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| KAYAK LENGTH The length of a kayak has a tremendous effect on its tracking, maneuverability, and stability. Longer kayaks have a number of advantages: they are usually easier to paddle, more stable with the same amount of weight, and capable of carrying heavier loads with less loss of performance. THEY ALSO TRACK BETTER, MOVE FASTER, AND GLIDE FARTHER WITH EACH STROKE, ALLOWING GREATER EFFICIENCY WITH LESS EFFORT. These attributes are especially important on lakes or other calm water, where hairpin turns are not involved. With a shorter kayak, oddly enough, you have to exert more energy to paddle it forward than with a longer model. A longer kayak will also negotiate the waves of a river or wind-tossed lake more smoothly than a short one, which will torque out with each oncoming wave, requiring you to fight to keep on course. A longer boat will give you more stability and a much better ride. A still longer craft will be completely manageable, rising and falling gently with the waves. Shorter kayaks, on the other hand, are less expensive, lighter in weight, less cumbersome, and easier to transport. But the most important virtue of a short kayak is quicker turns. A short hull is also preferable to paddling on narrow streams. |
