Archive for the ‘Kayaks’ Category
How Are Sea Kayaks Different than Whitewater Kayaks?
If you’ve decided to start kayaking, you’re about to enter a world that is both fun and challenging. But before you purchase a boat and hit the water, decide first what kind of kayaker you’d like to be. There are so many options now available—you can even find inflatable kayaks. Different boats suit different interests, so make sure you get the boat that aligns with your life.
The first major category of kayak is the sea kayak. These are specifically designed for open, calm water. While they can be flipped, sea kayaks tend to be much more stable. They are generally very long and designed with comfort in mind. With many compartments for camping gear and supplies, they are ideal for extended trips.
The other major category of kayak is the whitewater kayaks, sometimes known as river kayaks. Unlike the sea kayak, these are much shorter—sometimes as short as five feet long. But in exchange, these ships are extremely maneuverable. They are less stable, but the experienced kayaker can take these down rapids for a thrilling ride. They don’t have as much storage as a sea kayak, so these are best for a day trip down the rapids.
Don’t Leave For Your Kayak Trip Without It
There’s nothing like the serenity offered by a peaceful kayaking trip. Especially when you’re cruising through still and calm waters, it can truly feel like a meditative moment. And it becomes especially poignant when you compare it to the everyday hustle and bustle of city life, which is so often filled with commotion and noise of all varieties. If you’re lucky enough to live with close access to a water source that lends itself to kayaking trips, it’s definitely a fantastic way to get your exercise and clear your head.
But before you can access all the benefits of kayaking, you have to make sure that you’re prepared for the trip. Beginning kayakers should never venture out alone. Make sure you go either with a guided tour or with a friend that has experience in with inflatable kayaks. Having this kind of experience will keep you out of serious trouble, but it will also make you aware of the equipment that you’ll need for a successful trip. This can range from something as obvious as a high quality paddle to something more obscure such as a dry bag to keep your food, camera, keys, and wallet safe from water damage.
Create Some Excitement—Try Kayaking
There are a lot of people who enjoy spending time outdoors, especially here in the Pacific Northwest. They go camping, hunting, kayaking, and take part in myriad other outdoor activities. Kayaking is one activity that almost anybody can do, and avid kayakers will always bring their own kayaks every trip they go to.
If you like to go on prolonged exercusions into the wilderness but still want to experience the thrill of kayaking, Sea Eagle kayaks are tailor-made for you. There are different models of kayaks that can accommodate the needs and wants of a variety of different users. You can find day touring, recreational, sporting recreational and other kinds of kayaks.
Essentials for a Family Camping Trip
For the past few years, my family and I have traveled to the Sleeping Bear Dunes near Traverse City, Michigan, for an annual camping trip. The sand dunes are a natural wonder in their own right, and we enjoy the expansive views across Lake Michigan. The area is also rife with trout streams where my son and I love to go fishing in our Sea Eagle kayak. Our results in that department have been middling at best, but it’s the bonding experience that counts.
After we’ve cooked a gourmet meal over the campfire, my wife, kids and I retire to one of the canopy tents we set up. Under the tent’s protective tarp, we play euchre into the late-night hours. The next morning, the tent serves as a perfect venue for eating freshly cooked eggs and bacon. In a breezy environment like that, having a barrier from the wind and other elements makes all the difference.
Man’s best friend on land or at sea
Dogs love one thing – to be with their family. When that family plays on the water, your dog will want to play there too. Following everyone into the boat, your dog might climb in before you realize it or take some coaxing at first. They sit up, turning nose in the air, scanning fo
r scents, sniffing the air and listening to the wind, water and birds. They stare into the water and bark at fish, snap at bugs and generally entertain themselves and the family too.
For a nice afternoon trip there are some items to carry for your furry friend. If you are gone for more than an hour or two you’ll need water, plastic bowl, some snacks, leash; if you take on even gurgling faster water or travel a long distance from shore or negotiate challenging currents, it is a good idea to have a life vest on pets too.
Some of the easiest boats to transport and the stablest to use for family and furry friend are inflatable canoes. Many inflatable canoes are really tandem kayaks that easily hold 500 lbs. or more. A family of 5 – parents 2 children and 1 dog can easily be accommodated in 2 kayaks. The tough, rugged materials , like K-80 polykrylar, will stand up to dogs jumping in or out from land or sea.
