I’m new to kayaking, and only ever go on small inland lakes that are (for the most part) extremely calm/glassy. I recently took my recreational Pelican Argo 10ft kayak to Lake Michigan (Indiana). Day 1 there were 2ft+ waves breaking on the shore, so I left the kayak home. Day 2 it was a lot calmer (video attached). It seemed fine, especially once getting past the breaking waves, but launching the boat and the initial stretch out was arguably a bit sketchy in a recreational kayak. Some of my friends who had never kayaked before went out in these conditions. Was this a poor decision? Everyone that went out said the conditions weren’t bad while some were sceptic and preferred to only swim that trip. Did we get lucky or am I overthinking? I never felt like I was going to flip. I also know rip currents are very strong in Lake Michigan. Is that a major concern?

Whenever I've kayaked I've always rented. Never planned on buying a foldable, but it seems like a great deal.

Hi everyone, I had been very excited for a basic kayaking course I signed up for, but today I ditched the fourth and last lesson.

I have occasionally paddled renting sit-on-tops at the sea and enjoyed it a lot, so I decided to join my local kayak club to gain some experience before going on bigger adventures.

I loved the first two lessons, we started learning all the basics paddling techniques and some safety tips in the club's pond, then moved to a river with very mild current to learn how to get in and out of the stream. Everything was great so far.

Yesterday, we moved downstream for a long drill in white water and, although the instructors were great and very professional, I hated every minute of it.

I got rolled over multiple times trying to enter the current and I got so overwhelmed that I decided not to attend today's lesson. It looked really cool nonetheless, but I was looking for more of a relaxing outdoor activity rather that an intense and adrenalinic experience.

On top of that, I had been very uncomfortable in my kayak from the first moment, I was numb from the waist down and couldn't focus on what I was doing. They tried to switch boat and adjust seats and feet boards multiple times to no avail before basically telling me that I would eventually get used to it.

I am not particularly fit or flexible, but I exercise regularly and am in decent shape, is it normal to be so uncomfortable?

That said, should I just give up getting into more serious kayaking since I couldn't handle the white water exercises? I would love to keep paddling on flat water, but now I feel unfit and out of place to be honest.

Edit: thanks for all the replies, guys. While I understand that white water kayaking is just one of many different approaches to the sport, I was under the impression that being able to handle white water was a fundamental skill to paddle safely. I will just stay away from rapidly moving rivers and explore my surroundings then! :)

We're planning on going to a small local lake and doing some fishing, we have PFDs and have done some kayaking on larger lakes before. This will be our first time with our own.

Hi Kayakers, if you had to start your Kayaking journey over again, what advice would you give yourself?

Hello,

My kayak is almost always veering to the left, and is especially noticeable when I stop paddling and coast (see video). I find myself constantly and frustratingly correcting course.

I am a beginner, so it could be paddling technique, though I actively try to balance the strokes on both sides and balance my weight, but it still happens.

Kayak is a Tarpon 105 and the video was taken downstream on a flat river with no wind. Even on a calm lake it does the same thing. I know 10.5' don't track as well, but I never expected it to be this drastic. It almost has me wondering if the hull is deformed.

Is this to be expected? Any insight is appreciated.

Thanks!

Recently got a great deal on a used kayak that I’m loving I’m unsure of the he intended purpose of this lil hole here I’m thinking about using it for an umbrella holder to give me some shade but idk if that’d help just kinda asking for some help brainstorming

Why do so many people claim it's not real kayaking if you use an open kayak instead of an enclosed one? I personally feel safer in an open one, due to less chance of capsizing. Is there really that big of a difference?

For all the people trying to say I'm lying. Your not being listened too. It's all well and good with you 'im rich and don't say anything to anyone' 1st of all, no one, especially me cares your 'rich' but also you simply weren't with me

How difficult is it to paddle a loaded recreational sit inside kayak (Vapor 12xt) upstream? Looks like the current is about a 2-4mph and I’d like to get about 4-5 miles. Will only have gear inside - not on top - of the kayak.
As a generally fit person, but relatively beginner kayaker, did I bite off more than I can chew?

