What Equipment/Gear Is Needed To Be An Ocean Kayaker

[rfolster]

A question that has come up often in the past, especially as we approach the New To Sea Kayaking Workshop each year, is "What do I need to buy first?".  The questions tend to be about making a list of stuff that sea kayakers must / should / maybe have, and what items are more important than others.  This question is not a simple one, and the answer is even less so since it may depend on what types of trips you are going on and what kind of paddler you are.

As I have thought about this, I came up with an idea that maybe we don't need to try to list each individual item in specific order, but there are GROUPS of items that we should equip ourselves with before others.  The reason I don't put any one item within each group as a higher priority than another is that since you may find any one individual item that you decide to purchase while still trying to figure out what others work for you.  My thoughts on the first two group that a sea kayaker should own might be considered controversial, but hear me out.

#1 - Paddle Float, Bilge Pump, Bailing Sponge, Whistle

I put these first because of two reasons: first, they are not dependent on boat type or paddler skill level, and second, they are not provided with rental equipment or purchase packages.  However, I feel that they are a relatively inexpensive group of primary safety equipment that any paddler should have with them at any time, even when just renting a kayak for a flat-water paddle.

#2 - Kayak, Paddle, PFD, Spray Skirt

In this group, you can certainly buy a PFD before buying a boat, or even purchase a paddle first (yes, the boat width can have some influence on the length of the paddle, but since most sea kayaks have a limited beam dimension, any beginning sea kayaker can have a paddle sized based on their physical size and be just fine).  I thought about separating out the spray skirt since they tend to be boat specific to a degree, but I thought that keeping it with this group really makes sense from an overall gear perspective.

Beyond this point it gets much more difficult.  What would you put in the next groups?  I might think of a compass next, but what about dry bags?  Where does the VFH radio or tow belt fall on the list?  I don't know if there can ever be a consensus since we all have such different kayaking styles and opinions, but maybe we can come close to formulating a list that can be presented at the next New To Sea Kayaking Workshop.  Post your thoughts here, but  don't be too quick to judge.  What works for some, may not work for others.

 

[Dan Foster]

I'll play Devil's Advocate and suggest that the first thing a paddler who is New To Sea Kayaking should buy is lessons, or beer for the more-experienced paddlers who are going to take them along. Rather than buying safety equipment, the focus should be on safely gaining experience by paddling with a group of people that will bail them out (both literally and figuratively) should trouble arise.

Group #1: Lessons, beer, and a whistle, (to keep the Coast Guard happy).

 

[Philip Anderson]

 Having come back to kayaking after a 30 some odd year absence I can say the information can be overwhelming, fortunately in this case I am somewhat obsessive. Things have really changed from the farmer john wetsuit/woolen underwear days. I started paddling on a small local pond 3 years ago in a small rec kayak and have gone to building my own carbon fiber greenland style kayak to planning routes and doing ocean crossings of several miles. A lot depends on knowing what you want to do, and in my case it is a continually moving target. Having recently read Deep Trouble 1&2 the things that stand out most to me are proper clothing (pfd included), communication and a vessel suited for the task. I would now never take a little Necky Zoar 14' out on the ocean, at the beginning I might have.

The water around here is always below 70° so getting out of it quickly is important. PFD, Paddle Float, Bilge Pump, Bailing Sponge, Whistle, Spray skirt, kayak with bulkheads, are absolute minimums. I have used or seen all these things used in the wild and was glad to have them. I just built myself electric bilge pumps with magnetic reed switches, like I said, obsessive.

Further down the list but still essential in my opinion is a vhf radio, though the new ones are so feature rich they are confusing except for the dsc button if you have one. Basic radios are pretty cheap insurance these days. Compass is good if you are going more than a few hundred feet from shore, it's so easy to get turned around especially in an unfamiliar area where all the Islands blend together on the horizon. Even a handheld is better than nothing, I have a tiny ball compass on my pfd zipper because who knows?  Which brings in having a good chart and knowing the area you are paddling. Glasses and spares if you need them, ask me how I know. Binoculars are handy for finding markers and passages, though not much thought of.

Tow belts and towing gear are good to have but can be expensive and not many carry them but someone in a group should definitely have them, I have a combo of make your own and commercial. I just learned the importance of lock-gate carabiners vs. spring gate and am still sorting that out. Patch kits are not something no casual paddler thinks of but become more necessary as you advance your horizons. I thought gorilla tape was good until I saw it just doesn't stick when it counts. Now I have plastic backed bitumen window flashing with wipes sealed in plastic bags with hand warmer packets.

Dry bags (even empty) are a good insurance policy against hull breaches or loss of hatches, probably beyond the provenance of beginners. Extra clothing for stopovers, or tip-overs is a good idea.

