My throughs on paddle boards and kayaks

[Confused_Fred]

Paddle boards....Oh God


Yes the paddle boarders were out yesterday in force..... and they where do in the same things wrong they did last year .....and a year before that and the year before that

Just annoying to see them.

So I'm going to point out all the basic things they're doing wrong. Let's start off with a paddles. They always use the silly little paddle that come with a board. The company selling these paddle boards send out the cheapest paddle going. These paddles are next to useless for most people. The blades are too small, shafts aren't adjustable and they're just a joke.







Now here's is a good example. This is a cheap paddle that sells for under 30 pounds and the UK and not worth the money. You might as well be using a kitchen spoon. When I think about it kitchen spoon would probably be better. You can't adjust the height and the blade too small for sea conditions.

This one's a bit better from Red and sells for £80.





You can adjust the height and the blades a bit wider but still it's only good for a river or canal.


Now lets look at a paddle from a paddle manufacturing company.

This is an Ainsworth sup poly carb paddle.








A three-piece adjustable version this paddle sells for under £200 but the difference in performance is unbelievable.


Blade size and paddle length two most important things whether you want to kayak or paddle board. You have to find the right one for you. If it's too short you will be reaching all the time and you're gonna do your shoulders in. If the blades to narrow you won't push enough water. If it's too big you'll push too much water and your wear yourselves out. You have to look at the conditions, your own abilities and choose the right paddle for you.

My advice would be to anyone with a paddle board is upgrade the paddle the came with the board. There are better options on the market and if you pop down to any kayak shop you can look at the different kinds of paddle. Most shops carry a wide selection of them you can see which one works for you.

Look for paddle that's made by a paddle manufacturer not by company making paddle boards !!!

You'll find them cheaper and better value

 

[Confused_Fred]

I keep falling off my paddle board I have no idea why...........Well I'm going to tell you !!!

Fins !!!





When I send out a new paddle board in a box they send it out with the cheapest fins they can get.


Fins act like keel on a sailing boat they stopped the paddle board moving sideways and cap sizing.






So when you're buying a paddle board always make sure you can swap the fins out. The bigger the fin the more stable the paddle board. If you're new to paddle boarding you want the biggest fin that will fit the paddle board.






They all have a standard fitting but it's always worth checking before you order one. Again these don't cost much money and we'll improve your experience on the water.

 

[Confused_Fred]

When go out on my paddle board, I always take my phone in a little plastic case. I like to take pictures and talk to my friends.


Good God


I don't even know where to start with this..... lets start off with those silly little plastic cases. They don't work and don't float !!!!






These are a waste of money. You know my local council spends time and money at the end of each summer looking for these phones off the beaches. Turns out the batteries in them or really bad for the environment and they can't leave them down there. I think a find over 100 but there must be loads more down beneath the shingle and sand.

Most people have a phone costing hundreds of pounds and to make things worse there on a contract. They've got insurance but it's not much good when you drop it in the sea or in your local river and lose it.

When you need it most it's hard trying to use it in a little plastic case with cold hands with waves hitting your face. Not much help when you close to drowning.

So what should you be using? A vhf radio !!!








This is the cheap one I use kayaking inshore. It comes with radio, floats and cost less than £100. You still need a radio license for it but they're free. There plenty of information on sites like YouTube showing you how to use it. There is a course you can go on as well.






If you are going to buy one, make sure it comes with distress alert button. Pushing this button on the back tells the lifeboat station where you are and you need help. You don't even need to talk to them. They're just send out the lifeboat to your location and pick you up.

If you ever get into trouble out on the water a radio will save your life, a phone might end it. Never take risks on any kind of water, it just wants you dead. Always keep a communications device on you !!!


And if you are gonna paddle board out at sea take an electronic flair with you as a backup.

 

[Confused_Fred]

My paddle board keeps bending in the middle


Well the simple answer too this question is: your too fat for it.


Again we're back on manufacturers stated loading weights and reality.

Lets look at a cheap one.





This one sells on amazon for about £125.

Dimensions: about 300 x 75 x 15cm
Volume: 225 Liters
Board Weight: 21 lbs
Paddle Adjustable: 65" to 86"
Rider Weight: Up to 350 Pounds.
Inflation <5min, Deflation <3min, Max PSI:15.


You'd think a board that can take 160 kg would be okay for a regular person. Well your wrong !!







It's all about pressure. A woman in stiletto heels will do more damage to a wooden floor then an elephant. (I was taught this at school )

When manufacturers say the maximum loading weight is 160 kg that means I cross the whole paddle board not on one spot. But when you're stood up paddling, you'll loading your whole weight onto a very small area and this causes the paddle board the bend in the middle.

You can pump as much air as you want into the paddle board it won't change a thing.

