Our 1 day Summer Camp for Hong Kong youth who wish to learn new seakayak and ocean skills during their summer holiday break.
Selecting and packing dry bags is the first step to learning how to pack a sea kayak. Learn about techniques to organize gear, the best dry bags and more.
Table of Contents hide Most Important Skills for Sea Kayaking 1 Learn how to make a bilge pump 2 Stay visible on the water 3 Scout ocean surf in your kayak 4 Construct a tow line 5 Try the sea kayak scramble self-rescue 6 Understand marine VHF radio use 7 Re-enter and roll your kayak In recent years, adventurous paddlers and expeditioners have shown that you can go just about anywhere there’s water in a sea kayak. From Antarctica to the Grand Canyon and beyond, with the right training and preparation the world is your oyster. We present seven of the most important skills to master in order to stay safe, comfortable and on course while sea kayaking. [ Browse the widest selection of boats and gear in the Paddling Buyer’s Guide ] Most Important Skills for Sea Kayaking 1 Learn how to make a bilge pump Having a way to empty your flooded cockpit is essential when you’re far from home. Some sea kayakers use foot-operated bilge pumps, while others use electric. Build your own bilge pump. | Photo: Doug Alderson You can build your own battery-operated kayak bilge pump using about $100 worth of parts available at your local electronics or marine supply store. For more, follow our easy instructions to Build Your Own Battery-Operated Kayak Bilge Pump. [inlineads code="custom_ad_1"] 2 Stay visible on the water Whatever the conditions, it is crucial to stay visible on the water. Sea kayaks are small compared to the various other crafts on the water, and for your safety and the safety of others. Bright paddling clothes are extra important on a dark, rainy day. | Photo: Ryan Bonneau The high-visibility mindset is an essential skill, from picking the right clothing and paddle color to choosing the accessories that make you more visible—especially in foggy or hazy conditions. Read on to learn What You Should Wear To Be Seen On The Water. [ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all apparel ] 3 Scout ocean surf in your kayak If you choose to paddle in exposed coastal areas, you’ll have little choice but to launch or land your kayak in a surf zone. Breaking surf represents one of the greatest challenges to any paddler. Learn to assess beaches to determine where to land. | Photo: Paul Villecourt It’s vitally important to choose the right beach for prevailing conditions because surf is an incredibly dynamic and powerful environment that offers both amazing play possibilities and potentially devastating beat-downs. Watch and learn How To Scout Surf In Your Kayak. [inlineads code="custom_ad_2"] 4 Construct a tow line A kayak tow line is a vital tool to have in your rescue kit. It can make rescues easier, less complicated and faster. Leon Sommé shows how to build a sea kayak contact tow line. | Image: Adventure Kayak/YouTube Leon Sommé of Body Boat Blade International shows you how to make your own in our video on How To Build A Sea Kayak Contact Tow Line. [ Read more: Best Throw And Tow Bags ] 5 Try the sea kayak scramble self-rescue Knowing how to rescue yourself after a swim in the water is an important skill. This is especially true if you kayak alone or will be going on open-water trips or undertaking big crossings. James Roberts of the Ontario Sea Kayak Centre demonstrates a sea kayak scramble self-rescue. | Image: Adventure Kayak/YouTube The pros at the Ontario Sea Kayak Centre demonstrate how to Master The Sea Kayak Scramble Self-Rescue. [inlineads code="custom_ad_3"] 6 Understand marine VHF radio use If you are spending extended periods of time on the water in your sea kayak, you should know the fundamentals of communication by marine VHF radio. Every open water paddler should carry and know how to use a marine VHF radio. | Image: Adventure Kayak/YouTube These radios are key for emergencies or to communicate with other watercraft, especially on large, open bodies of water. Brush up on your communication skills with our Marine VHF Radio Essentials. [ See also: How To Boost Your VHF Range ] 7 Re-enter and roll your kayak Ever taken an unplanned swim on your sea kayaking trips? If you’ve exited your kayak, the re-enter and roll is the fastest self rescue, increasing your confidence and safety on the water. Follow these step-by-step tips that make performing a re-enter and roll in your kayak simple and straightforward. | Image: Adventure Kayak/YouTube Learn how to rescue yourself with step-by-step tips from experts at the Ontario Sea Kayak Centre. It’s simple and straightforward with our video on How To Re-Enter And Roll Your Kayak. The world is your oyster with these key skills for safe sea kayaking. | Feature photo: Watcherfox/Adobe Stock
I thought I would explain how I have fitted my anchor trolley and rudder system – I also solved a few existing problems on the way. The anchor trolley is fairly standard – Yellow chopping boa…
“The shelf in my kayak” . . This is one of those easy “why didn’t I think of that before?” custom kayak mods. It was one of the very first modifications I made to the …
Even a small sea vessel like a kayak can hold a surprisingly large load of cargo—if you pack smart.
After years of use and storage, the paint on fiberglass canoes starts to look chalky and faded. Luckily, you can bring your fiberglass canoe back to life relatively easily with a new paint job! First, clean and sand the canoe to prepare it...