I've used basic first aid kits on paddles for minor injuries, I'm taking a SOLO afloat course this spring. I never even heard of SOLO a couple of years ago. It's been said, and I believe it,that if you don't have it on you you don't have it, but that's for more advanced trips and those people already know that.

So much to learn, but if you want to see the really cool places where few people go you have to know this stuff.

[leong]

I never paddle solo without my VHF radio. I believe that a VHF radio is the single most important thing you should carry in/on you PFD. 

[Phil Allen]

Philip mentioned it, but I'd argue that a compass is the one piece of safety gear that most beginners don't think about and should carry.  Simple understanding of the direction of land in the fog might have saved numerous lives.

 

best

Phil

[billvoss]

On 2/13/2016 at 10:05 AM, rfolster said:

A question that has come up often in the past, especially as we approach the New To Sea Kayaking Workshop each year, is "What do I need to buy first?".

#1 - Paddle Float, Bilge Pump, Bailing Sponge, Whistle

#2 - Kayak, Paddle, PFD, Spray Skirt

To be an ocean kayaker (the thread title), you need an ocean, a kayak, and a paddle.  If your kayak is not a sit-on-top, you need a spray skirt [neoprene recommended] or equivalent.  (Renting or buying used is recommended for people new to the sport.)  If you are a beginner and go out with just that minimum, you may be written about in the paper, and discussed as an idiot in this forum.

If you also aspire to be a prudent modern ocean kayaker, first you need education and companions.  Both of which are available for free (via places like NSPN), or with paid lessons and guided trips (for example Charles River Canoe and Kayak).  Reading Deep Trouble 1&2 (via the library or Amazon) is great winter preparation.  Following the "three to sea" minimum rule is a good idea at least until you are near expert.

For safety, first you need a PFD (ideally a high flotation model with 20+ pounds buoyancy, not a legal minimum 15 pound model) and a whistle.  Next ideally you (or at least your group) needs ways of calling for outside help such as VHF radios (ideally DSC with GPS), possibly supplemented with PLBs, and cell phones.

Your next investment is thermal protection appropriate for the sea temperature where/when you intend to paddle.  If you are comfortable getting into the water at each put-in before each segment of your paddle, you are wearing appropriate thermal protection.  Around here, if you want to be on the ocean more than about one month a year, you will want a drysuit.

Adding a bilge pump and compass are cheap potentially very useful additions.  (I bring a bailing sponge instead of a bilge pump when white-water kayaking, but I only bring a bilge pump when ocean kayaking.)

I always wear a helmet that I can also use to pour water over my head (no vent/drains).  It is a hat that stays on in the wind.  A few times each year it takes a hit for me.  I am in the minority, but definitely recommend them.

Paddle floats have their own thread.  I carried a foam float my first two years because my first instructor strongly recommended foam over inflatable because they don't require any time to deploy.  He assumed the float would be used to assist a reentry by a paddler wearing marginal thermal protection.  Later I switched to inflatable because I knew I would be wearing a drysuit, and I was unlikely to be using the float to assist me during a reentry (they have other uses).

Dry bags are extremely useful.

Charts and GPS systems so you know where you are.  Tow systems to assist others in your group.

If a new kayaker was going rent their kayak, paddle, spray skirt and PFD, and always travel with a group.  My first purchases would be dry bags (for lunch and gear), a drysuit, a personal high-float PFD to which I would attach a whistle and cheap compass, a VHF radio, and a helmet.  Probably in that order.

Edited February 14, 2016 by billvoss

[Brian Nystrom]

I have to agree with Dan, The knowledge that comes from instruction - whether you pay for it or get it through mentoring programs in the club - is the most valuable tool a sea kayaker can possess. Unfortunately, it also the least likely thing obtained by new paddlers, as it requires time, effort and practice. Most people think they can buy a few safety accessories and be good to go, whether they actually know how to use them or not. They simply don't understand the potential for problems on the water or the reasons that they need to take precautions. Back in the day, when NSPN used to offer an outstanding trip leader training program, there was always a transformative moment when paddlers suddenly "get it", which I experienced both personally as a student and saw in the eyes of students when I helped to teach it. Once you experience that, you never look at paddling quite the same way again. The same thing happened the first time I was involved in a medical emergency on the water; the lessons from training really hit home when it's someone you know and care about who's in trouble. You can't buy these things, they have to be experienced.

It's good to hear that people are reading "Deep Trouble". I didn't realize that there was a "volume 2"; I'll have to grab a copy.

The club used to have a list of recommended gear for paddlers and required gear for trip leaders. Do those still exist? If so, they're a great place to start. Although it's been a decade or so since I last led a trip, I rarely paddle without the full complement of trip leader gear. I guess the training worked. ;-)

Additionally, until you've spent some time on the water and understand why you need various types of gear and what works best for your particular needs, it's hard to make informed purchases. Being able to borrow and try a variety gear from other paddlers and hear their rationale for selecting those items is invaluable in making gear purchase decisions.

