Monday June 4, 2007 

Considering a New Kayak?

While fiberglass kayaks look pretty, they scratch. If your beach is rocky or gravely you might want to go plastic. They handle wear and tear better and are cheaper.Closed kayaks can be used in colder weather and are warmer. Invest in a spray skirt – Mountain Equipment Co-Op (www.mec.ca) has them for as little as $38 (Seals Splash Deck). It keeps the icy drips from your paddle off your legs.

Used Kayaks can be purchased from kayak touring companies in the late fall once their season is over. I got mine this way -a little scratched on the bottom but discounted 40% off the same brand new model.

Safety – Kayaks under 6m or 19’8” must have the following on board:

• Approved PFD
• Heavy line of 15 m or 49’3”
• Spare Paddle
• Bailer or water pump
• Signaling device ( I use a Fox 40 whistle)
• Lights if paddling after sunset or before sunrise

If you would like more information on boating safety requirments, go click on http://www.tc.gc.ca/MarineSafety/TP/TP511/boat.htm#Canoes_kayaks_less_6m•

On final note, store your kayak out of the sun – direct sunlight will warp your shell especially if your kayak is a darker colour like red or green.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 4th, 2007 at 4:19 pm and is filed under Toys. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.