Short trips are best for getting everyone used to kayaking and the pace of the outdoors life. New routines are exciting and everyone will be ready to eat heartily and turn in early, pup included, at the end of the day.
Cold Weather Kayaking
It is amazing how you can be out in frigid weather and be so comfortable. The key is choosing the right layers of clothing to 
keep you warm enough and dry enough to kayak the rapids or fly fish in the still water.
When you are preparing for a cold weather paddling adventure, the key is confidence in the durability and reliability of your craft. The rugged high pressure fabric of the Sea Eagle Explorers make them the choice you can count on. The fabric is strong in all directions, can withstand high impacts from sharp objects without puncture – these inflatable kayaks are designed for the wilderness adventurer’s needs. They are light and easy to transport to the most remote locations. You’re stowing your gear in under 10 minutes. The 600 lb. load capacity let’s you take everything you need. These are the water crafts to put your mind at ease, and open up your mind and heart to the beauty of life on the water.
Winter resolution
My New Year’s promises to myself include getting my inflatable kayak – the Sea Eagle 330 – 
and ready to go at the first warm calm day. The 330 loves the wind and waves, but I like to ease into paddling after the enforced winter layoff.
I watch the magnificent expanse of frozen white landscape and relish every breath of cold crisp air. Though the holidays have wound down, I still have my visions of sugarplums – the sailcat. It’s on my short list of treats in the New Year.
In a few months, Spring will awaken and we will be digging into the cold clear lake and sprinting along the shoreline in our lightweight, easy to take and travel inflatable kayaks. Pleasant dreams.
The shallows will move you
This year kayaking in calm waters was some of the most exciting paddling we’ve encountered. 
My brother & I would silently glide our inflatable kayaks through shallow weedy water to be surprised by carp exploding out of the weeds. My kayak was pushed aside by these amazing 30 inch monsters.
For fishing the shallows, there is no better craft than the Sea Eagle inflatable pontoon to sneak up on bass suspended in the weed beds in bays and inlets. The sheer joy of setting that hook and the next few minutes as you play that line and net small mouth that fights like he’s going to take your pole and you if you lose focus for a moment.
Quick, grab your cell and capture the moment to share with friends and family. Release your beauty to tease and tantalize the next lucky angler to fish the weeds and set his hook.
Family Fascination with Water
Our family always had a fascination with water. When we were very young Mom & Dad took us to the nearby canal lock after dinner. If we were lucky we got to stay through the excitement of the deafening pumps churning enormous volumes of water out of the lock, gently setting the watercraft travelers down. Then the creaking gears dragged the gates open and barges, tugs or yachts would journey on to the next destination. Tired kids fell asleep on the ten minute drive home dreaming of what it was like to navigate the canal.
Summers were lakeside. We had a nice big wooden boat that out Dad took us out fishing on. All week long we waited for the weekend to go fishing on the boat.
Seems we’ve gotten smarter as we’ve gotten older. At least it feels that way most of the time. My family and friends still love the water, but we can enjoy it when and where we want. Gone are the the big wooden boats we grew up with. We prefer the exhilaration and workout we get from a paddling weekend adventure or a quick run across the bay. We carry our boats in our cars and we are unpacked, pumped up and digging in the paddle with our inflatable kayak or inflatable canoe in minutes.
Even on long workdays, we still have time time to dip into the lake, paddle hard enough to have our own glow as we enjoying the sunset painting the sky. We pack up in a few minutes and say goodbye to another amazing day in the finest way – on the water!
An Affordable Alternative to Standard Kayaks
There’s nothing quite as fun as paddling around a calm lake in a kayak. It’s a fun and relaxing way to gain some amazing views and get a bit of exercise. But standard kayaks are definitely an investment, and even renting can quickly become pricey. So, if you want to enjoy the experience of kayaking but don’t want to shell out a huge amount of money at one time, look into inflatable kayaks as an alternative. These are lighter and more portable than standard plastic or fiberglass kayaks, and they still offer you that unbeatable kayaking experience.
The only downside is that you can’t always take inflatable kayaks where you can take other kayaks. Sometimes the conditions are simply too rough or too dangerous. But these inflatable versions are ideal for small, calm rivers or lakes. After all, you still have a sturdy paddle, and the kayak also has plastic skegs underneath. These skegs work like a fixed rudder, so you’re definitely afforded some stability. Many of the kayaks are also made of extremely durable vinyl, so you can safely take the kayak many places without worrying about it popping or getting a slow leak.