Know About Modern Kayak Types

Modern kayaks may be categorized into sea kayak, white water kayak, racing kayak, and surf kayak. These kayaks are made from wood, rotomolded plastic, fiberglass, carbon fiber, Kevlar, or fiber over aluminum or wooden frame. They are available in single, double, and sometimes even in three- or four-person models. Let us discuss about the modern kayak in detail.

Modern kayak types:

1.Sea kayak: these are designed to accommodate one or two paddlers. These are more maneuverable and have extreme stability and cargo capacity. Sea kayak has further subtypes that include:

Strip-built- that is more close to rigid fiberglass boat but very light in comparison to it.

Sit-on-top- these are used for fishing, diving and can usually accommodate 1-2 but also come have models that can accommodate 3-4 people. Normally, the seat of this kayak is above the water level, so the center of gravity is higher. In order to compensate, the width is increased for the same length of a traditional kayak.

2.Skin-on-frame- the design, technique, material and construction of these kayaks is more similar to traditional kayaks. These are the lightest among all and are being used in Greenland by Inuit people for hunting.

3.Recreational- these are built for paddlers interested in photography, a peaceful paddle in a lake, or fishing. These have larger cockpit and wider beam for stability reasons. The capacity of cargo is limited, and the length is less than 12 feet.

4.Whitewater kayak: are highly maneuverable and are made of rigid material like polyethylene. The length of these kayaks is small (6-10 feet) in comparison to others. Small boats are maneuverable but slow. Whitewater kayaks do not require inherent speed, as they move down with the current. In kayak rodeo competition, whitewater paddlers use rapids features to do tricks while they are in one place on the river.

5.Surf kayak: also known as surf skis, are narrow and long kayaks for surf zone rescue and surf breaking waves. Surf kayaking uses kayaks similar to whitewater kayak design. The only difference is that they have a planing hull. Surf kayaks can be 12 feet long to increase the planing speed on wave and to have good paddling speed for catching waves. A variation to closed cockpit surf kayak design is open cockpit (Waveski) design.

6.Racing kayak: these are designed for speed. To achieve stability, the paddler requires subsatntial skill, as the hull is extremely narrow. These kayaks have subtypes of flat water and slalom kayak.

7.Multi type kayaks: these include inflatable and pedal kayaks.

Inflatable kayak-these can be easily stored and transported. They are made of polyurethane, PVC, or hypalon. You can inflate them with hand, foot, or electric pump. They are highly portable, stable, easy to master, and are slower than traditional boats.

Pedal kayak- is a special type of boat using pedals allowing the paddler to propel the vessel with underwater flippers instead of a paddle.

O’Brien Wakeboards

The late 1980's saw the emergence of a new extreme water sport, one that needed only a large body of water, like a lake, instead of being only an oceanside sport. Taking a cue from snowboarding, Tony Finn took the idea to water and by combining skiing and surfing techniques developed "wakeboarding". This very athletic sport involves being towed by a boat that creates large wake waves and the rider being pulled behind maneuvers onto the resulting wake waves to perform multiple tricks.

When these early pioneers of the sport contacted Herb O'Brien of H.O. Sports, history and the solidification of a new sport was assured. H.O. Sports had a fine reputation for creating quality surfboards and the inclusion of the knowledgeable Mr. O'Brien began perfecting the new equipment.

As a result of this collaboration, the "Hyperlite" (tm) wave board was introduced. Using a smaller sized board with more sharply cut sides, this compression molded board was the first official brand. As the sport grew and performances were analyzed, new modifications began to emerge. For a slicker ride and softer landing, concave "dimples" were cut into the bottom surface of the boards. To perfect other complex maneuvers, different styles of fins were placed on the lower surfaces.

As an instrumental enthusiast of this new form of sport, Herb O'Brien brought his new "Hyperlite" to the World Skiboard competitions in 1990 and blew the competition out of the water. This new style and design of surfing board changed the sport so much that its name and focus was changed to "World Wakeboard Association" in just a few years.

Never content to rest on his laurels, Mr. O'Brien created a new, exclusive company called "Square One" to continue development of these swift water boards. Partnered with Championship Wakeboarder Scott Byerly, this new company specializes in only the top of the line equipment for this exciting water sport.

