Canoes and Kayaks

Welcome to Canoes and Kayaks. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first canoe or kayak or just doing some background research this site has all you need.

Canoes and Kayaks

Many people mistakenly make the wrong choice when choosing between canoes and kayaks. While kayaks may be easier to maneuver, carry and control for a single individual they also have their drawbacks. They are hard to carry through portages because of the difficulty of getting in and out with your gear and that your two main options are to carry it on your shoulder or drag in with a leash.

On the other hand canoes can be very difficult to steer for the single paddler, cost a lot more, and can be too bulky for one person to carry. If you looking at a family adventure, the kayak may seem cool at first but the canoe becomes much more practical.

The Truth About Canoes And Kayaks

Canoes and Kayaks -Which Is Faster?

Here’s a popular misconception about canoes and kayaks. Because we are used to seeing images of canoes being casually paddled across a calm lake and kayaks scurrying down river rapids we have come to the wrong conclusion that kayaks, by their very nature; are faster than canoes.

The truth is that two skilled paddlers in a canoe can easily leave the single kayak-er in their wake. But here’s the caveat: a thin kayak that displaces much less water, and therefore has less friction to be overcome will be much easier to paddle.

So the real truth around speed is more a concern of how hard you want to paddle to get there. The potential top speeds of both  canoes and  kayaks of equal length is basically the same, but the kayak will simply be easier to paddle.

Canoes More Comfortable Than Kayaks

While there will be some hard core kayakers than want to argue this point; the truth is that the canoe provides a much more comfortable seating position than the kayak. The canoe allows you the affordability to move around after you’re in it, have a better visibility of obstacles ahead of you and is much easier to get in and out of, especially if you’re using a dock.

Another problem with kayaks is that you’re going to get your lap wet. There’s just no way to avoid it. It’s much easier to stay dry in a canoe.

Kayaks Easier To Learn Than Canoes

This is double edged truth. For the very beginner a kayak is much easier to learn when it comes to basic control skills. The canoe takes much longer to master the basics on. Generally a new rider can jump into a kayak and immediately start paddling it exactly where they want it to go. On the other hand, first time canoers spend a lot of time in the beginning paddling in circles much to the delight of onlookers.

When you look at the long term, however, it takes much longer to “master” the kayak than it does the canoe. Once you’ve got the canoe thing down you get better much quicker than you will in a kayak. Both canoes and kayaks have their advantages and disadvantages.

Choosing Kayaks Or Canoes

I’m certainly not going to presume to know which watercraft between canoes and kayaks is better for you. It’s really a matter of what you want to get out of the experience. One thing to keep in mind though is that the maneuverability of the boat is more about the actual shape of the hull than whether or not it’s a kayak or a canoe. When buying either for the first time stick with a beginner’s model, something that does not have a special use associated with it.

If you plan on doing all of your paddling alone, keep in mind that a canoe will be much more susceptible to wind and you may become quite exhausted attempting to control a long canoe by yourself. The shorter the craft, the easier it will be to turn and the more curved upwards the ends are, the quicker it will respond. That quicker response may work against the kayak beginner as the craft may turn too quickly and become frustrating to use.

As you can see there are many factors to consider. Feel free to use the information on this site to help you make the right choices about canoes and kayaks.