Does anyone kayak?

[kayakrent]

I've seen Decathlon are renting kayaks and I'm thinking of giving it a go.

Can anyone give me the basis?

Aside from the kayak, oars and life jacket what else is needed?

If you kayak where do you do it?

Do I need to hire a lake?

Is there a special permit for a river?

How safe is it?

I used to a lot. I would have some lessons before going out on your own as you need to know the basics first.

Def get a few lessons first to learn to paddle properly and some safety skills. If you are going to go on a river you do need a permit, but a British Canoeing membership covers you most places

Go to a lake / river that rents them first and see how you get on - just Google whatever town and kayak rental. We do it all the time and they supply kayaks with oars, life vests and usually dry bags. They'll tell you the basic movements and what to do if you get in trouble.

It's dead easy! We started a few years back and go all the time in the summer now.

Oo id love to do this!

Whereabouts are you?

Not sure of your location but here's one I've used as an example -

https://www.canoewild.co.uk/kayaking

No, but I'd bloody love to!

Please get some lessons from a proper instructor. The water can be incredibly dangerous even when you're competent.

Oxford

Ah, I only really know Wales and upwards. Someone was telling me about Rutland today though. You need somewhere with a hire centre because they’ll have someone who (hopefully) knows what they’re talking about to help you.

I used to be a slalom canoeist back in the day...

@kayakrent

This place would suit you. We started kayaking at a very similar place. They will tell you the basics and will have lifeguards and someone in a safety boat if needed. You can't really go far either.

https://www.oxfordwetnwild.com/kayaks/

https://tckh.co.uk/

This company is excellent. My son has gone with his school and they are great with beginners. Local to Oxford too.

We bought the decathlon 3 seater inflatable and the 2 seater one.

Me and DD go in the small one, DH and DS go on the large one with a dry bag or two with a picnic, few towels, waterproofs etc

Absolutely love them, great investment. Probably use them 2x a month from May - Sept

We use them on various lochs here, along the canals. It's magic relaxing on a warm blue sky day in the middle of a Loch while we eat sandwiches watching the birds

We bought:

2 kayaks - decathlon
4 paddles - ebay
4 buoyancy aids - online somewhere
1 pump - decathlon

Give it a go, it's great fun, the decathlon kayaks are really stable and wide, don't at all feel tippy.

Google sit-on-top kayaks, really easy for non-sporty gentle kayaking. Check out beach concessions that hire them by the hour - great introduction on a nice day!

me too!!

Ideally, take an organised trip. Or join your local club.

Bare minimum... know what to do if it all goes wrong, and know what could go wrong. Its easy to think youre great when it all goes smoothly. Stuff like be able to get back in if you capsize, understand the effect of wind and current (can be a bloody nightmare paddling an inflatable upwind), cold water shock, panicing children, etc. Could every member of your party get thenselves back in their kayak after a capsize, when theyre tired and cold, its windy, theres a current or waves or jaggedy stuff? Could you cope if soneone didnt?

On small sheltered inland water theres only so wrong you can go with wetsuit, buoyancy aid, common sense, basic skills. Id avoid rivers and bigger bodies of water (eg the kind that have small waves) for initial trips, and practice capsizing (righting the kayak and getting in again) in deeper water at the end of every trip. I take a throw line with me, and have dry bags for phone, sweeties, etc. Its more fun if you can hang out together with a flask / chocolate mid trip. Be underambitious in how far youre going to go. You dont want exhausted cold people to capsize (its miserable anyway).

I love kayaking (touring, not slalom or freestyle or whitewater, just going out and paddling)

I joined a club and always went out in groups. Usually on rivers, and you need to learn how to respect the current.

Unless it's the height of summer, you need a wetsuit (water can be much colder than you think) and a good buoyancy aid. A drybag for anything you want to take with you, and attach it to the kayak. Take snacks and drinks (thermos of hot chocolate is good for morale!)

Fully waterproof cover for any phones

And everything needs to be either tied on (including sunglasses) or something you don't mind losing if it comes off and lands in the water (so cheap grotty sunhat, not your favourite)

If you think you'll be doing it a lot, get some proper training - it's not that difficult to get to BCA 1* level, which will cover the basic techniques and capsize drills.

I am a professional canoe and kayak coach. I run an outdoor centre. I recommend you join a local club! British Canoeing web site has a list. You can try out a load of different kayaks and get some lessons, go on some trips etc. This is a very cheap way to do it as clubs are run by volunteers and usually get grants to buy equipment. You will also meet like minded people to paddle with and get some safety training.

Decathlon kayaks are not rated by enthusiasts. Have a look at Perception, Pyranha, Tootega, Venture etc for better designs. But really, try out as many different brands and models as you can before you buy.

Has anyone also tried the standing up paddle boarding and if so, which do you prefer and why?

I prefer kayaking to paddle boarding because it was more comfortable to sit and paddle. I couldn't stand up and paddle, although I did get a pic of me standing.

Please dont just go without first learning the basics from a coach /centre, certainly for safety (getting out when it capsizes, knowing how to read a river /currents etc. I'd stick to a lake for definite as a beginner, but you can find canoeing in local swimming pools too. Try the universities too.

Yes to OP on kayaks.

Many water ways require a license to use, if you're below the navigation head or the stretch of river might have extra, special rules (like R. Cam requires numbers displayed). British canoeing membership covers most but not all waterway license fees. Some landowners insist they own that bit of river & will put a rope across it. I don't argue about this but others get het up about access. There are some very pretty stretches along Thames near Oxford that I want to try, one day. Wind is your nemesis in that area, can really slow progress. Other rivers are tidal. A fight against the tide can be very unfun.

And then there's portage to think about... can you lug your kayak past locks. English rivers are full of locks and weirs.

I'm thinking of getting the rack on car today, actually, and getting the kayak out (hardshell) & going somewhere... not decided where. I had an inflatable before. The Decathlon inflatables seem well rated but I haven't even seen one.

I never had lessons, nor joined a club, that advice amuses me. I know loads of people like me went out with the cheap Intex inflatables and built up from there.

I don't have wetsuit although I understand why others like them. I have a long saga of not being able to get my head around wetsuits. I assume it'd cost £4000 or more plus 20-50 hours to find one that fits me properly. Wetsuits are either badly fitting so pointless or incredibly expensive, I find. I hate buoyancy aids & only use it under duress, although occasionally Have been eager to put one on.

I don't paddleboard but I've gone out with the p'boarders. Always inflatables. They are incredibly active socially, locally, very active Facebook groups. Kayakers do a lot of camping, I find. Then there's craftpacking or whatever they call it when people have folding kayaks they carry 6 miles etc.

I have tried both and much prefer stand up paddle boarding.

We started with a Lidl inflatable kayak, quickly upgraded to a proper Canadian canoe and now added a paddleboard.

We ditched the inflatable as they were banned in many places....mainly because cheap ones are basically rubber dingys that can get blown away and sink.

We have a waterway license for rivers and canals. We also go to lakes which have a launch fee.

Its fun but hard work.

We don't use wetsuits in the Canadian canoe but its hard to capsize . Weve come close once due to an idiot speedboat thinking it was fun to play chicken at us. Kayaks and paddleboards are more unstable