Liquid Force Wakeboards

The primary construction material for the high performance wakeboards used in wakesurfing is "ultra high molecular weight polythylene" (UHMWP). This thermoplastic is created by a process that spins the molecules into strands that create a very high density material which has both a lighter overall weight and strength yet still maintains a bit of flexibility to the finished product.

It is quite easy to bond other materials to UHMWP, thus one can get a wakeboard with the slick thermoplastic on the bottom for speed and yet still have a traditional upper surface that will allow some traction for the feet to maintain some control over the movements during performances. Most liquid force wakeboards now come with a foot harness that can be custom positioned to account for the user's preferred stance as well as leg span.

UHMWP is a primary structure in such diverse applications as Kevlar body armor and the artificial joints used in replacement surgery. Ropes and sails are also manufactured with this material. There are four methods used to produce this substance. Wakeboards are formed using the compression method rather than the extrusion process. When blended with carbon fibers or fiberglass, the UHMWP creates a strong flexible board with a high impact resistance and very low friction gradient for quicker passage over the water.

With this lightweight, flexible and easily molded and formed material, it is possible to try many variations on wakeboard size and thickness. With each new design of the "liquid force" wakeboard, new properties allow smooth accomplishment of experimental sports performance. Using UHMWP materials as a base prevents chipping and breakage in the boards. Many of the standard maneuvers of wakeboarding would be impossible to achieve with traditional surfboard materials.

As the sport continues, there will undoubtedlybe new materials come to light that may even surpass the liquid force wakeboards in quality and performance.

Hyperlite Wakeboards

The beginnings of the official extreme sport of wakeboarding can be credited to Herb O'Brien and Tony Finn. As the owner of H.O. Sports, Mr. O'Brien contracted the top surfboard designers of Hawaii to help him create a new type of water board. Seeking a specific balance of neutral buoyancy in a compression molded board, the final product made possible the increasingly popular trick performance wakesurfing.

Designed to use the wake of the towing boat as the platform for trick skiing with the single board, wakesurfing boards need to be thin and cut with sharper edges than a traditional surf board. The Hyperlite boards used to start this sport had concave "dimples" along the bottom surface to not only glide more quickly through the water but offered a softer landing after a jump. Wake board designs also have grown to include foot fastenings that can be altered between right and left orientation for further custom control.

In the quest for wakeboard excellence, dozens of other board manufacturers now create wake boards with such features as water grooves for speed and various sizes of bottom fins for stability or trick specific performance. The original Hyperlite boards are still being updated and new designs are tested to maintain the cutting edge of this extreme sport's primary equipment.

A good wake surfer will use several designs and models of boards during a competition as the various maneuvers required in this sport also require different configurations for successful performance.

While being instrumental in legitimizing wakeboarding as a sport unto itself, Herb O'Brien sold H.B. Sports in 2007 and took up with the professional wakeboarder Scott Byerly to create "Square One" which features the exclusive Ronix (tm) brand of wakeboards. As this sport gains popularity it is expected that the Hyperlite wakeboard will also evolve over time and maintain its leading edge over all newcomers on the market.

Best Wakeboard

In the eternal quest for sporting excitement, new extreme sports are being constantly created from older, more conservative methods of play. One such sport to make a place for itself in the annals of extreme sports is "wakeboarding". Developed from a cross between regular surfboarding and water skiing, wakeboarding involves a single board, smaller than a traditional surf board being pulled by a motorboat.

What makes wakeboarding exciting is that the competition comes in the form of the maneuvers performed as the board is ridden over the wake waves of the towing boat. A series of flips, spins and twists are all just a part of the gyrations attempted at the wave peak crossing. The "pull point" where the attached cable leads off the boat is higher than with regular skiing so the rider can obtain more "lift" while performing.

The boats themselves are required to be of a special design. Often built with the engine and transmission reversed and moved forward and the propeller situated under the craft, the weight of the boat is balanced in the bow so a deeper cut into the water will create greater wave forms for the performer to ride. There are several fin designs that will offer different performance features although many experts argue that no fin at all will give the experienced wakeboarder a definite advantage.

The average speed for a wakesurfer to perform at is between eighteen and twenty-five miles per hour. The board is especially designed to cut the water more sharply than a regular surfboard or ski. Depending on the maneuvers you are attempting, the board may have a bottom surface of dimpled concaves for riding higher in the water or grooved water channels to allow the board to cut more quickly through the water. The best wakeboards will be custom built to take into consideration the height, weight and preferred foot placement for better performance.