[PeterB]

You  do need to have an ocean, a kayak and a paddle,but,  adhering to the question, "what should you buy first"? (or obtain first, rather than "what do I need to use first"?) ), I'm thinking that de-emphasizing the purchase of kayak has some merit. Its sort of intuitive that the kayak, and then the paddle would be the first things to buy, but, yes, knowledge and instruction (i.e. information)  first might be the best. Then one is better equipped to get the right gear. E.g. , first going to pool/lake  sessions with a rental or loaner, and attending workshops, maybe taking a class or two that includes outfitting.    

Doing this over, and , going into things confident that sea kayaking wouldn't be  just a passing fancy but an activity I would stick with,  I'd probably seek 1)knowledge /instruction/information  ,2)  a paddle/pfd/spray skirt, then 3)  a drysuit, (or serious immersion wear)  4)  Then a kayak.      

[B]

It's great to see healthy discussion is still a mainstay of NSPN activities. Y'all should be proud of the service you provide to the membership and paddling community at large.

BB

[Ginger]

I'm going to second (third?) the suggestion that what you need to buy first is lessons and guided trips.  It really depends on *how* you intend to pick up the sport (some people like to jump into 34 degree water with both feet), but if you're easing into it, put yourself in good hands for a while and see if you're having fun.

As for all physical equipment, I would (did) hold off on the kayak purchase for a while... up to a year or two (depending on how much you paddle your first few years). One can (and should) try out a lot of different kayaks-- which I found was best done by renting (several good shops offer a "season pass" to their local waters with some off site days). Whatever boat I rented came with a skirt that fit and a pump/float/sponge.  

The first gear I suggest buying: a good paddle that suits your stroke style and a PFD that fits.  Both items are critical to *enjoying* the sport, especially as you spend more time in your boat and hold your paddle for longer. It's much more difficult to rent a high quality paddle and a PFD that fits your body properly (especially if you are a woman) than it is to rent a quality boat, so (IMHO) they should be the first "investments". Those two, some dry bags, and a snap on compass served me very well for my first two years of guided trips, lessons, and protected coastal paddling.    

(15 years later and I still don't own a drysuit. So far I don't find paddling in water *that* cold to be fun, so I don't do it.)

[rfolster]

 

On 2/14/2016 at 9:45 AM, Brian Nystrom said:

The club used to have a list of recommended gear for paddlers and required gear for trip leaders. Do those still exist?

There is a list on the main Website under Paddling With NSPN called What To Bring, however that is just an overall list, and does not help to prioritize.  I am trying to help new sea kayakers get an understanding of how they might budget their entry into the sport.  I have taken some of the input, and added my own to #5, so our list of suggestions on what to purchase in what order might look like this:

#1) Lessons / Training
#2) Compass, Whistle, Bilge Pump, Bailing Sponge, Float Bag
#3) Dry bag(s) / VHF Radio
#4) Paddling Apparel
#5) Roof Rack?
#6) Kayak, Paddle, PFD, Spray Skirt
#7) ?

This list could never be perfect for everyone, since each person's entry into the sport varies so much.  However, it can at least be a baseline for the majority of those interested in getting into sea kayaking.  So, what you you think?  Can you help continue the list?

[Pintail]

A couple of wise old birds have suggested that classes/lessons should be the first investment and I heartily agree; but perhaps a good <textbook> should be the first purchase?  One by a reputable coach, to go along with those classes.

I cannot agree, however, with buying a good paddle immediately.  It was a long time before I even heard the phrases "high angle" or "low angle" paddling -- long ago, when I took classes at CRCK in Newton, a 220cm paddle was thrust into my hands and that was what I assumed was correct: hence, for the next few years, I used the same length.  Only when participating in BCU classes and trying to make strokes run, one into another, did I realize that a shorter paddle would be beneficial: today I paddle with a 205.  How could I have had any insight into that when I was a "newbie"?  No, rather leave it until you know something about paddling, I reckon.

I was fortunate indeed in that, when I first responded to an advertisement in the "Want Ads" (remember those?) for a Sirius, I serendipitously ran into some old fogey who had recently started a local paddling club and he gave me very sound advice, saying that I would develop with the boat, after I protested that perhaps it was too much boat for my poor skill-set.  He was right: I attended more NSPN-sponsored classes (Derek Hutchinson, twice) and never looked back...so even buying a boat needs some experienced guidance, I would suggest.

To reiterate, good classes and advice to follow is what is needed.  A textbook will teach about different shapes and designs of boats, for example.  Perhaps first purchase should be some polypropylene clothing?

Who is this fellow who writes: <...Y'all should be proud of the service you provide to the membership and paddling community at large>  I sort of recognize the style, now with a western accent; but the name eludes me temporarily...? 

 

Edited April 14, 2016 by Pintail