I would estimate this board could probably take 80 kg safely before it starts the bend not the 160 kg the manufacturers claim.

Now lets look at an over price one from red.

Max Rider Weight​

100kg

Rider Style​

All Round

Min Experience​

Beginner

Price is £650 and that's for the paddle board !!!

You can see they're more realistic about the loading weight 100 kg. I don't think it would take that. I would say probably 80 kg at the most. This is fine if you're a vegan woman that's a size 8 but if you're a big chubby builder who lives on bacon rolls it won't be much good to you.

What's the answer? Well basically you need a bigger paddle board and they do make them.





Aqua Spirit Barracuda 15’ 2 Person Tamden Inflatable Stand up Paddle Board,

240KG Limit, 2x Seats
2x Paddle & Kayak Blade,
Pump,
Go Pro Mount,
Bag,
Change Mat

This one sells for £450.

I think this one may actually take 100 kg man standing on it. I don't want to be that man to find out.

If you're thinking about buying a paddle board this summer and you're not a size 8 don't bother standard model which is just under 11 feet long. For a bigger person don't trust the manufacturers claimed loading weights because they are a joke,

Find one that's about 15 feet or longer. You'll find you can do more with it and it won't bend in the middle when you stand up !!!

 

[Confused_Fred]

I don't like wearing a life jacket or a buoyancy, instead I have a pfd built into a belt cos I'm coooool





I've been down the beach now for a few hours. I've watched you fall off your paddle board numerous times and I'm sick of seeing it. So to put you out of your misery, I've come along with my paddle and knock you over the head with it..... and now you're in the water and this time its not your fault

Lets see how these things work

Basically when you're in the water you have to find the chord, pull it and hope it inflates..... then put it on

In my experience few people actually check these gas canisters before use. Its the same with self-inflating life jackets. People set them up at the start of summer and never look at them again.

It's pretty hard to put on any life jacket of any description in rough water. I can just imagine how hard it must be to try and get that over your head with waves coming at you. I think you're more likely to lose it in the current or with the tide.

This is one of those products I'd like to see banned in the UK. If you hit the water wrong, bang your head or something hits you.... you stand no chance.

Just buy a buoyancy aid, There cheaper, less to go wrong and your more likely to live if you end up in the water.


Unless I'm there and I will come along and finish you off

 

[Confused_Fred]

I was asked a question..........what's better? sea kayak or a surf ski


This the Romany surf sea kayak my friend lets me use from time to time.





And this is the epic v10 I use when I'm feeling brave down the local kayak club.





The epic on flat water is fast, really fast !! It will beat any sea kayak in a race.

What I hate about these boats is there like cycling, only really stable when they're moving. If you stop and damn things will roll and there hell on earth to get back on. You can eskimo roll a surf ski but it takes a lot of practice. I always just fall out. most of the time. There's no reason why you can't use a surf ski and have fun with it. I do.

The sea kayak's are a little more stable and easer to roll. Still a pain in the bum to get in and out. You can take a pause or break on a sea kayak. It's nice sometimes just better use your water bottle without it rolling too much and I think that's the main difference.

You have to remember that the paddles are different for surf ski's and a lot of the equipment that you may have now for a sea kayak is no good for a surf ski's.

Sea kayaks need a little bit of loading when you're out in rough water, you don't do that with a surf ski. It's one of the reasons why if it's too rough out there you don't bother it, It's just gonna bounce all over the place. There's enough flat water days in the UK to justifying one.

To be honest I'm not a fan of either boat. I think there better kayak's you can buy for far less that will do far more on a sunny day down on the coast. Until you've been to the trouble trying to move a 4-5 meter kayak top of your car along busy roads during the summer you have no idea how much aggravation they are. Due to their size you can't really do a beach launch using either one of these boats too. You need try and find a pier, bank or jetty.

I think overall the most value for money is to see kayak. You can get more in it you can take it off for a weekend camping and it's a little bit more forgiving. But how many people want to do that?

 

[Chip_TheViking]

.

 

[Confused_Fred]

It looks ok from the picture, but I cant see the bottom and you need to request more pictures. I've not seen this one before,

It's a plastic boat weighing about 18kg and about 10 years old. It's going to be easy to fix and ideal for the canals around Birmingham. It's a good design too. it's got a fishtail on it which means it will pick up the waves on the beach and go like a rocket.

This boat comes with no storage and you will have to buy a deck bag. These aren't cheap. Given the weight you will a trolly and these start at £40. You mite be able to get away with a paddle board carrying strap but it will kill your shoulder.

Its hard to see the size, but I would say if its likely take 100kg loading. There's a few things missing from it there's no thigh straps, fins or back brace. All these will have to be bought.




This is now they go on the boat.





