Casual Kayakers has a wide selection of sit-on-tops and sit-inside recreational and touring rotomolded kayaks. Here are some things to consider when picking one for your trip. Consider this a starting point if you are thinking of purchasing a kayak.

• How & Where?
  • Will you be paddling on smaller sheltered bodies of water like ponds or small lakes?
  • Or will you be taking the kayak to big bodies of water that are exposed to wind and waves?
  • Are you wanting a paddling moving (a cross kayak) or challenging whitewater?
  • When it comes to paddling, is it more important to have a kayak that is fast and responsive or are you more concerned about having a stable kayak that would be difficult to tip over (and avoiding an out-of-boat experience)?
• Length
  • As a general rule, the longer and narrower a kayak is, the faster it will travel and the wider the kayak is the more stable, but slower it will be for a given paddler.
  • Most sit-on-top kayaks are considered recreational kayaks (including fishing kayak) because they tend to be wide and stable while sit-inside kayaks tend to vary a lot more in shape and size.
• Primary stability (also known as initial stability) refers to how stable the kayak is when you’re first getting in or on the boat. High primary stability means you’re less likely to flip when you step into your kayak and sit down.
• Secondary stability refers to how stable it is once you start paddling. High secondary stability means you’re less likely to tip, flip, or roll over as you start moving through the water.
• Now, let’s key in on the types of hull designs to consider.
  • Flat Hull: These hulls can be stable and maneuverable. They offer great primary stability. The flatter the hull, the more stable your kayak will be. Flat hulls are ideal for recreational kayakers in calm water conditions. These can be good choices for beginners. Waves and weather handling can be more challenging.
  • Rounded Hull: The rounded edges of this hull can increase speed and allow for easier travel through the water compared to a flat hull. This hull makes the kayak more maneuverable and offers better secondary stability.
  • V-Shaped Hull: These hulls cut through the water and help the kayak travel in a straight line. They are good for recreational paddling and ideal for touring or long-distance trips. They may be less stable at first since they provide the least amount of primary stability. However, v-shaped hulls offer better secondary stability.
  • Pontoon: Pontoon hulled-kayaks are known to be very stable because they combine the primary stability of flat hulls and secondary stability of rounded hulls. But they do tend to be slower. Our Hi Five and Solo kids kayaks and the Targa sit-on-top kayaks use this hull form.
  • Chine: Chine is the description of the way the bottom of the boat meets the sides in either a rounded “soft” more rounded chine or with more angles and a “harder” chine. Most boats fall somewhere in between and have a multi-chine hull. The softer the chine, the more secondary stability the boat will have.
• With these thoughts in mind, your first and biggest decision is whether to go for a sit-on-top or a sit-inside kayak and there are pros and cons to each. Once you have decided on whether to go for a sit-on-top or sit-inside, you will need to decide on the length for your kayak.
  • Sit-on-tops -Sit-on-tops (SOT’s) are the most user friendly. They are stable, easy to get on and off of and there is no feeling of confinement. They are also self-bailing which means that water drains through small opening through the hull (scupper holes). Another great thing about sit-on-tops is that you can slip on and off of them fairly easily which makes them a great choice for beginners, kids and active adults to paddle and play with. These kayaks are better suited for warmer environments because you will get splashed. As stated earlier, SOTs tend to be wider for their length and thus slower for a given paddler. SOTs also tend to be heavier for their length compared to sit-inside kayaks. In addition to they typical rotomolded recreational SOT, there are a couple of major variations:
    • Fishing Kayaks are typically sit-on-tops that are wider and more stable – stable enough to stand up on. These kayaks also have fishing-specific outfitting: rod holders, anti-slip deck coatings, provisions for multiple rods, fish finders and/or live wells, etc. They often also have options for hands-free propulsion (foot-powered pedal drive or battery powered (trolling motor or replacement for the pedal drive)) to allow for fishing while moving.Inflatable kayaks are another option to consider. This type of kayak is usually a variation of a sit-on-top kayak that is reasonably durable (especially those intended for whitewater), lightweight, and easy to transport. Once your day on the water is over, you will just deflate the kayak, so it fits in your car or truck. Inflatable kayaks can be a good choice for beginners looking for their first kayak or those with limited storage space. They tend to be slower than solid-hull boats because of their hull materials and they tend to be wider for their length. Casual Kayakers has chosen not to use inflatable kayaks due to their higher maintenance needs compared to rotomolded kayaks. Our compact kayaks are Pakayaks, which can pack down (42”x 24” x 16”), and still provide the performance of a solid-hull kayak.
  • Sit-inside – Sit-inside kayaks give the paddler some shelter from the wind and water. You can add extra coverage with a spray skirt. A spray skirt is a flexible waterproof cockpit cover with a hole for your waist. They can help prevent water from entering the kayak cockpit as you paddle. These are great for paddlers who will be in cooler water or wish greater protection from the sun/elements, who want to stay dryer while paddling, and who want a faster kayak compared to comparable SOT. Sit-in models tend to offer more closed/protected storage space. The sit-in kayak can be more efficient to paddle compared the sit-on-top variety due to its lower center of gravity (your hips are roughly even with the water line). The only downside to sit-inside kayaks is that if you flip for some reason, recovering is not a simple process because your kayak is going to swamp.
• Categories of Sit-inside – Sit-inside kayaks can be broken into three distinct categories with compact storage kayaks as a sub-category.
  • Recreational (Rec) sit-inside kayaks which are wider, shorter and have larger cockpits and cockpit openings that don’t feel as confining. Rec kayaks are usually 9 to 12 feet long.
  • Sea kayaks are on the other end of the spectrum and are faster and designed to deal with a variety of conditions.
    • Sea kayaks are typically longer – 12 to 18+ feet, and narrower and they have smaller cockpits that are designed to be used with a cockpit skirt to keep the water out. A smaller cockpit also lets you use thigh hooks to grip the boat with your legs which gives you a lot more control over the kayak.
    • The tradeoff is that sea kayaks are lot less stable (primary and secondary) than rec kayaks and people can find the small cockpits confining even though if you flip it’s very easy to get out of them.
    • If you’re going to paddle a sea kayak, it’s recommended that you take a training course prior to going out because, among other things, it teaches you how to deal with a capsize or an out-of-boat experience.
  • Touring kayaks are in between rec kayaks and sea kayaks. Touring kayaks are usually between 12 and 16 feet long and they offer a great compromise of performance, comfort, and stability.
  • Compact Storage Kayaks are a variation on sit-inside kayaks. The kayak’s pieces nest together or fold up in some fashion to make a more compact storage size and are assembled prior to use. There are a few multi-piece rotomolded kayaks and several fold-up kayaks out there.
    • We’ve found Pakayaks to be the better of the offerings for the types of trips we typically take. Pakayaks can pack down (42”x 24” x 16”) but are ~14’ long when assembled and still provide the performance of a narrow (24″ wide), solid-hull sea/touring kayak.
    • There are also multi-piece SOT kayaks and solid multi-piece SUPs but they don’t tend to nest as compactly.
• Casual Kayakers Demo Trip allows you and your group to try multiple kayaks or SUPs to figure out what suits your paddling preferences.
  • If you are thinking about buying a kayak/SUP, once you’ve decided what type of suits your needs, you’ve dramatically reduced the options.
  • Once the type of kayak is decided, most of your follow-on decisions concern your comfort in/on the watercraft and relate to features of convenience for the type of paddling that you’re going to do.