ETA: Alright guys, calm down. I just verified with the rental place (AGAIN) to double check current and wind conditions and she reassured me there’s not too much difference up vs downstream. I think AI thought I was asking for wind speed.
And for those of you who implied I used AI to plan my entire trip, let me reiterate - I spoke to humans first, scoured and researched many legit resources and am part of a couple groups familiar with the area. I asked AI a single question out of last minute anxiety, highly suspected the answer was wrong, came in here to see what others have to say, and found out the AI was incorrect as I’d suspected. 🙃

So I am new to the sport but pretty motivated to keep getting out there. Its been quite rainy in Iowa lately and I am tired of losing out on weekends to the rain. Still too uncertain to decide whats safe and whats not -- I have practiced wet exit/entry snd bailing my boat. I have PFD and a spray skirt if necessary. I do not have a wetsuit or dry suit, but i want to get one so I can keep going I just dont want to pay more than my kayaks for the clothing to use them.

Looking at my state today (central Iowa specifically), it looks to be rainy in the morning with a pause in the afternoon. Winds 10-15mph.

I was considering a lake for easier put in/out but google says Lake Red Rock might be risky. But idk.

Ive got a Perception Carolina 12 and a WS cape Horn 150. Would take the cape horn on red rock, carolina on a more chill river route.

But whats your take? Does a little rain keep you off the water? And if you are so inclined, how does Iowa weather look today for paddling? Lake Red Rock, Storm Lake, Cedar River by Waterloo or Wapsipinicon River by Independence?

Next weekend heading up to Yellow River or Root River in Southern Minnesota, just cant decide.

So say I'm going by myself and want to check out a river. I park my car near the dock and get in the kayak and go down the river ... when I want to leave, do I get out of the water and hike back? Can you paddle upstream? When people do multi night kayak camping trips, how do they get back to their car?

This question might sound so stupid you think I'm pulling your leg, but I'm just SUPER new and have only kayaked on a lake so far.

Edit: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! Everyone gave such great advice and the no judgement welcome makes me feel much comfortable! 💜

I'm a plus-size girl who is new to kayaking. I love my sit on top Pelican and was worried about it holding my weight (no issues so far). Issue: I tipped in the wake (boats purposely try to tip the kayakers), and thank goodness I was close to shore. I realized my worst fear: I have no idea how to get back on my kayak if I tip over.

Does anyone have any tips, tricks, or general advice? To save time: no, I don't need weight loss advice. I'm doing this in addition to trying to lose the extra weight I gained from being sick and no longer being able to do CrossFit.

I am thinking of trying kayaking in Stockholm. I understand that kayaking without adequate swimming skills can be risky, so I would like to get some opinions before deciding.

My swimming experience is limited to swimming pools, including pools around 15 feet deep. I usually swim with swimming goggles and don’t swim regularly.

Even when I have not swum for a while, I can swim at least 100–150 meters continuously in a pool. When I swim regularly, I can manage around 800 meters without stopping. However, I probably will not be swimming regularly before my kayaking trip, so I am not sure how much I should rely on that longer distance.

Although I can float horizontally fairly easily, I don’t know how to tread water vertically.

One thing that I am concerned about is swimming in open (and cold) water without goggles. I imagine it could be quite difficult, especially if I accidentally fall out of the kayak.

Do you think my current swimming ability would be sufficient for beginner kayaking in Stockholm, provided I wear a life jacket?

Hi all, I'd like to get into ksyaking, having done a bioluminescent kayaking tour and loving it.

But I'm woefully weak, not surprising given my sedentary life (the tour was a tandem kayak and thank goodness my partner was amiable and strong!).

The beginner classes closest to me are all closed, and I'm guessing the season is over (what IS the season?). But that's ok, I'm quite willing to build up strength and endurance for now before getting back in a kayak.

