About Kayaks

Very stable, tracks well and easy to get on top. However it is slow and less maneuverable. Good for a couple of hours as there is little protection for legs.

Recreational Kayak

More maneuverable and faster then sit on tops but features depend on models. Close deck provide more protection. Good for day trip.

Touring Kayak

Faster and tracks better than recreational kayak. Greater capacity allows more gears for multi-day expeditions. Turning is more difficult, and this is sometime assisted with a rudder.

Pedal Kayak

Provide options for using leg power for propulsion. Useful for fishing trips.

Inflatable flat kayak

Tends to be stable but less maneuverable and less trackable. May need attached skeg to keep true.

Foldable kayak

Faster and more efficient than inflatables but less stable and more affected by wind

(b) Whitewater kayaks: for rivers and streams

Playboat

River runners

Creek boat

Long boats

Inflatable Whitewater (Duckie)

(2) Canoe-sports and related disciplines

Source: International Canoe Federation

The term Canoe generally refers to similar class of boats that are propelled by paddles (either single or double bladed). Canoe-sports typically sub-categorise these boats in the following manner:

K1, K2, K4: Kayak (sitting, double-bladed paddles for 1, 2 and 4 pax)
C1, C2, C4: Canoe (kneeling, single-bladed paddles for 1, 2 and 4 pax)
OC1, OC2, OC4: Outrigger Canoe (Raised seats, single-bladed paddles for 1, 2, 4 pax). OC crafts are fitted with rudders.
V1, V2, V4: Va'a (seated, single-bladed paddles for 1, 2, 4 pax). Like outrigger canoes but NO rudder fitted.
JC_, JK_: Junior canoe and junior kayak respectively.

Canoe / Kayak Slalom

Canoe 1 Men (C1)

Canoe Kayak 2 Men (K2)

Va'a 4 Men (V4)

Dragon boat

Stand-up paddling

Waveski

Kayak Sail

(3) Kayak designs

source: paddling.com; Current Designs Kayak; Austin Kayak

(a) Kayak Length: the longer a boat is relative to its width, the faster hull speed it will attain, and it will track and glide better than shorter boats. Length is a consideration when higher volume/capacity is desired.

(b) Kayak Width: A wider, beamier hull tends to be more stable and easier maneuverability at the expense of speed. The width of a kayak can also affect your paddle length and paddling style (eg high angle for narrow, low angle for wide kayak).

(c) Kayak Height: The distance from the keel to the top of the cockpit at the foredeck peak affects the overall depth of the kayak, as well as volume of the boat and cockpit - for gear stowage and comfort. However higher kayaks are more affected by wind.

(d) Kayak Weight: Several kayaks of exactly the same shape but made from different materials will each have a significantly different weight. That weight can affect the stability and ultimately maneuverability of your kayak when fully loaded.

(e) Hull shape

Rounded Hulls have rounded edges, giving the kayak a ‘torpedo’ shape that result in increased speed because of less water resistance and make for more maneuverable kayaks.

V-Shaped Hulls allows the hull to better cut through the water, making them more effective at tracking in straight lines. These hulls are generally fast as well but sometimes ‘tippy’.

Flat Hulls are used for a surprising variety of purposes, ranging from play boats to fishing kayaks. Based on factors like length, width and curvature, flat hulls combine stability and maneuverability.

Pontoon Hulls (AKA Tunnel) gives the greatest stability available. While these hulls generally lend themselves to decent tracking, they aren’t known for their speed.

(f) Hull profile

Shallow Arch: good initial stability and are very maneuverable.

Shallow "V": This shape improves tracking and has a comfortable stability.

Hard Chine: has a well-defined edge increases the initial stability greatly and assist in holding an edge.

Soft Chine: A smooth transition from the bottom to the sides give smooth edging at unlimited angles. Most kayaks have a soft chine.

(g) Rocker

The degree of curvature in the hull from bow to stern defines the rocker. More rocker improves the ability to maneuver the kayak, especially in rough water. A kayak with little or no rocker will track very well and travel efficiently, but may be more difficult to maneuver.

(h) Summary of features for touring vs recreational kayaks

(4) Skegs and Rudder

Sources: https://www.kayakpaddling.net/skeg-vs-rudder/

Also, read more in ED's Workplace post.

Skegs:

Fins installed at the sternward hull. Some may be raised or lowered but they can't be rotated side to side.

Skegs allow kayaks to track straight but does not aid in maneuverability.

Rudder:

Fins installed at stern of kayak and may be rotated side to side.

Fins can be controlled (usually with a pedal, hence allow better maneuverability.

(5) Paddles

Sources: paddling.com; REI Co-op

(a) Oars vs Paddles:

Oars are used for rowing where usually the rower(s) sit back facing the direction of motion. Oars are mechanically pivoted to the craft and has one blade each. Paddles are not mechanically pivoted to the craft and must be held by the paddler(s).

Rowing with Oars

Paddling with Paddle (can be one sided or 2 sided)

(b) Canoe vs Kayak paddles:

Canoeists usually kneel and use a one sided paddle. The paddling is usually high to provide more forward propulsion. kayakers usually sit down and uses a two sided paddle. Kayak paddling may be high angled (for touring and tracking) or low angled (for recreational or maneuverability)

Kayaking with 2 bladed paddle

Canoeing with 1 bladed paddle

An unfeathered paddle has both blades aligned along the same plane. Lay an unfeathered paddle on a flat surface and both blades will lie parallel to that surface.

