Just Another Weekend Kayaker

The way I see it, if I’m really going to get serious about whitewater kayaking, there are certain things I need: kayak, spray skirt, paddle, PFD, helmet, and a dry top (or other insulating layer, e.g. neoprene top). I’m also tempted to get a pair of paddling gloves.

I have the kayak and spray skirt. They’ve been nominally tested and found to be satisfactory. PFD, helmet, and other wear should not be difficult to decide upon; these will mainly be a function of fit, comfort, and price.

The paddle selection is requiring some debate, however. The two main questions, upon which I seem to be stuck, are the following:

1. Bent shaft or straight?
As I understand it, the main selling points of the bent shaft are improved ergonomics and mechanical stroke advantage. The latter is not a particular concern of mine; however, with a history that includes two wrist surgeries and many bouts of related physical therapy, I am rather enticed by the ergonomics.

2. River-running or playboating paddle?
The big difference, as explained to me by a salesperson, is that the play paddle has slightly less surface area on the lower side of the paddle, so as to minimize interference against the hull when making deep, close power strokes. Since I tend toward this type of stroke even now, that may be a plus.

Feel free to offer opinions, especially if they’re based on practical experience.

Preliminary findings on my 2007 JK Fun:

So incredibly comfortable. Wow. I know my opinion in this matter is just another drop in the metaphorical bucket; however, I’m pleased enough with my boat that I’ll go ahead and add my voice to the multitudes that sing the praises of the Jackson Kayak design team.

At Confluence Kayak in Denver, where I bought the boat, they helped me set up the cockpit and get the seat positioned. Then, at home, I popped in the JK DVD and played with the fittings in front of the TV for a while. I’m sure there will be things that I fine-tune over time.

Some design features that I’m especially fond of:

> the Happy Feet footbag. The custom-fit cushioning here is great; my toes don’t get mashed, my instep arches don’t cramp up, and my ankles don’t get sore.

> the whole knee area of the cockpit: the abundance of padding makes it especially nice. For once, sitting properly in the kayak didn’t make my knees ache.

> the backband adjustment mechanism: simple and effective. I love when good mechanical design trumps fancy clickity-click devices (yeah, that’s a technical term).

> on-the-fly adjustability. This is huge.

Well, that’s all for now. JK has my stamp of approval as both an engineer and a kayaker. Good job, folks.

I began my forray into the wide world of kayaks with the following criteria in mind:
1. I really want to paddle whitewater.
2. River-running is what caught my interest in the first place (as in, “ooh, that looks fun, I want to do that!”).
3. The more I see, the more I really want to try playboating.

And thus the search for my future kayak began.

It seems there are three types of river-running kayaks: pure river-runners, “creekable” river-runners, and free-runners (”playful” river-runners). I don’t see myself venturing beyond class III or IV whitewater in the near future, so I next narrowed it down to river-runners and free-runners.

As I have come to understand the matter, the major differences between these two types of boats are in the following characteristics:
River-runner - more volume, faster downriver, more forgiving in rapids, tracks straighter.
Free-runner - smaller, more playful, good for up to some class IV, turns faster, good for beginners who want to try out playboating.

The free-runners are starting to sound really good. The more I imagine it, the more I want to throw an air loop.

Here is a list of some of the boats I am considering, all of which have been recommended here and there by various folks:
Dagger Mamba
Jackson Fun
LiquidLogic CR
LiquidLogic Hoss
Pyranha Recoil
Wavesport Diesel
Wavesport EZ

In a review of new models, the Fun and the Hoss were labeled as “playful” river-runners. Elsewhere, the Fun, EZ, CR, and Recoil were listed as free-runners, while the rest of the above models were listed as river-runners.

Also, as I hear more about Jackson kayaks and corporate policies, I’m increasingly inclined to throw the cost of a new boat their way rather than at any other company. As an engineer, I apreciate their designs and manufacturing methods; I like their taste in boat materials as well as the small design features like “no screw holes” and “no metal parts.” As a concerned citizen of planet earth, I appreciate their apparent environmental awareness as a company, as evidenced by their recycling policies. As a broke college student, I appreciate their pricing. As a tall female, I appreciate their cockpit sizing. As a sufferer of recurring lower back problems, I appreciate the custom-fit/custom-comfort systems in the cockpit. And… well, not to sound fanatical, but when it comes to Jackson Kayak, I really like what I see and hear.

When I get around to test-driving some kayaks, I’ll make a follow-up report. On paper, everything looks nice. It all comes down to paddling.