My question is, what fitness routine would you recommend, or what resources do you recommend, for a 40 year old sedentary woman (who, I cringe to admit, also needs to lose 30lbs!)?

Anything to help me get started is greatly appreciated!! Thank you!!

Edit: You guys! I'm so grateful for the advice and support! Thank you!

I feel a little bit embarrassed, I've been following kayaking subs for months now dreaming about it, thinking it was gonna be the funnest thing ever, and I finally tried it for the first time a few days ago - but truth be told it kind of sucked for me.

My hips hurt in a weird way, almost like I couldn't sit comfortably. I was kayaking in a place that had a ton of underwater trees/logs, so about every 5 to 10 seconds I would hit some log and have to re-situate… It was hot and exhausting, I don't know. I definitely glamorized it in my head a little bit… But it could've just been a bad start.

Anyways, I'm just curious if anyone didn't really enjoy or love it their first time but stuck with it? I've had a few hobbies in the past that I didn't enjoy right away, but later became some of my favorites once I got the basics down a little bit more.

Hello all! So i have this kayak that I bought on marketplace a year ago, without any markings or brand stickers. Someone else on facebook identified this as a Euro Kayaks Rapid Fire which looks like a good match online.

When I paddle with this thing I find it hard to just go straight. The boat will list even if I have my body leaned too far back one way, then it'll start to spin out on me. I was out last week in heavy winds and I decided to go back to shore rather than risk capsizing. I thought that I probably bought a kids model by mistake, but all the forums claim this is a great white water kayak, handles wonderfully, etc. With the way this thing has been with me, I don't wanna take it out anymore, and I plan on giving it away to my friend's kids.

Am I doing something wrong with paddling, or handling it? I just don't understand why it would spin out. I'm a canoe guy and new to kayaks, so any advice is welcome, thank you!

Hi!

I am a beginner to kayaking and I had my first session on the water recently where we practiced a controlled capsize. I am used to being in the water but the thoughts of being upside down and being closed in by the spray hood just completely freaked me out, and I was thinking about it all session so I was a nervous wreck before I even knew we were doing a capsize drill. The minute I started to flip over I started to feel the panic setting in. A load of water rushed up my nose and while I did manage to complete the capsize drill successfully, I really felt myself starting to run out of breath/panic at the end. When I came up to the surface I was choking and gasping for air and I felt like I couldn’t breathe, possibly because I either swallowed some water or got some up my nose.

I really don’t want fear of capsizing to become a barrier for me becoming better, and I want to be comfortable being upside down. I was wondering if anyone has any tips/has been through this and can tell me that I will get over it😂😂 much appreciated x

haven't been in a kayak since I was like twelve. Please motivate me so I don't get cold feet.

After debating for a long time whether or not to get a kayak, my wife and I finally bit the bullet and invested. We tried a bunch of different types and both eventually settled on this one, the Lekker Malachite, in orange and green. So excited!

As total beginners, we are of course full of dreams of boating trips. This kayak promises to be a semi-touring kayak despite being a sit-on, and in practice it feels wonderfully stable while having a form that seems fit to cut through waves. But while it does great in canals and ponds around our house, we don't know what it is realistically capable of.

In what environments would you guys be willing to take this out in? Obviously calm local waters are fine, but what about larger lakes and near coastal waters? We would obviously be taking classes before doing things like that, but I'd like to know that I could expect in the future once we do so.

Also, does anyone have experience with this kayak?

What are some of the unspoken rules that are specific to Kayaking vis a Vis courtesy to other kayakers (including canoers, SUPers, etc)

After renting one twice with my dog and really really enjoying it, I decided my money would be better spent just buying one. I found a Lifetime Lancer 100 Sit-In Kayak for a pretty good deal. I installed crossbars on my car roof and got padding and straps and I've read up on how to secure it. I've ordered a knife with seatbelt cutter for emergencies along with a PFD and my dog already has one.

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Anything else I need to purchase or any tips I need to know for safety or convenience?

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and here's dog tax from our last rental

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