Can you use sit on top kayaks on rivers năm 2024

Whenever you venture onto the water you should take precautions. After all, water is not static – it’s a moving entity that has its own rules. Even with greatest amount of knowledge and experience things can sometimes go wrong, but understanding kayak safety is ESSENTIAL.

Paddling a kayak is a fun activity and to improve and progress you should not only develop your skills around the craft, but should also aim to understand your environment as much as possible.

Tidal waters

If you are aiming to paddle on the open sea then the biggest topic to have a grasp of is tides. The ebb and flow of the world’s oceans can be either a massive hindrance or a great tool.

The basic rule of thumb is that tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and, to a lesser extent, the sun. Water flows in and out roughly every six hours, although this is not set in stone and local effects can affect this massively.

Wherever you are thinking of paddling, get an update tide table or relevant tide prediction and take into consideration what effect the different states of tide will have on your location.

It would be unfortunate to launch your ‘yak on a seemingly open beach, only to return to find that the beach has disappeared and is now completely submerged!

Surf

‘Yaking in a surf environment has yet more lessons to be learnt. Some of these are almost Zen; where nothing accounts for as much as experience. That said, there are ways to reduce risk.

The obvious one is never paddle out when conditions are beyond your capabilities. If you think the waves look ‘big’ then they generally will be. A good indicator of the size is how many water users are out in the line-up. Sizeable conditions generally thin out crowds, as many people don’t have the skills or experience.

If you are thinking of heading to a surf beach then it is always best to paddle where lifeguards are on hand. Popular beaches are now over seen by professional lifeguards and this should give you some peace of mind, although this service shouldn’t be relied upon.

Understand the flag system that lifeguards use: this information will be displayed on the side of the lifeguard hut. Failing that – ask!

White water/rivers

Rivers and the white water environment present their own set of unique challenges. Depending on conditions, you could find a raging behemoth or a tranquil, steady flowing stretch of water.

Rapids, eddies and stoppers are all caused by fast flowing water running over an uneven riverbed. These kinds of anomalies are what sit on paddlers aim for as, with the correct experience, they can provide lots of fun.

Sit on kayaks are not the best tool for challenging fast flowing rapids, but for moderate flowing rivers they should be fine. If attempting anything like this, make sure you are wearing the appropriate clothing and have the necessary safety equipment.

Getting back on your sit on kayak

One of the biggest things with sit on top kayaking is knowing how to get yourself back on board if you get dumped into the drink. The amount of paddlers who head out without this knowledge is testament to the ease of the sport. However, no prior understanding of getting back into your paddling position can stressful at least and dangerous at most.

The following video gives you an idea of what you should be looking to achieve and how to get back onto your sit on kayak.

In more and more paddling classes, I hear the question, “Can you run whitewater with a Sit-On-Top kayak?” In paddling, there are no absolutes. As soon as you say you can’t do this or that, someone will pop up with a saga about a friend who ran the Gauley from end to end, paddling a laundry tub. So, in this article, we’ll stick to generalities.

Yes, you can run whitewater with a Sit-On-Top, and run it well, within limits. In fact, many liveries and outfitters who service whitewater rivers and streams prefer to rent Sit-On-Tops because of their safety and ease of use. But, there are meaningful differences between Sit-On-Tops and decked boats (sit-in-side) intended for whitewater.

To begin with, you can “wear” a decked boat, tight enough so it moves with your body. Not only do you have foot pegs and a deck to wedge your knees and thighs against, but the cockpit comes up above your waist. This enables you to employ pads beside and over top of the hips to create a better lock with the boat. Spray skirts and backbands further strengthen the bond.

With a Sit-On-Top (SOT) kayak, your bond is largely created by the thigh straps. Therefore, it’s critical to ensure that you can get the best lock possible with a slight tensioning of your legs. The location of the thigh strap attachment points (usually pad eyes), the positioning of your feet, and adjustment of the thigh straps must enable you to get a good lock, with minimal chance of the straps slipping your knees at a critical juncture. Strap design can also help. Some straps are contoured to fit better around the knee area. Well-adjusted foot pegs and a backrest will help too.

