Important Question

Advice
#1

Can Sea Kayaks be used in rivers and streams as well?

#2

Sure
if they are slow moving, not too shallow, and not too rocky then you won’t have a problem.



A friend of mine entered the Bullerfest Slalom competition with his Skerray, but that is another story.

#3

Streams?
Pretty vague. How big is a stream? How sharp are the turns?

#4

note that some sea kayaks are better
than others for rivers…depending on how rocky you might consider a sea kayak that was made with the foreknowledge that a collision with rocks is a given, this being a reference to brit boats designed for rock gardens/shores and are often made of a combo of Diolene and FG…

We’ve done class II-III (lower 2/3’s of the Nolichuckey and Hiwasee)in plastic Chinooks, scraped the heck out of them, had to exxxxxxxaggggerate the eddy turns but had a blast especially in the standing waves.

#5

Sure.
I use my plastic 17 foot Eclipse almost exclusevely for down river racing.

Keep the rudder up, and you will be guaranteed to learn quick maneuvering and response.

On a trip we just got back from we used or kevlar sea kayaks in rivers and streams a lot.



Cheers,

JackL

#6

Tidal stream (like a real stream)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7559165224555638845

#7

If really WW…
not so good. The bows aren’t reinforced to resist damage if pinned between rocks like WW boats are, and they are simply a lot of length to handle. Plastic boats have been gotten down class 2+ in the right hands, probably more than that, but as the water gets whiter the sea kayak becomes less apt. (or even safe)

#8

like a Honda Civic can go off-road
it depends

#9

yup
http://liquidlogicpisgah.blogspot.com/2005/12/pisgah-on-chattooga.html



Paddler skill and river knowledge makes a big difference.

#10

That’s an important question?

– Last Updated: Apr-10-07 10:33 AM EST –

Sorry I just dislike it when posters use deceiving titles to their self indulgent post. Of course a kayak can go in a stream, it can go down a snow covered hill too.

#11

I agree


Subjects should indicate what the heck the posting is about. It’s a bit rude to be non-specific.

#12

down a snow covered hill

– Last Updated: Apr-10-07 10:36 AM EST –

Though for going down a snow covered hill I think a planing hull white water boat would perform better than a sea kayak ;-)

The times I've sent sea kayaks across snow covered geography they did not handle very well.

My Inazone makes a better sled than Celia's Piedra.

#13

ideally
you should be paddling a river or stream kayak