Sea Kayaking Frequently Asked Questions:

All FAQ comments to:
Todd Leigh - FAQ compiler
leigh@ssd.comm.mot.com

Table of Contents:

• What is the best boat?
• Should I start in a 'beginner' boat, or should I buy an 'expert' boat and hope I can 'grow' into it?
• Should I get plastic, fiberglass, wood, fabric or something more exotic?
• How should the boat fit?
• How should the boat be rigged?
• How big of a boat do I need?
• Should I get a single or double?
• What kind of hatches should I get?
• Will I have enough cargo space?
• Do I need a rudder?
• How much of a consideration is the weight of the boat?
• How important is the durability of the boat's construction?
• How much should I spend on a boat? (USA prices)
• What should I look for when I'm trying a boat out?

• How do I learn to kayak?
• Am I ready to go kayaking on my own?

• The essentials
• safety gear
• signalling
• navigation
• clothing
• camping

• How do I build a kayak?
• Where can I get a kit to build a kayak?

• Is a folding kayak a sea kayak?
• Should you consider a folding kayak only if you require its foldability feature?
• How do folding kayaks compare in efficiency, performance, and speed with hardshell boats?
• Are folding kayaks delicate or damage-prone?
• Do they cost more than hardshells?
• What are the best materials for the frame and skin in a folding kayak?
• Is assembly of folding kayaks difficult? How long does it take?
• Where do I get more information on foldables?

• What is hypothermia?
• How can one tell if somebody is hypothermic?
• Am I hypothermic if I am shivering and/or my hands/feet are cold?
• How is hypothermia treated?
• What is the best defense against hypothermia?
• What is vertigo?
• What is cold shock?
• Is this information meant to scare me away from cold water?

• What does kayak mean?
• What does baidarka mean?
• What is an umiak?
• Did all native kayaking groups use the two bladed paddle?
• Did all native kayakers know how to roll?
• How were kayaks made?
• What is the difference between a modern kayak and a traditional kayak?
• Where did the native kayakers live?
• Were all the boat designs the same?
• What did they wear?
• What animals were hunted?
• How did they get the animals back to the village?
• What hunting tools were used?
• Was kayak hunting dangerous?
• What happened to the kayaking cultures?
• What is the history of the development of the modern kayaks?

• Rudders
• Rolling
• British boat mystique

• Books
• Magazines
• Videos