Tested a new kayak, loved it and bought it. Got it on the Explr and took it to a large lake. Calm and peaceful, not a ripple on the water except for a few powerboats, but not bad. It was then I noticed a gurgling sound, like pouring water out of a full jug sound. My paddling partner could hear it, too, and we checked both hatches and dry as could be. So, since I wasn’t sinking we continued on for three-four hours and heard it time to time. The next day took it for a three hour paddle, this time the water was more choppy with a brisk breeze blowing down the canyon, at times felt like we were paddling upstream against a current. No gurgling at all. So, is it my paddling technique or lack of? I’m open to suggestions. I really, really love this boat and can put up with the gurgling if I have to, but would really like to know what’s up. Thanks.
Sounds like
a bow wave, or you were trailing something behind the boat in flat water.
If it doesn’t leak, it’s not a big deal.
Bow wake or small waves
A boat will set up a wake on the bow at a certain point, which if you get fast enough will start inhibiting forward progress. At lower speeds it just gurgles.
Or there were small steady waves that were sliding under your bow.
You can get same from the stern, but if you heard it so clearly odds are it was from up front.
Or maybe you caught some long weeds and were trialing it.
Bad paddle technique is usually more splash than gurgle.
Was their any debris on the lake
like leaves?
If you get a leaf or twig on your bow at the water line you’ll get that noise.
It happens a lot with yaks with plumb bows.
Drives me ape when one gets on my QCC bow or my comp cruiser canoe bow in the middle of a race
Jack L
plastic boats
Tend to do this more because the bows are not as sharp.
Ryan L.
Bow wave
I get this sound too, when paddling a short sea kayak somewhat quickly on very flat water. The bow wave curls over and spills, gurgling away. I take it as the sound of raw speed, sort of like playing cards in the spokes of a bicycle… 
Seen your cat lately?