http://articles.kayakaccessoriesplus.com/rss.xml A blog about kayakaccessoriesplus.com daily 365 1901-01-01T00:00+00:00 http://articles.kayakaccessoriesplus.com/?a=35521 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>According to the latest statistics, kayaking is one of the fastest growing outdoor sports activities in the United States today, with well over a million people already paddling and a great many more potential water loving outdoor enthusiasts looking to join the &quot;kayaking club.&quot; Kayaking is especially attractive for people with families offering an easy way to get everyone together and also because it offers affordable equipment and instruction. Small children as young as four years old can easily and safely join in this fun family experience and learn a skill and fun hobby that can be enjoyed throughout an entire lifetime.<br /><br />If you think you would like to give this a shot for your family the first thing you need to do is determine how many kayaks you will need. Even though there are four person kayaks offered by some manufacturers, in most cases you are better off splitting up into two groups and buy two, two-seaters instead. This way if you have a family of four you will have one parent and one child in each kayak. Be sure that the paddles are of the appropriate size for each person and also that you have the correct life jacket sizes for each person participating.<br /><br />Now you will need to ascertain what each person's skill level is. For example if dad is highly skilled and mom is moderately skilled but none of the children have ever kayaked before the best idea may be to take a kayaking class for the entire family before you go out on any intense kayaking trips so that everyone knows how to do the basics.<br /><br />If you are just now beginning to look into kayaking you may want to rent kayaks a few times first to see how everyone likes it before you go all out and spend a couple thousand dollars on kayaks and accessories. Depending upon where you live you can rent kayaks from $30 an hour to as much as a hundred an hour or more for guided tours. If your family falls in love with the sport you will be able to find kayaks under $500 for starters and you can pay as much as $9,000 for an extreme custom made one, although I can't imagine why you would need one that extreme.<br /><br />The beauty of the family kayaking experience is that it helps to bring families together to focus on accomplishing common goals. This is a fun and healthy undertaking that is much better to do as a family than many other activities and even though it takes a little effort it is way better for you than just going out to the movies or something similarly sedentary.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as Kayak Accessories at <a href="http://www.kayakaccessoriesplus.com/">http://www.kayakaccessoriesplus.com</a></p> 2006-08-17T00:49-04:00 http://articles.kayakaccessoriesplus.com/?a=35520 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>The sport of kayaking is a fun one for those who are outdoor enthusiasts and water lovers, going back all the way to Native American fishermen who built theirs of wood. Don't worry, I am not going to suggest that you make your own kayak from wood, even though these are the most beautiful they require a lot of maintenance and care to keep them in proper working order. <br /><br />There are many different types of kayaks on the market today made of materials from lightweight fiberglass to plastic. The plastic ones are very durable and you can drag them over rocks and oyster shells without fear of banging them up and puncturing them easily. These kayaks come in one and two person versions as well as specific models made for the ocean.<br /><br />If you like the solitary feel of being at one with nature then you will probably want to go with a single seater. These models are small and light enough that almost anyone can load and unload them in the back of a pickup truck. If you are a beginner, you should opt for a kayak that is very wide and stable to reduce the possibility of turning over. If you are a more seasoned user you will probably want to go with one that has more of a performance shape that will allow you to handle waves more efficiently. <br /><br />The sport is not really all that hard to learn, especially if you take my advice and go with a wider kayak to start off with. If there is a course available in your area you may want to consider taking one to give you more confidence in your ability if nothing else. If you are not experienced stay near shore until you are more proficient. I have seen people where I live one the Gulf coast of Florida paddle out over a half mile off shore and then get caught in headwinds on the way back that made it difficult to get back to shore.<br /><br />If you live in areas in the Pacific Northwest such as Oregon, Washington, or Coastal Canada, there are tours available that will enable you to paddle alongside Killer Whales. Here in Northwest Florida there are many choices of locations to go kayaking from the rivers and creeks to the bays and even the Gulf Of Mexico.<br /><br />As with any other new endeavor you should take precautions and go with a buddy when you are first learning and be sure to wear a life vest for safety. Bring along a small first aid kit in case of accidents and have fun on the water.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as Kayak Accessories Plus at <a href="http://www.kayakaccessoriesplus.com/">http://www.kayakaccessoriesplus.com</a></p> 2006-08-17T00:45-04:00