The implications are that you don’t have the degree of boat control you would have with a decked boat, but you can still execute the essential J-lean and other techniques. The big difference is self-rescue. It is much more difficult to roll a SOT, especially without a waist belt (which can be a risky piece of equipment).

The SOT rescue technique can be quite easy, if not as quick as a roll. As in all cases of capsizes, immediately ensure that you are not downstream of your boat. If you are, all it takes is an obstacle to pin on, and the tremendous force of the moving water on the boat will crush or drown you.

Assuming that luck is with you, the kayak has somehow come out right side up. All you have to do is flop over the seat perpendicular to the keel, get your center of gravity over the middle of the boat, and then flip over on your butt and pivot. How? Some people simply approach the boat from the side, find two good handholds and pull themselves up and over. People who have trouble with that sometimes find it easier to envision pulling the edge of the boat down, under, and back. If you still have trouble, get a swimming start at the side of the boat, so that your body is relatively horizontal and you have momentum working for you. Whatever technique you use, practice, practice, practice. This needs to be automatic in “combat” situations.

Returning to our capsize, we now assume that the kayak has come out of the mishap upside down. The first task becomes to get it right side up. Some paddlers with some kayaks can do this by positioning themselves on one side of the boat at the midpoint, and simultaneously executing a scissors kick while doing a quick “front press” on the gunwale, flipping the boat over. I’ve also seen people push up on one gunwale while reaching under the boat and yanking the thigh strap or carry handle on the other. Some paddlers install the handles just for this reason.

If you cannot do this, you’re going to have to go up and over the kayak, grab the strap or other handhold under the other side, and fall back to the right of the boat. Putting weight on your knees helps. In fact, I’ve seen agile paddlers who could roll the boat under them, without falling back into the water. The bottom of the hull is slippery and the midships is often floating highest. So, if you can’t mount the boat from the side. Try coming from fore or aft. Once, you’ve righted the boat, use the previously detailed technique to mount it.

If you get separated from your boat and are moving with the current downstream, get on your back, facing up, with your feet downstream. Arch your back to keep your butt way up so it doesn’t catch a rock. For the same reason, keep your head back. But be alert to sideslip around obstacles and watch for throw ropes.

Most SOTs are longer and wider than modern whitewater decked boats. Their sides are usually rounded. Therefore, they cannot maneuver as quickly. Very tight and fast-moving water becomes a more dangerous proposition. Know your limits and practice your draws and ferries.

Most whitewater SINKs (sit-in-side kayaks) have the greatest floatation amidships, thanks to the rising deck and sprayskirt, with shallow, slicey ends. Few SOTs have flattened ends. Don’t count on joining in on the squirts, wheels, and mystery moves, but you’ll probably out-surf some of your SINK friends. And, you’ll be able to blast through some holes that will eat their boats.

Aside from some design advantages and disadvantages, the rules of whitewater hold the same. Know how to read the river and practice putting your boat exactly where you need it to be.

What are the disadvantages of a sit on top kayak?

What are the drawbacks? With their high center of gravity, sit-on-top kayaks are typically slower than sit-in models, and have limited storage space. The paddler's exposed to rain, wind, blazing sun, and waves to a degree her sit-in counterpart is not.

What type of kayak is best for rivers?

Sit-In Kayaks A sit-in kayak is a type of kayak that has a seat inside the cockpit, as opposed to on top of the deck. Sit-in kayaks are often used for river running and whitewater kayaking, as they provide a more stable platform and greater protection from the elements.

What are sit on top kayaks best for?

Sit-on-top kayaks are better for taller folks, or people with larger frames. They're also great for warmer waters, where you don't mind getting a little wet. And if you plan on hopping out of your boat for a little swimming or diving, you're going to have a much easier time climbing back into a top-sitting kayak.

Can you use a sit on top kayak for whitewater?

In summary it would be easy for an experienced kayaker to dismiss sit on tops's (SOT's) if they have never used one! The bottom line is this, SOT's are a great way to get on the water. Paddling whitewater in a sit on top kayak is no problem, as long as the rapids are not Grade 3 or above.