paddling Archives - BoatinPortal.com

Whether it is extreme or serene, kayaking is a much more enjoyable adventure when the newcomer to the high seas has gained a certain degree of knowledge and experience.

Here are five tips for the complete beginner to sea kayaking:

1 – Basics

First-time sea kayaking paddlers can experience a variety of mishaps on the initial outing if the standard techniques aren’t learnt, including:

Use the proper grip for holding the paddle. A paddle should be held with a light grip to give better control of movement while maintaining a good level of flexibility. Plus, a light grip means less chance of straining the muscles.
Move a paddle with a deep, rhythmic, and a swift forward motion to get the kayak moving.
Use a sweeping stroke to help with maneuvering and correcting the course. A sweep stroke is much wider compared to the forward and reverse strokes.
Paddle at a pace and range that is comfortable for the specific kayakers comfort and enjoyment. Sticking to a personal style makes it easier to move naturally through the sea.
Paddling with the upper body held stable. By holding the proper center of gravity there is less chance of the kayak tipping and this ensures the steering action is significantly easier.
Practice the proper paddling techniques on the beach or similar shore-based area to get a feel of how to handle the paddles. Move on to shallow waters and get fully used to the proper movement until muscle memory is achieved.

2 – Companion

A solo kayaking adventure for the complete beginner is rarely a good idea. Paddling on the open sea can be quite unpredictable, so going with companions is certain to mean a safer and more enjoyable adventure. Go out with 2-3 other kayakers when first starting out to get a better appreciation of the entire experience. A kayaking adventure can experience several different situations which are much easier to handle when in a group environment.

3 – Lessons

Beginner sea kayakers should start their adventures by learning the basic skills before setting off on to the sea. Basic skills include maneuvering capabilities to paddling strokes. Without the basic knowledge, a paddler can soon find themselves in difficulty. Start with the simple lessons and slowly progress on the path to becoming a professional paddler.

4 – Map

While a mobile phone and GPS can be useful tools while out paddling they do have certain limitations such as reception signal and battery life. For these reasons it can also benefit to have the ability to use a compass and read a nautical chart.

5 – Route and weather

Plan a paddling route that is familiar. Use sheltered areas or bays to get more protection from choppy waters and strong winds. This is certain to benefit the beginner when first starting out. Get a regular update of the weather forecast to determine the likely conditions out at sea. But, when paddling a kayak in the open sea it is always wise to expect a certain degree of waves and wind even on days that appear calm. Avoid kayaking in difficult conditions with fog a real issue – sight of land is easily lost with low-visibility.

Easy-to-use, safe, and reliable the kayak hoist systems are designed with a thick, reliable rope, solid engineering, and safety-catch to support paddling machines up to 150-pounds.

Versatile in use, the kayak ceiling hoist is available in multiple configurations, with models designed to hold a 1-person kayak, raft or canoe up to a maximum weight limit of 50-pound, to those designed to hold 2-person or multiple canoes, and accepting a maximum weight limit in the region of 300-pounds.

Hoist Features

Ceiling mounted, the garage hoist system, with its adjustable straps (guarantees a raft, canoe or kayak is kept in position), safety release latch (puts a stop to accidental release), and rubber-coated hooks (protects from abrasions or scuffs) is built to hold a Old Town, Ocean, Perception, or Native Watercraft at a height of approx 12-foot above floor level.

Supports a 50, 100, 125 or 150-lbs weight limit
Protects kayaks from scratches via the rubber coated hooks
Smooth operating pulley and latch system
Avoids un-wanted release with reliable safety mechanism
Thick rope for long-term use
Accepts all-types of paddling machines (canoe, kayaks, dinghies and rafts)

Easy for a single person to control, the kayak hoist system is constructed with a smooth rope or pulley system to lift or lower a raft in a solid, flat position via use of its two ropes; one attached to each end of the machine, and safely positions a kayak at ceiling height in minutes.

Perfect to mount on either open rafters or finished ceiling, the kayak storage systems are supplied with all assembly hardware (lift, pulleys, screws, rope, etc) for ease in positioning in an unobstructed space.

Push-button Hoists and Motorized Pulleys

Raise or lower a kayak, canoe or raft with a simple-to-operate electric hoist system – lifting a much higher load limit, often in the region of 225 – 250-pounds. Push-button control, the electric hoists operate via a 110-volt outlet, flex-corded hand control, and reliable ¾-HP motor – An efficient solution to eliminate a lot of the clutter that builds up in a garage space – and a great choice if wishing to avoid the strain of man-handling a paddling machine into position.

Other Well-Situated Systems

Racor, Harken Hoister, BAC Industries, and ProSource design and manufacture a series of kayak hoist pulley system to lift a raft – up to 17-ft 9” – to a safe, and secure ceiling height.

1- Storage Rack

A free-standing, super portable, and lightweight solution for organizing multiple canoes, kayaks, surfboards, or similar sports equipment – A floor-based rack is designed to hold paddling machines up to 30-inch in width, up to 20-foot in length, and up to 75-pound in weight.

2 – Wall Cradle

Load almost all kayak models – up to a 100-pounds in weight and 15-inch in depth – onto a steel constructed wall cradle for a safe, reliable hold. Cradles are foam padded to guarantee scratch-free protection of a paddling machine.

3 – Boat Hanger

A versatile solution to hang up to 3 kayaks in a safe, horizontal position – easily adaptable, the boat hangers come with multiple webbing loops which attach to the ceiling for a safe anchoring position.

Versatile in use, the multi-use kayak hoists offer the benefit of lifting or lowering a wide variety of garden or household objects often confined to a workshop or garage, such as deck furniture, adult-size bicycles, sports apparatus, ladders, dock boxes, garden tools, etc.

Also, in order to arrange sufficient boat insurance coverage it is often a requirement to store or secure a small craft against theft or vandalism – or at least remove all equipment if left out in the open – kayak storage systems of this nature will help to comply with these requirements.

All in all, a simple-to-use kayak hoist offers a space-saving solution to lift or lower kayaking equipment – up to 150-lbs – or similar other garage clutter to get back a lot more lost floor space.