How to Become a Pro Kayaker in 14 Simple Steps

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Kayaking is a fantastic sport. It builds muscle, endurance, and fitness. A lot of people seem to think that kayaking is only a sport you can do if you have a lake near you, but that’s not true. You can kayak in rivers, creeks, and even the ocean.

However, kayaking is not easy. It does take a little research, practice, and studying before you can become a pro at it. If you are interested in taking up kayaking as a way to get in shape, then this post has you covered.

This article will tell you how you can become a pro kayaker in a few easy steps.

Understanding Sport

You can’t go kayaking until you understand the sport. According to the experts over at WaterSportsWhiz, kayaking is not a particularly hard sport to learn to master. However, it is essential that you read guides on kayaking’s basics, so you know everything there is for you to know. If you go kayaking without learning the basics, it’ll take longer for you to become a pro.

Learning to Swim

You shouldn’t ever go kayaking if you can’t swim. You are almost guaranteed to capsize. If you cannot swim and are on a remote stretch of water, then capsizing could be fatal. Thousands of people drown every year, venturing into the water when they cannot swim. You don’t need to be embarrassed about learning to swim if you can’t because there are plenty of adult classes you can go to. In an adult class, you will be surrounded by people like you, who cannot swim but who want to learn to.

Safety Precautions

You need to take safety precautions if you’re planning on going kayaking. There are certain pieces of equipment you need to invest in, like a lifejacket, some high-vis clothing, and safety goggles. If you do not buy safety equipment, then you could end up hurting yourself, drowning, or getting stranded. Most experts also recommend buying a waterproof pouch for your mobile phone, so you can bring it with you. That way if you get lost or stranded, you can call for help. In addition to a waterproof pouch bring a waterproof bag.

Bodies of Water

You can’t go kayaking unless there’s a large body of water or river network near you. You can also go kayaking in the ocean, too. Most people go kayaking on rivers though, because they are easy to find. One of the best things about kayaking in rivers is that you do not have to pay or buy a ticket, you can just put your kayak down in a stretch of river that appeals to you and go kayaking. If you go kayaking in a lake, you’ll probably have to buy a ticket. You don’t have to buy tickets if you go kayaking in the ocean, either.

Consider Classes

If you want to go kayaking, then most experts would recommend taking classes. You will only need to participate in a few sessions before you’re able to go out on your own. The reason it’s a good idea to take classes is that kayaking can be tricky to learn. You need to have a good balance when you’re kayaking, especially if you’re going on an inflatable kayak. Inflatable kayaks are a lot lighter and tip over very easily. You need to be in control of your kayak at all times. A professional instructor will be able to show you how you can maintain control over your kayak.

Buying Equipment

By this point, you should have sufficient knowledge to go out kayaking alone. Buying equipment can be expensive. You can save money by picking up an inflatable kayak, instead of a fixed one. If money is really tight, then you can save even more by buying things second-hand. Buying second-hand is an extremely effective way of saving money. Second-hand items tend to go for much less than they would new. In most cases, the second-hand items sold online are in more or less brand-new condition. If you’re buying kayaking gear second-hand, ensure it’s coming from a reliable place.

Bringing Friends

If you’re going kayaking for the first time, even after taking classes, then consider bringing some friends along with you. Bringing friends will be a good way of ensuring that if you make any mistakes, they’ll be able to correct you, or save you. It’s important that the people you bring know how to kayak and can swim. If they cannot do these things, then to be honest, they are useless. You need experienced kayakers or swimmers going out with you, otherwise, they won’t be able to help you. Consider inviting some people from the classes you took.

Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is essential. You shouldn’t ever go kayaking if you are unfit. Physical fitness will help you to get better control over your kayak. The better shape you are in, the more stamina you’ll have, too. If you are in good shape, then you could consider kayaking on a fast-moving body of water, like some rapids. If you’re going rapid kayaking, then you’ll need a fixed kayak. Inflatable kayaks can burst when they come into contact with jagged rocks. If your kayak bursts, you could be thrown from it and into a rock, which could be fatal.

Practising First

Before going out alone, practice. You can practice on your own in a creek. Most creeks are very shallow, which means it’s safe to go kayaking in them. Always practice in a creek or shallow river before going out into a deep lake or river. Practising will help you to be more confident when you go out in a deeper body of water. It’ll also help you to have better control over yourself and your kayak. You may even be able to practice in a public swimming pool, as long as you turn up on a day when nobody’s there and get permission from the pool’s management first.

High-vis Clothing

As mentioned earlier, it’s very important that you take safety precautions. You need to make sure that you wear high-vis clothing. You should be able to pick up a high-vis lifejacket. The reason that it’s important to wear high-vis clothing is so that if you are in trouble, people can see you splashing and calling for help. The lifejacket you buy should be designed to actually keep you afloat. Some only help people who can already swim stay up. If you are not a strong swimmer, you’ll need a large lifejacket.

Still Water

When you first go kayaking, make sure that you go kayaking on still or slow-moving bodies of water. If your first trip kayaking is on some rapids, you’re guaranteed to make a mistake. A still or slow-moving body of water will be a lot easier for you to learn. As mentioned earlier, some swimming pools will actually allow you to bring your kayak into the pool, as long as it’s not too busy. You could do this until you have learned how to move confidently on a kayak. Alternatively, find a shallow creek, as mentioned earlier.

Additional Sports

If you are planning on going kayaking, then why not go fishing, too? Fishing is a popular water sport that’s commonly taken up by people kayaking. You can bring fishing equipment in your kayak with you. If you are going kayaking on an inflatable kayak, then you need to make sure that you carefully store your hooks. It’s very common for amateur kayakers to puncture the sides of their kayaks when they are out fishing. Honestly, a fixed kayak is probably a better idea if you’re planning on going fishing. You can also take your kayak camping with you and use it to get to more remote areas.

Going Rowing

If water sports interest you, then a sport that’s very similar to kayaking (but that’s a lot more intense) is rowing. Rowing is a great sport. It can help to build strength, fitness, and endurance. However, in order to go rowing you will need to have access to a rowing boat. Thankfully, you can join a club and use theirs. If there are no clubs in your area, then you’ll have to buy your own rowing boat and tow it to the nearest lake or river. Learn to row before going out on a lake alone.

Joining Clubs

As mentioned several times already in this article, joining a club can be a good way of learning to kayak. Joining a club can also be an effective way of meeting people and making friends too. There are lots of kayaking groups and clubs available for you to join. The easiest way to find one is to conduct a social media search. If you are a member of your town or city’s Facebook group, leave a message asking anybody interested in kayaking to get in touch with you (or ask for the details of any clubs).

Kayaking is a great way to get in shape, improve your fitness, and have fun. However, before you can go kayaking, you need to read through this post, practice, and learn how to kayak. If you do not know what you are doing, then kayaking can actually prove to be very dangerous. Thankfully, it’s not that hard to learn.