They cost about £40 to buy,


These straps lock you into the boat and means you can control it more. I wouldn't get on one of these without them as a beginner.

I cant see any fins too, there should be 3 on this boat.



These are about £15 each.

I cant see a back braces



These are £50


And you still need to buy a paddle and pfd (life jacket). Add on another £100 !!!

Its going to cost about £200 just to get the boat back on the water. The seller knows this and the reason for the price.

Is it worth buying?

For a beginner hmmm..... well wave ski's start at about £1000 new. A good second hand one is about £250-500 but they only weight about 10kg. Again I feel you will use this on the flat water cannels around Brum in the summer, it's going to be fun.

If you brought a good second hand sit on kayak for £100. You'd still need a trolly, pfd, paddle and a few dry bags..

It's worth asking the seller about the fins and the straps, see if he still has them. Ask for more pictures too. This boat wont go in a car, its over 2 meters. You will need a roof rack to move it south. And they wont let you take it on the train !!

If your willing to spend the money fitting it out... maybe. Its a good hard wearing boat that will take abuse but no good for distance paddling.

The question you need to answer is: is it good value for money?

With sports direct selling new boats for £300 is it worth the trouble?

https://www.sportsdirect.com/gul-kynance-kayak-960479#colcode=96047918

 

[Confused_Fred]

Right I've just taken another look at the parts prices.

£30 for the thigh straps.

THIGH STRAP OR CARRY HANDLE TAHE FOR A RIGID KAYAK TAHE OUTDOORS | Decathlon - Free Chat Rooms

Forget the back brace there no where to attach one looking at that picture.

A paddle will cost £34.99. The size is 230cm

2-part kayak paddle adjustable symmetrical 100 ITIWIT | Decathlon - Free Chat Rooms

A trolly will cost £54.99

Ultra-compact transport trolley for SUP and kayaks ITIWIT | Decathlon - Free Chat Rooms

A deck bag would cost £29.99

Lomo Kayak and SUP Deck Dry Bag - Roll Closure LOMO | Decathlon - Free Chat Rooms

 

[Confused_Fred]

Just spent the last hour being told off again........ my new paddle turned up from America and it's nice. People aren't too keen on the price but it's for me to I don't care

Its a Lendal voyager



I ordered the version with MCS shafted and it looks more like this




If you for those of you trying to keep up it's the second paddle I brought this year and it's only May....but in my defense it's taken a while for this paddle to come in and I did order it back in November....waiting list for paddle is that long.

Celtic paddle's do make these in the UK but they're not the same as the American made version. I can't quite understand why but the lever in the middle is different and they don't seem to sell the ones with the bent carbon shaft here.

The truth is that a lot of my really good paddles are coming towards the end of lives and I'm reaching the point now where I have to start replacing them. My celtic's are just looking shagged out.

It was pointed out to me by somebody at home..... "do I really need an £600 paddle when I have new £300 Werner that looks just the same?"

Errrrrr hmmmmm yea

 

[Confused_Fred]

It was a nice afternoon and I got a chance to test out the new kayak and the new paddle. The seas still a bit cold and looked like a home made sausage in my wet suit. There was only a few of us down there which was nice too.


With a heatwave on the way I'm looking forward to next week. I should be able to get out more.

 

[Confused_Fred]

The sea is flat, but its still cold as hell. Should reach 18C most days this week here.

I can see the paddle bores out now, after mid day I will be joining them on my little kayak

 

[LadyOnArooftop]

On the North Sea coast here, you see paragliders, people on paddle-boards, people surfing etc, all wearing wetsuits The water temperature must
be close to freezing, you wonder why they do it. In warm-water countries you see them doing those activities wearing just shorts. But those waters have sharks! I don't know which I would prefer, freezing cold water or shark infested waters.

 

[Confused_Fred]

If it's cold you wear a dry suit and there warm, really warm. Bit too warm if your working hard
And 5mm wet suits on days like to day.

You still feel like a sweattee grease sausage, but you don't feel the cold, even if you end up in the water.

 

[Confused_Fred]

Over the winter I did buy a pair of Quiksilver original scallop 18" mens shorts. (I'd post a picture but the site wont let me right now)

And I truly hate them

With only one back pocket there a pain in the bum. I'm always sitting on my keys !!

The cheap ones I got from Next are far better with two front pockets and they were 1/2 the price too

 

[Confused_Fred]

Kayak Paddle Board Hybrids​

It sells for around £800 in UK.


Over the weekend I was asked to try this one by a friend. We both headed over to a kayak shop where they let you try before you buy.
Its ok on a lake or cannel, flat water at sea. I missed the hatchets and the anchoring point for my paddle. It seem to paddle ok. It will take round 190kg and it weights in at 10kg. So I can see why my mate drag me over for a look.