This write-up outlines a simple way to make a cockpit cover. The main steps are: Select materials Trace a Pattern Cut and Buttonhole Hem edge Lace with shock cord Time was about 4 hours - including tea breaks and time taking the pics. Tracing a Pattern First, a tracing of the coaming is needed to be marked out on the fabric. So, lay the fabric good side down over the cockpit (so markings stay inside). Shock cord "noose" used to hold fabric while tracing. Using a designers curve, I made marks 3 inches away from the original tracing and connected the marks to create the cutting line (a good job can be done freehand without the tool, too). These locating dots for buttonholes were placed one inch away from the original cockpit tracing.
Kefalonia was able to rebuild after the infamous Ionian earthquake of 1953 into one of the more prosperous and cosmopolitan parts of Greece.
Over the summer we have completely restored an original Uffa Fox designed National 12 sailing dinghy. built in 1948, to the Uffa King design. She was in a bit of a state, and needed 8 new planks, all new ribs, a lot of scraping and revarnishing, new decks, refastening, renovation of the original wooden mast and boom, replacement of a few fittings, but looks stunning now, and is being sailed again on the River Camel
Seafoam Kayak, the Unsinkable Foam Kayak Anyone Can Build, 16 Pounds and Eight Feet of Fun: can you cut a crusty bagel with a knife, stick a sandwich together with mayo, grate cheese, cut thin fabric with scissors, stretch wrinkles out of bed sheets, and roll paint onto a wall? Then you can build this boat! I've built seven small kayaks ov…
I thought I would explain how I have fitted my anchor trolley and rudder system – I also solved a few existing problems on the way. The anchor trolley is fairly standard – Yellow chopping boa…
Seafoam Kayak, the Unsinkable Foam Kayak Anyone Can Build, 16 Pounds and Eight Feet of Fun: can you cut a crusty bagel with a knife, stick a sandwich together with mayo, grate cheese, cut thin fabric with scissors, stretch wrinkles out of bed sheets, and roll paint onto a wall? Then you can build this boat! I've built seven small kayaks ov…
Although they operate at different scales, Rebuild By Design projects from Bridgeport, CT to Hoboken, NJ reflect a desire to build back, but better
Seafoam Kayak, the Unsinkable Foam Kayak Anyone Can Build, 16 Pounds and Eight Feet of Fun: can you cut a crusty bagel with a knife, stick a sandwich together with mayo, grate cheese, cut thin fabric with scissors, stretch wrinkles out of bed sheets, and roll paint onto a wall? Then you can build this boat! I've built seven small kayaks ov…
I made a blank for my rudder by gluing layers of marine ply with epoxy to the required 1″ thickness. I have found that the plywood, in spite of its cross-grain plies, has sufficient strength for the size of small-boat foils that I have built (though the cross-grain would weaken a long thin foil). Plywood does not warp and has the added advantage over solid wood in that the plies create a kind of contour map that give you graphic visual feedback as to the evenness of your surface once you start shaping the foil. You can make a foil with solid wood or even foam plus a ’glass-and-epoxy skin, but without the plywood laminates as guides, you would have to make more section profile templates to ensure a smooth and accurate shape.
In love with wooden kayaks since 2005
Iceland is a fantastic place to visit. The geography is what attracts most people, but the Icelandic culture only adds to the allure of the island.
Below the sea in Jamaica, teams of grassroots organisations are busy saving the coral reef
Seafoam Kayak, the Unsinkable Foam Kayak Anyone Can Build, 16 Pounds and Eight Feet of Fun: can you cut a crusty bagel with a knife, stick a sandwich together with mayo, grate cheese, cut thin fabric with scissors, stretch wrinkles out of bed sheets, and roll paint onto a wall? Then you can build this boat! I've built seven small kayaks ov…
I’ve owned my FJ40 long enough to have gone through several generations of tire and wheel combinations. When I bought it it still had the factory steel 15 x 5.5-inch rims (with hubcaps), and absurdly skinny and short 215-series tires of a brand I do not recall, but which were genuinely tiny enough t
Seafoam Kayak, the Unsinkable Foam Kayak Anyone Can Build, 16 Pounds and Eight Feet of Fun: can you cut a crusty bagel with a knife, stick a sandwich together with mayo, grate cheese, cut thin fabric with scissors, stretch wrinkles out of bed sheets, and roll paint onto a wall? Then you can build this boat! I've built seven small kayaks ov…
Seafoam Kayak, the Unsinkable Foam Kayak Anyone Can Build, 16 Pounds and Eight Feet of Fun: can you cut a crusty bagel with a knife, stick a sandwich together with mayo, grate cheese, cut thin fabric with scissors, stretch wrinkles out of bed sheets, and roll paint onto a wall? Then you can build this boat! I've built seven small kayaks ov…
The most reliable place for accurate and unbiased hotel reviews. Oyster.com secret investigators tell all about Ray Caye Island Resort in Placencia. Browse real photos from our stay. | belize-hotels-hatchet-caye-resort
Seafoam Kayak, the Unsinkable Foam Kayak Anyone Can Build, 16 Pounds and Eight Feet of Fun: can you cut a crusty bagel with a knife, stick a sandwich together with mayo, grate cheese, cut thin fabric with scissors, stretch wrinkles out of bed sheets, and roll paint onto a wall? Then you can build this boat! I've built seven small kayaks ov…
