Sea Touring Kayaks

The Ultimate Watercraft for Extended Trips

A sea touring kayak, commonly referred to as an ocean or tripping kayak is ideal for coastal kayaking. They are longer, thinner, faster, and track better than recreational kayaks. The cockpits are smaller and require a little practice to get into and exit from. You'll also find that touring kayaks are usually high volume boats with bulkheads and watertight hatches for storing the kayak gear you'll need for extended trips and expeditions.

Spray skirts aren't typically used with recreational kayaks, but are mandatory for whitewater and sea touring kayaks. Spray skirt choices include all-nylon models, neoprene, and combo skirts that utilize nylon and neoprene. A spray skirt is an absolute must if you want to learn to roll.

Many sea touring kayaks are equipped with a skeg or retractable rudder to help compensate for wind and wave action that could move you off course. Pulling on a cord located near the cockpit raises or lowers the skeg or rudder. The foot braces inside the kayak are used to control the rudder's movements and help make the craft turn.

As well as the hatches, sea touring kayaks usually also have bungee cords attached to the deck to help hold crucial items such as a bilge pump, paddle float for self-rescue, and a spare two-piece paddle.

A plastic sea kayaks weight can be its biggest drawback. At 50-to-78 pounds its difficult to transport. A Kevlar or carbon-fiber model is a joy to handle.

There are also variations: tandem touring kayaks and folding touring kayaks. Unlike the typical sea kayak, the sit-on-top models don't have a deck to shield the paddler from sun, wind, or rain. Many of them have storage hatches and are ideal for warm-weather day touring. Regardless of your tastes in style, sea touring kayaks are efficient and offer the best in speed, trackability, and comfort.