Kayaking for beginners: sit-on-top vs sit-inside, your first trip and what to wear
TUREFF• •0
Kayaking is one of the quickest water sports to get started in. Within an hour most people can move a kayak in a straight-ish line and turn it where they want, and on a calm lake or canal that is enough to have a lovely afternoon. The things that make the difference for a beginner are choosing the right kind of boat, picking gentle water and dressing for falling in rather than for the weather.
Sit-on-top or sit-inside?
There are two broad kinds of recreational kayak, and they suit different people.
- Sit-on-top: you sit on a moulded seat on top of a sealed hull. If you fall off, you simply climb back on. They are stable, forgiving and popular for warm days, beaches and holiday hire. The downside is that you will get wet, because water splashes over the deck and collects in the seat.
- Sit-inside: you sit inside a cockpit with your legs under the deck. You stay drier and warmer, the boat responds better to your hips and knees, and with a spray deck it can handle rougher conditions. The trade-off is that getting out after a capsize takes a little practice, and an open cockpit can fill with water.
For a first trip on sheltered water, a sit-on-top is the easiest place to start. If you plan to paddle in cooler weather or go further, a stable sit-inside touring or recreational kayak is worth learning in, ideally with a coach.
Take a taster session
The single best thing a beginner can do is book a taster session or beginner course with a qualified coach at a paddling centre or club. You borrow the kit, learn how to hold the paddle properly, practise getting in and out, and usually try a capsize in a controlled way. Clubs are also the easiest way to find people to paddle with afterwards.
Planning your first trip
- Choose flat, sheltered water: a lake, a canal or a slow river with easy places to get in and out. Avoid open sea, weirs and fast water until you have more experience.
- Check the forecast: wind is the beginner's main enemy. Even a moderate breeze makes a light kayak hard to steer, and wind blowing away from the shore can push you somewhere you cannot paddle back from.
- Go with someone: paddle with a friend, a club or a guided group, and tell someone on land where you are going and when you will be back.
- Stay close to the bank: keep within an easy swim of the shore on your first outings.
- Plan a short route: paddle into the wind first if there is any, so the wind helps you home when you are tired.
What to wear
Dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature. In the UK and much of northern Europe the water is cold enough to cause cold water shock for most of the year, even on a sunny day.
- Buoyancy aid: always, every time, done up and adjusted so it does not ride up when you lift the shoulders.
- Quick-drying layers: synthetic or wool base layers rather than cotton, which stays wet and cold.
- A windproof or waterproof top: a paddling cag or light waterproof keeps the wind off when you are damp.
- Wetsuit or more in cool conditions: a wetsuit, or a drysuit for colder water, is what lets you fall in without a struggle. Centres will usually lend one on a course.
- Footwear you can swim in: wetsuit boots, old trainers or water shoes. Bare feet and loose flip-flops are a bad idea on stony banks.
- Sun protection and a hat, because reflected light burns quickly.
- A dry bag with a spare warm layer, a drink, a snack and your phone in a waterproof pouch.
A few beginner habits worth starting now
- Practise getting in and out in shallow water before you set off.
- Hold the paddle with your hands a little wider than your shoulders and the knuckles of your top hand in line with the blade edge.
- Use your body rather than just your arms; rotating from the waist is less tiring.
- Turn back while you still feel fresh. The return leg always feels longer.
Kayaking rewards a little preparation. Start on calm water with good company, wear a buoyancy aid and dress to swim, and you will quickly be ready for longer trips.
Have a question about your first trip, or a tip for someone just starting? Share it in the comments below.