You'll find five essential things that you need to go kayaking. This list is especially for whitewater rivers, but in the ocean you'll want the same several essentials. Here are the five essentials:
Kayak
Duh. You can't go kayaking without a kayak. The kayak will be your transportation, carries your gear, and becomes an extension of one's body. Kayaks is usually made of plastic material (most common), fiberglass, wooden, or skin (traditional). Which kind you have depends on your skill and the kind of water you're paddling in.
Paddle
This is what moves the kayak. A paddle will allow you to move where you want; otherwise you might be just drifting. Each person needs their own paddle. It's advisable to bring a break-down paddle along, as well.
PFD (Life Jacket)
Definitely, absolutely required. PFD means Personal Floatation Unit, and does exactly that. It's far better avoid uncomfortable, cheap PFDs and invest in something you will like wearing. Whenever you're around the water you have to wear a PFD. It's also an excellent place to keep sunscreen, snacks, as well as safety equipment such as carabiners and webbing.
Sprayskirt
This is a covering that fits over your torso plus the cockpit of the actual kayak, and will keep water out. While you are wearing a sprayskirt, you can roll the kayak. It also shields against waves stuffing your boat with water. The sprayskirt is why is the kayak a powerful tool: in case you flip in tough whitewater, you can just roll back over and keep proceeding. If you can't roll, you can take the tab on your sprayskirt to release yourself from your boat, known as the a wet exit or swimming. The only kind of kayak that doesn't work with a sprayskirt is the sit-on-top.
Helmet
Mandatory in whitewater or any situation where you might be upside down. There are a variety of kinds from above the ears to full face, depending on your preferences. If you are usually running whitewater, this is another item that is nice to spend a little more on to make certain it's comfortable, because you will almost always be wearing it.
You will likely need to bring more along than these several essentials, but if you were going on a day trip in warm weather with no basic safety gear, it is possible to go kayaking with only most of these five items.
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