YAKKING | TRIVIA | PADDLERS' PICS | SHOP | ABOUT | LINKS
“Paddle Fiddle Faddle” Kayak Trivia
The word KAYAK means "man's boat" or
"hunter's boat".
These boats were made by
their owners for the perfect fit...
In 1936, the kayak became an event in the Olympics.
In 2000 West Virginia became the first state in the United States
to include kayaking and canoeing as an official Special Olympic event.
Kayaking on rivers is categorized as whitewater kayaking.
However, kayaking on difficult rivers
with low water volume is
called creeking.
Creeking examples are: kayaking on a waterfall, water slide
and ledges.
Slalom racing is another form of kayaking in which racers will try to get to the goal at a specific part of a river.
Not only must they move quickly but they must also paddle around
“gates” –
usually poles – set in the river.
Most slalom courses will have over 20 gates that must be properly navigated.
Kayaks are designed differently than
canoes, which are more flat-bottomed
and
propelled by single-bladed paddle,
although modern
canoes are becoming
more difficult to distinguish from a kayak.
There are four possible types of paddles symmetric, asymmetric,spooned and dihedral.
The symmetric paddles are symmetric at both ends and can be used either way to paddle.
Asymmetric paddle is by far the most popular ,used in everything from recreational use to racing
with the bottom side having a curve for ease of water entry.
A spooned paddle has a curled or cupped face that increases the power of a stroke,
typically used in more intense racing.
while a dihedral paddle has a type of tapered middle so the water flows easier off the blade.
Have you ever thought about surfing? Kayak surfing is a great whitewater
alternative. Thrill seekers all around the surf areas have discovered this awesome ride, making it
a growing addition to the sport. 
Internationally, canoeing is used as a generic term for both canoe/kayak.
In the early 1970' the sit-on-top kayak was introduced
and
has become a very popular boat
for beginners,
scuba divers and fishing.
It is also considered one of the slowest.
MORE KAYAK TRIVIA... EVEN MORE KAYAK TRIVIA...