many as you can and don't settle for a mediocre fit.

To help create a better fit for comfort and performance, try the following outfitting tips.

Raise your seat. Raising your seat will counteract the sizeable depth of the kayak and give you more leverage, which translates into more power. You can achieve this by placing foam under or on top of your seat. Choose the thickness of foam depending on your height and comfort level. Usually one or two inches of additional height will be enough. The higher you raise your seat, the more leverage you will have. Remember also that the higher you raise your seat, the more unstable you will feel! If you feel too tippy after you raise your seat, take some of the foam out to lower it a little. Trial and error is the best way to find the balance point between stability and leverage for you.

Move your seat forward. Most production kayaks come with the seat moved all the way back. It is important for women to move their seats forward so that their body weight is centred over middle of the boat. This aggressive position makes it much easier for women to sink the bow of the boat when performing tricks like the cartwheel. It will also make it easier for you to maintain or regain control of the boat, because less of your weight will be towards the stern. This isn't just important for playboats, but also for river running kayaks because it will help your balance, stability and can keep the stern of your kayak from catching and flipping you over.

Be sure to have a strong, supportive back band. Having a good back band that keeps the body in a forward position is especially important for women, because they often find themselves being thrown backwards. Be sure that your back band is snug and supportive.

If your hips are uncomfortable and your feet are falling asleep a lot in your kayak be kind to your body and take out some of your hip padding. In general, women have fuller hips than men and that means that some of us don't need a lot of hip padding, if any at all. That's ok. You can still fit snugly in your kayak without a lot of hip padding.

Personally, I don't use a lot of padding for my hips so I make sure that I have a lot of foot foam or move my bulkhead closer to my seat which helps my knees stay in place under the thigh braces. Your kayak should fit like a glove, but it should also be comfortable.

"Believe in yourself. Know that you can, and you will succeed!" (Ruth Gordon)

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