There are several type of kayaks you can use in and around London and in the UK overall. Having said that I want to emphasize on the using especially in the and around the river Thames and near by beaches if you wish to.
which kayak to buy ?
There are varieties of kayak now as compared to earlier based on what you looking to do with it. Depends upon why you need to buy a kayak. How often you’re going to be using? It should have a large sitting area or we may say a cockpit. There are a lot of kayak models to look at but how do you know which one to choose.
Below I have explained the purpose of each type of kayaks in short. Please take a look at it and hopefully you should get some help in deciding what is suitable for you. If you’re deciding on a budget then you better go for the most entry level one.
A very important thing to remember is that you should know how to swim if you wish to participate in this sport. Although you can take a life jacket or buoyancy jacket with you, it is advisable to know swimming beforehand you may check more Water sport essentials
This could not only help you but someone else life too. So, having said that I would like to share with you some type of kayaks and their uses as you read further.
There’s two types of seats so far as we see one is sit on top
Sit on top
They have holes in them which allow the water to be drained out. They are also more stable the issue with these kayaks is that you are bound to get wet. Of course when you enter into the water you shouldn’t be scared of getting wet. There’s one which can be used as powered, peddled and also paddled. These are the advanced one. Generally these are the ones that are mostly modified by manufacturers and can be easily customized.
Sit inside
These are the ones that you must have mostly seen around the white waters & in the competitions. They either come with the cover that can be hooked on the open area which then gets sealed and also it protects you from getting wet.
The types of kayaks as per the purpose are as follows:-
Adventure
adventure kayak
If you’re looking for a simple kayak then you may be able to find it in a major Tesco stores. When you look for buying it online then it may also show you Decathlon stores as well. First try to look for on Amazon stores for a kayak, may be you can get a better deal on that and also all the necessary gear needed for your adventure.
White water rafting
water sports kayak
This sport is a dangerous one but many people love to get into it. However, we don’t have like a really violent river current in London. You may try Waltham staw Lee Valley white water centre to get that experience if you’re looking for. Else you’re going to have to go for a special holidays to find that kind of white waters or near the sea side.
Commuting to work
These are inflatable ones and can be easily folded and carried along with you if you wish to commute and they can even be used for camping. I wouldn’t advice your on fishing in this one as its not very suitable for that sport. It is best to use them in the calm and silent waters and they perform really best.
Take a look at the gentleman as he travels to work on his inflatable kayak.
Preparing for a kayaking competition
kayak competition
If you are thinking of entering into a kayaking competition or are into making it a career then probably you know good enough information on kayaks. You are a good swimmer and a physically fit person. If you are not into all of this then probably you might need to give it a thought and then decided what you would like to do. All nice looking items are not always good to buy they need to serve some purpose. It could attract you a lot to go for those ones but don’t put your money in something you wouldn’t make full use of.
Camping and fishing
kayak fishing
The shops will explain you which one to buy but the purpose for which you need is very crucial to identify first as mentioned earlier. Important thing is to learn about kayaking before you decide on buying one. For fishing you need a really stable kayak. Some manufacturers also modify and also customize your kayak according to your needs. They can add peddles, a motor and stabilizers as well.
There’s hybrid kayaks (canoe), white water kayaks, kayaks that you can used in the calm waters or flat waters. They are more heavier due to the durability as its normally made of plastic that is polyethylene or depending on the manufacturer of these kayaks. You may also come across kayaks that are specially meant for touring in the sea etc,. It can also be called as the camping kayak if you may want to call it so.
Going places to see on your type of kayak
Based on your purpose of buying a kayak, you may choose the special type. You may not want to spend money on the kayak where you would think doesn’t serve the purpose. There’s all different places you might come across where you may be able to see people using a kayaks especially during the summer season. Places like Kingston upon Thames, Richmond, then there’s places like between Gunnersbury and Kew garden. You could be able to see this when you’re commuting by the train.
Kingston rowing club is one of the popular one in London as well. You can contact them if you’re in or nearby London. They are located in Ham a very beautiful location.
Get the map check for yourself where you can go and where you can’t based on the type of kayaks and your license. This post doesn’t cover everything that is or might be the requirement for you to get your kayak into the river or inland waterways.
Do you need a license to boat in the UK?
Yes you do need a license but you don’t need to give a test or like that of a car. You also need a boat safety certificate (BSS) if it falls under the same requirement. This all depends on the current requirement and how you can get the license can be found gov.uk website and also up to date information can be found if your are a member of a rowing club and or ‘canoe union’ in short etc,. If you wish to use a canal you need to check the requirement before hand.
If you have a license and the necessary insurance based on the type of a kayak or a boat then you don’t have to worry too much. It appears to be a lot to do however, once you’ve taken all the necessary steps for it then you’ve nothing to worry about. British canoeing org can provide you some more helpful information also in terms of licensing.
How much does your kayak license cost?
The exact amount I can’t provide you here this is because we don’t know when or which date you must be reading this article. So please check with the relevant licensing authority about the exact cost of your license. I wanted to provide you with the all the places you can use for your kayaking. However, it is important that you check if you need a license. You also need to know where you can use kayaks based on the type of the kayaks.
Support us and share the knowledge
If you live in London and you have a hobby for water sport. You’ve come to the right place to get more information also do your due diligence and please comment so we may learn something new and useful information from you. It can help others who don’t know much about it and can get more knowledge on this. The topics such as where you can go to get the training can be discussed in the next update IA