Casual Kayakers uses kayaks made by Wilderness Systems, Perception, Dagger, (all part of Confluence Outdoor), Old Town, and Pakayak. These are mid-to-upper end of the rotomolded high density polyethylene (plastic) kayaks with better seats and hardware than many less costly models. We’ll limit our detailed discussion to plastic kayaks.

• Materials and quality of construction lead the way in what drives the cost of a kayak. Materials like fiberglass, carbon fiber, and wood are used in high-end kayaks and drive their significant prices. In addition, kayaks with more features and accessories are more expensive than basic models. These higher-end kayaks are expensive to make and repair and fiberglass models can be prone to damage from rocks, scrapes, and impacts, but are great for long-distance river or ocean trips.
  • Polyethylene is the most commonly used kayak material, by a significant margin, in the world of recreational kayaking. That’s been true since the 1970s when Perception Kayaks first introduced rotomolded kayaks.
    • Besides the comparatively budget-friendly price, plastic kayaks are also favored for their impact-resistance. Polyethylene hulls have some flex to them, meaning they are more likely to bend than to break or crack. High-quality, rotomolded kayaks offer great performance-to-price value; they are impact-resistant, scratch resilient construction is suitable for whitewater, rocky shorelines, concrete launches, and years of low-maintenance use.
    • Differing prices for these kayaks are in part based on the quality of materials (including UV protection additives and kayak-specific blends) and innovative designs to meet specific paddling requirements.
    • The term “rotational molding” is the process of making these plastic ‘yaks: Rotomolded kayak manufacturers use plastic pellets poured into the mold and baked rotisserie style until the melted polyethylene coats the inside of the mold evenly. The result is a one-piece kayak that is ready to be outfitted and put in the water. It is a straightforward process that does not involve layering materials or fusing separate parts (like in wood, fiberglass, or carbon fiber). This simplified manufacturing explains the comparatively inexpensive nature of rotomolded kayaks. Rotomolded kayaks can have thicker outer corners or other higher wear areas which help strengthen and lengthen the useful life of the kayak.
• Box store kayaks are best for those looking to enjoy occasional outings on calm, sheltered water or slow moving streams or rivers, rather than those wanting to develop their paddling skills and progress to more advanced, open water conditions.
  • These beginner to novice-level, less expensive boats are designed for quieter water conditions on lakes and rivers. These ‘yaks are typically recreational boats with simple or minimal outfitting and the quality/UV protection of the materials varies widely.
  • Recognize that most box store salespeople won’t have the same breadth of kayaking knowledge as a dedicated paddling store, so consider a specialty paddlesports retailer if you are thinking about making a more serious investment in kayaking.
• Brand name kayaks are typically made out better materials with more UV protection (so they can last longer), have more refined designs, and better outfitting. Because the kayaks are designed and outfitted for specific purposes, they are usually more comfortable and can better handle longer trips and/or more challenging conditions. These kayaks are usually sold at dedicated paddlesports stores.
• Casual Kayakers choice of kayaks is made based on extensive research and experience with mainly Confluence Outdoor brands (Wilderness Systems Kayaks, Perception Kayaks, Dagger Kayaks).
  • We found the Wilderness Systems seats more comfortable and more adjustable, the hatches and bulkheads are higher quality, and the hull designs are better for the trips we take.
  • We added Pakayak (Pak-a-yak) kayaks since they give the performance of a solid-hull rotomolded kayak but are much easier to store and transport and thus allow us to bring more kayaks to each location.
  • We have a few Old Town kayaks that fill specific customer needs (i.e. smaller paddlers). The majority of our kayaks are either higher-end recreational or mid-range, day-trip touring boats.