She's also looking at the EZLite10™ Inflatable Kayak which is about the same price but only takes 130kg and weights 12kg.

I'm not a fan of paddle boards out on the beaches. We get so few days where the waters flat and you can use them. But if like her, you want to head inland more when the beaches are packed out, there worth thinking about.

​

 

[Confused_Fred]

I've been ask to go on a snow kayaking trip in Jan 2025

Errrrr its really not me

 

[Confused_Fred]

Packraft

These are really starting to take off on the inland water ways in the UK. I've seen more of these on local rivers than ever before. The Americans love these.

So what is a packraft?




A boats weight under 5Kg and back away to the size of a sleeping bag. Mine is blow 2kg. There low pressure at 1psi, you can inflate them with a bag. There a lot of fun but really slow on the water. I've seen people go up stream and just ride the river down, then take public transport home.


I do own a PackLite, but these are hard to find.







Mine cost under £300 and its the reason I brought it. I have 5 kayaks at the moment and really don't have the space for anymore. But I am looking at a new one. Mine wont do this

A base one from Decathion is about £400, It comes without a paddle or pump.

A MRS Microraft is about £800.

But the gold standard seems to be the Alpacka. They start at under £700 and go over £1500 for a Gnarmule XXL Whitewater Packraft.

​

The question you need to ask before buying on these is how much use you're going to get out of it? You can't really use these on the beach. We all know how dangerous inflatables are on the sea. If you live by a river and enjoy slowly coasting down it during these warm sunny days it's worth buying a cheap one. Remember these boats paddle like a builders skip, they're really slow on the water. About 2-4 miles per hour. You won't be winning any races in them. They really are light and small and you can take them on the bus go on the back of a push bike.

Remember you will still need to buy some way of inflating it and the paddle. Don't go on the water without personal flotation device.

I can understand what they're starting to take off near UK . The increasing amount of cycle tracks and more public transporting rural areas these look like an ideal solution for a day out on the water

 

[Confused_Fred]

I did break my old wave ski yesterday

It wasn't my fault. I was down at the old pier in Brighton at low tide and ripped the bottom out of it on some rusty old metal. Mine was about 10 years old and was coming to the end of its life. I may have hit the beach a few times with it too

It looked like this one.

At the start of July I need new one


It will take 2-3 months to get one made in the UK. Right now I'm looking at off the shelf kayaks.

I've look at this one today and spoke to the company.



Its £1000 and I need to add on delivery and import tax from France. So about £1500?
That wave skis got a max loading of 115kgs and weights in at 10kg.

But I was chatting to Isbjorn in the rooms and it got me thinking........do I need a HARD one

I only use it on flat water and never really take it that far. Its just a beach toy.

Should I just get an inflatable wave ski?

I can buy one of these for £500 + delivery and import tax. Say £700?

It will take 115kg and weights in at 11kg.

I may be better off going a double at just under £1000. The wave ski will take 170kg and weights in at 14kg.



I need to have a good think about this. It all depends on how long the summer lasts and how flat the water is.

For now I'm stuck using my pyranha fusion sit on top

 

[Confused_Fred]

I was talking to icky about sit in side inflatable kayaks today.

They do sell well in the UK.

The one I see all the time is the Intex Challenger Kayak. They sell for £80, the paddles crap and its worth upgrading right from the start. Its a fun little kayak but don't expect to last too long.






Another common one is itiwit x500 1 person touring inflatable kayak. These sell for £800 right now but prices do drop over the winter months. This more like a real kayak than a beach toy.







These kayak's do have a good reputation and will last a few years.

I have used the Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Kayak that sells for round £660.

​

I did like the kayak and its fun to paddle. Again this is built to last.


The problem with inflatable kayaks is the skirt. They really don't work with them. There hard to keep on due to no hard frame.






The best one on the market is Trak 2.0 but its just £3500

The pakayak is another one at £2600. I've even seen one here.



I think at this price point I'd get a P&H Virgo Kayak for £1500 and a roof rack for the car

This comes down to how much you're going to use the kayak. Inflatable kayaks are a lot better than used to be. Do you really need a skirt? Well depends on you. Its hard to eskimo roll a kayak without one and you will spend time in a pool learning how to do this. At sea I'd never dream of paddling without a skirt on this kind of kayak. I'd spend most of my time pumping the kayak out.

Do skirts matter on inland rivers or lakes? I think if you try and eskimo roll on the local cannel your taking your life in your hands, There only about 4 feet deep and full of crap. Rivers are much the same. You're never that far from the bank and can easily reach them.

Lakes I'm not too sure about. I think if you flipped the kayak you could still make it to the side without too much trouble... but this depends on the size of the lake.