Rotate one of the powerfaces forward slightly, say to 30°, and you've now "feathered" the paddle. The feathered blade is offset from the working powerface blade and then rotated into position during the power stroke on that side of the kayak.

Reasons for feathering a paddle are:

Decrease the affect of wind against the upstroke paddle by presenting an edge to the wind instead of a broad flat surface (as an unfeathered paddle would do)
A more natural wrist movement and hence less wrist strain. Wrist strain, interestingly enough, is one of the strongest reasons why others choose not to feather.

Parts of paddle

Feathering of paddle blades

(d) High vs Low angles

The low-angle stroke is done with the shaft being only slightly tilted—your top hand stays below your shoulder level. This stroke is ideal for relaxed, recreational kayaking in flat water.

Featuring a more tilted shaft and close-to-boat blade path, the high-angle stroke is how some paddlers progress to for more speed. The stroke requires precision and is fatiguing if you lack that precision. It requires a shorter paddle and a wider blade than a paddle you’d use for a low-angle stroke.

(e) Blade Profiles

Symmetric blades tend to be the choice of whitewater paddlers as well as those who prefer a high stroke while touring. Those who tend to use a more leisurely low stroke tend to use the very common asymmetric blades because when the blade enters the water at the proper angle, the asymmetry enables both halves of the power face to have the same total area of contact with the water.

Greenland paddle are ideal for long treks, with their thin blade edges slicing the water effortlessly. They are not meant for speed.

(f) Blade Shapes

A flat paddle blade is exactly that – flat across the surface. An exception is the addition of a rib down the center of an otherwise flat-paneled power face. The rib is there to guide the flow of water towards the outer edges of the blade – while reducing flutter. Some paddle makers also use that rib to add strength to the blade.

Dihedral paddles have two plane/power faces. This lateral angle – that can vary by manufacturer – is designed to guide the water flow across the surface of the blade. By doing so it can reduce flutter in the paddle by directing that flow along the face to the outer edge. Like flat blades, a dihedral blade may also have a curve along its length.

Curved / Spoon Blade - Adding a sweep to the paddle blade, either along the axis of the blade (curve) or through the cross-section (spoon) affects the bite a paddle has in the water. The curve is similar to the shape of a swimmer's hand during the power stroke. The curve is designed to provide an early catch during the beginning of the stroke.

The most recognizable variation of a spoon blade is the "wing" design most often used by racers. It requires solid torso twist strokes and the path of the blade through the water is angled out away from the boat and longer than the conventional high racing stroke used with other paddles.

(6) Kayak Games

Prepared by Kidd and Ipin; see Workplace Post.

Kayak Games .docx

(7) History of Kayak Canoe

sources: olympics.org, wikipedia.com

~ 8000 BCE: Earliest sample of dugout canoe dated, found in Netherlands (Presse Canoe).

~ 6000 BCE: Earliest sample of dugout canoe in Asia dated, found in China Zhejiang Province.

~ 3000 BCE : Use of outrigger canoes in the Astronesian Expansion from Taiwan to South East Asia and Indo-pacific.

~ 2000 BCE: Kayaks for hunting developed by Inuits, Aleuts and Yup'ik people of North America.

~ 2000 BCE: Outrigger canoes became popular throughout Polynesian Triangle. (photo: Polynesian outrigger canoe with sail rigged)

~ 500 BCE: Dragon boats developed in China, first for military, then for competitive purposes.

Early 19th century: Canoeing clubs and competitions started in Europe. (photo: Royal Canoe Club of UK formed in 1864)

1924: Canoeing became an exhibition sports in Olympics. It was elevated to competition sports in 1936. (photo: The American Canoeing team in 1924)

Operation Jaywick (September 1943)

Sources: Peter Cundall 2012 , Australian National Maritime Museum

On the night of 26 September 1943, men from Special Operations Australia’s top-secret Z Special Unit, paddling three folding canoes, carried out a daring and successful undercover raid on enemy ships in Japanese occupied Singapore Harbour.

They had sailed 3,960 km from Exmouth, Western Australia, deep into enemy territory in Borneo aboard the captured Japanese-built fishing boat Krait.

The commandos island-hopped, paddling their folding canoes northwards through the archipelago arriving at Pulau Dongas on 22 September. There they observed Singapore Harbour traffic, where approximately 59,000 tonnes of Japanese shipping had gathered.

On 26 September, the six men in their three canoes slipped through the night towards their targets.

They attached magnetic limpet mines to the hulls of seven ships and fled the anchorage undetected. Early the next morning, six explosions shattered the darkness and six Japanese ships – 35,000 tonnes – were sunk or severely damaged. One mine had failed to detonate. Krait reached the rendezvous point on 2 October, collected the canoes and their crews and retreated back across the Java Sea through Lombok Strait to Exmouth, arriving on 19 October.

The Allies never admitted involvement...as a result the Japanese sought vengeance on Singapore’s civilians.