Kayaks are double paddled, decked canoes derived from traditional Inuit hunting boats.

Cape Charles 18, Seneca Lake MD © 1997 Tony Pisara

Touring (or sea) kayaks are largely faithful to the Inuit design and typically include a cockpit as well one or more additional water-tight chambers.

Materials: Modern touring kayaks are made from a number of materials including: plastic, fiberglass/kevlar layups and wood. There are also folding models as well as durable inflatables popular among the scientific set.

Stiff materials produce the most efficient boats. Entry level plastic boats are more flexible and therefore less efficient than stiffer and more expensive layup kayaks.

Wood is stiffer and lighter than fiberglass and even kevlar layups, but is somewhat more delicate and does not lend itself to mass production techniques. As such it has remained something of a specialty material, although popular among home builders.

Shapes: Touring kayaks also come in different shapes determining their efficiency, stability and agility.

• Expert boats are typically tippy, skitish and efficient.
• Entry level boats are generally stable, straight tracking and inefficient.

Kayaking has a steep initial learning curve that has as much to do with comfort as with technique.

Some of these issues (particularly stability and tracking) are addressed in the design of entry level boats. Plastic is also forgiving and durable making them a strong and economical initial choice.

With a little technique and an adequate comfort level, slightly more high-spirited boats are easilly tamed and provide an downright fun mode of exploring the wilderness.

Rudders: Kayaks can also include foot operated rudders. These greatly assist straight tracking in windy conditions, surf and currents but add about $100+ to the cost of a boat and are considered unreliable by some.

A surf rudder is generally boon, but paddlers should spend some time learing to do without in at least moderate conditions as those skills can prove vital in a pinch.

Extended Touring: Day paddling is exceptionally pleasant, but the real point of a touring kayak is found in an extended journey.

Boats designed for extended trips typically include deck hatch access to separate water tight compartments fore and aft of the paddler's cockpit.

A reasonably high volume boat can carry a week's worth of food and gear -- although in the absence of access to fresh water this can a bit more challenging.

Because water resistant is more accurate than water-tight, gear needs to be stored in Dry and/or River Bags to protect against the cup ful of water that inevitably sneeks past the seal.

Multi-day trips can easilly cover 100 miles or more, but 10-20 miles makes for a reasonable and satisfying weekend paddle.

Paddling Locations: Touring kayaks are at home on the open ocean, protected bays, lakes and rivers.

Ocean paddling is extremely challenging and provides limited camping opportunities accessible to the novice. Wind, currents, open water waves and vagaries of tide require both skill and some degree of expert knowledge for trips covering more than a few miles.

Sheltered tidal areas such as the Chincoteague Bay Canoe Trail provides much of the flavor of open water, ocean paddling while omitting some (but not all) of the potenially fatal elements of the challenge.

Touring kayaks make excellent lake boats and perform especially well on the lakes of Western Maine. They handle a steady wind better than most canoes and are secure in a sudden mountain squall.