The Green River cuts and winds its way through red rock canyons with eroded rock formations through much of southeastern Utah. The river’s headwaters are in Wyoming, with the river flowing through parts of Colorado on its way down to Utah. Water levels fluctuate on the river, with rapids between class I to Class III between April and October. When kayaking the Utah sections, take some precautions and make the needed arrangements to enjoy this timeless waterway. Things You’ll Need: Kayak with spray skirt, paddles, helmet and pumpWetsuitWater sandalsSunscreen and sun protectionSunglasses with head strapMaps and compassBLM permitsShuttle transportation Instructions…
Browsing: kayak
The days when you can spend your time outdoors are quickly fading away. With winter coming, it’s understandable that some people would want to go back inside and cuddle up with a book or get cooking dinner in their kitchen instead of going out on the kayak all day long! But don’t let this discourage anyone from enjoying what’s left of fall – we’ve got some tips for storing them so they’ll be ready come next springtime (or sooner!). Step 1: Prepping Your Boat for Storage Cleaning your boat and ensuring everything is secure and ready for Spring is an…
The kayak spray skirt goes around the combing of the water craft and keeps excess water from entering the cockpit of the boat, ensuring heat retention, buoyancy and dry comfort for long paddling trips. Spray skirts are made from either waterproof nylon or neoprene, depending on the primary regions paddled in. Making your own spray skirt allows for a custom fit around your body and around the kayak combing. The process requires basic sewing skills and the ability to envision a pattern on a blank piece of fabric. Things You’ll Need: 2 yards of waterproof nylon or neoprene materialPartner to…
We all understand the importance of protecting our skin from the sun, but what have you done lately to protect your kayaks outer layer from those same harmful UV rays? After long periods of time exposed to sunlight, Ultraviolet Radiation can destroy almost anything it comes into contact with. A couple of summers out in the sun will not only fade your kayak’s radiant shade, but the material will become noticeably more limber on the water and therefore, more likely to suffer from serious damages due to brittle plastic. Most kayaks are made from polyethylene and are quickly aged by the sun. While Fiberglass kayaks are likely to age…
Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, is a small Central American country wedged in between Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala and Honduras. Belize draws thousands each year to blue waters protected by the second-largest barrier reef in the world. You can fish from a kayak for Spanish jack, mackerel, tarpon, barracuda and other fish. Bite Me Fishing Adventures Bite Me, based on Ambergris Caye, offers three different fishing options, including one designed or do-it-yourself types. The kayak fishing trip for the do-it-yourself folks uses Freedom Hawk 14 fishing kayaks, which are so stable that you can stand on them without fear…
If you’ve tried your hand at making a wooden canoe paddle, maybe it’s time to try a double-bladed kayak paddle. In a canoe or kayak, the double bladed paddle is one of the easiest paddle styles to master and it’s not terribly hard to build. It takes a lot of shaving and sanding to get it shaped properly, but with a little patience, you’ll soon have an impressive looking paddle to show off to your paddle sports partners. This version is feathered so you get a proper feathered recovery to your stroke. Things You’ll Need: Sabre saw Two or three…
Before tackling hard whitewater, some basic kayaking skills need to be mastered. In addition to the paddle stroke, it is important to be comfortable exiting the kayak in the water in case you overturn and can’t roll back up. The Eskimo Roll is the key component of all kayaking. At some point, you will flip upside down, and if you haven’t mastered the roll, you’ll have to do a wet exit and swim for the shore. Wet Exit The wet exit is a term used to describe exiting the kayak when you are upside down in the water. You should…
Using a kayak rack keeps your kayak securely mounted to the roof of your vehicle as you head out to your adventures on the water. Some kayak racks are padded to prevent scratching, and the racks allow you to transport your kayak without denting or caving in the hull as can happen when a kayak is strapped onto the crossbars of a roof rack without the use of a kayak rack. Things You’ll Need: Vehicle with a roof rack with crossbarsKayak rackKayak Bolt to Crossbar Step 1: Assemble the kayak rack, if required.Step 2: Place the kayak rack on one…
The most important part of choosing a kayak rod holder is choosing how to mount it to your kayak. If not mounted properly, even the best rod holders can fall when hit by a large fish. Consider the similar example of mounting a flat screen wall mounted TV. If you buy a top of the line TV and wall mount it into sheetrock with whatever nails you can find in your garage, the TV is likely to fall. It is not until the TV is mounted properly that you can gain the full benefit of the price you paid for…
Whitewater kayaking requires a series of basic skills used to keep you afloat while you head downriver and through rapids. The flatware clean spin is a single stroke that turns the kayak a full 360 degrees, allowing you to move around rocks or other obstacles. The process to execute a successful flatwater clean spin requires using a variety of sweep and extended strokes. When practicing any kayak move or trick, be sure to paddle with a friend or partner, for safety’s sake. Things You’ll Need: Whitewater kayakpaddlespray skirthelmetRiver partner Instruction Step 1 Turn your torso (while in the kayak) away…