I was just wondering if people could post info on Touring class kayak races and marathons. Currently, I am aware of the Go zero emmisions, and well, that is about it. By touring class I mean races that have rec and touring kayaks and no sprint kayaks. I thought maybe someday I could enter one. I dont care if I win, but it would be fun. I know many people have faster boats than mine but I’ve seen pungos, OT adventures, and tarpons racing side Expedition kayaks and they do okay in the GO zero emmisions. Its more for fun than winning, so I was wondering what was out there. This is something Id do when I was a bit older.
bump
almost all of them
Unless it is an extreme race (like watertribe), almost every race has a class for rec kayaks. And they have furterh subdivisions for gender and age groups.
Racing is lots of fun and gives you a reason to train and push your limits. Be warned though, it is addictive.
ussually I see kayaks like mine racing
with expedition kayaks. I think my kayak leans more towards touring than rec because its more like a 17 foot sea kayak than a 9.5’ OT otter.
Every race is different
Every race is different. I have a list of them here: www.pennkayaker.com/ladyjustice Contact the organizers for a list of classes, each race is different.
Susan
And my Saturn is a lot like a Corvette
(nm)
could I start my own??
How do people start their own events or functions?? dont you have to pay a 180 dollar fee and arrange it with the recreation department of the city?? I was thinking when I was 18 I could start a race for touring-class kayaks 10-18’ to circumnavigate horsetooth resivor. that would be something casual paddlers could do to push their limits and avid racers to have a easier race. I think its a good idea.
No you can’t
You have to be real to hold canoe races. You are just a side effect.
When you turn 18?
It’s taken you 2 years to go from age 14 to age 15. At that rate, your kayak will have died of neglect in the garage.
Yes, it’s just like…
a 17’ expedition kayak, except it’s shorter, wider, larger cockpit, fewer bulkheads, it’s plastic, has an inferior hull design for rough water, and probably lots of other shortcomings compared to a real expedition kayak.
(Plus, it’s simply not made for ‘expeditions’)
Pam, your kayak is what it is… which is fine for someone like you… in fact, it’s probably the very BEST kayak for someone like you.
BUT… it is NOT an expedition or a racing kayak.
Be happy with what you have, or move up. Your choice.
-WWL&S
“Side effect”, lmao. POTWE for sure!!!
POTWE?
Piece Off The W??? E???
I have no idea!! 
No, I joined this board when I turned 13
my kayak was a 13th birthday/christmas present. I didnt say I was 13 because I didnt think people would take me seriously so I waited until I was almost 14 and said I was 14.
hmmm…
“and probably lots of other shortcomings compared to a real expedition kayak.”
and I recall him saying he never bashes my kayak. I dont even have to find evidence, he makes more!! No, its not an expedition kayak, but that doesnt make it any more inferior. The price or outfitting has nothing to do its “surperiority”, which is infact an opinion and not a fact. The hull might not do great in rough water, but you blow everything out of poportion. I have paddled my kayak in mild chop and it handled it decently.
You cant just say its inferior because its simply designed for different usses. those were the words of the great william sanders. He said not to think of a boat as “Bad”, but “Not suited for your needs”.
My dad said you put lance armstrong on a Huffy roadmaster and a newbie on a Carbon Fuji Team that lance could still beat him. Lets not forget he used to be a pro bike machanic
All I said was that I HAVE seen boats like mine (Tarpon 140, and a Pungo 140) racing alongside EXP kayaks and I have outpaddled 17 footers. Most likley the people in the EXP kayaks were less experienced. have you ever paddled a pamlico 140?? For a decent amount of time??
That wasn’t a “bash”…
I merely stated facts.
Bashing would be “Your kayak is a toy, designed for kids, who don’t have the need or skills for aboat that could ever possible handle real “sea” conditions…”
Everything I said is true and objective. There was no subjectivity about it.
Face facts, and start enjoying your boat for what it is… not everyone needs or wants a sea kayak.
At that age…
you should just get out there and do it. Doesn’t matter if you have a plastic or glass boat. I think everyone is just joking around, but who cares what kind of kayak you have, especially if your 14 or 16 yeas old.
I’m not sure what kind of race you’re talking about but there are lot of rec racing that also combine kayaking and bike racing.
I’d like to do something like that also and just finish without hurting myself.
regardless of what it is,
It does qualify in many touring class races.
why is composite better??
I dont understand. It seems like people think that kayaks have to be composite to be sea worthy. Isnt the CD storm just as sea worthy as the CD Solstice?? Infact, Poly is stronger. How does a composite boat make a kayak more sea worthy?? Many great feats have been accomplished in poly boats. Its like saying if my kayak was composite it could suddenley become more seaworthy than a Point 65N sea cruiser in poly which is false. The poly sea cruiser is more sea worthy than my Pamlico 140 if it were a composite kayak.
Am I wrong??
We do in Florida
There’s a class for anything you want to paddle, even paddleboards. Outriggers, skis, rec. 'yaks, tandem canoes, stand-up paddleboards, whatever.
I like it because you get to race against all sorts of designs, and check out some really cool boats that you may want to race at some point.
There are sprint/K1s in the race as well, but a touring kayak paddler’s time is compared to other touring kayaks, etc.
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