Whitewater Kayaks
Whitewater kayaks are designed with exceptional manoeuvrability to negotiate rapids. They are used for swift water such as rivers. Whitewater kayaks are short and designed to turn quickly so you can manoeuvre faster. They are designed to go with the flow of moving water versus touring kayaks that are designed to move you from one destination to another.
White water kayaks, which generally depend primarily upon river current for their forward motion, are built quite short, to maximize manoeuvrability. They are mostly made out of rigid, high impact plastic and are the most manoeuvrable types made, however they are much slower than other kayaks They differ from sea kayaks and recreational kayaks in that they are specialized to deal with moving water better. Whitewater kayaks are fairly stable in turbulent water, once the paddler is skilful with them; if flipped upside-down, the skilled paddler can easily roll them back upright. They are paddled in a kneeling position, with a one-bladed paddle. Whitewater kayaks are typically equipped with large float bags for buoyancy, and thigh straps and foot braces for support and control. Whitewater carries a great deal of risk, especially for beginners who don't know everything they need to know. For instance they are only rented to persons with whitewater kayaking experience. Whitewater inflatables are sometimes referred to as "duckies".
A whitewater boat is good for mostly rivers from class II to class V. Whitewater kayakers are always on the cutting edge of testing the navigability of rivers and streams.
While white water kayaking is possible in more delicate boats, whitewater kayaks are generally made of plastic and hold up well after repeated smashing into rocks. Whitewater kayaks for casual use are generally rotomoulded in a  semi-rigid, high impact plastic, which is usually polyethylene: careful construction is needed to ensure adequate rigidity from the completed boat. Amazingly, there are inflatable kayaks specifically designed for white water. These are not cheap boats but are the ideal solution for the cross country adventurer as they fit into a small backpack and can be inflated quickly and easily. If only Indianna Jones had one of these!
Whitewater kayaks are less than 12 feet in length, typically made of plastic, and can take paddlers into the deepest, wildest gorges, through powerful rapids, over waterfalls as high as 80 feet, and down raging flood-swollen rivers. These kayaks are designed with maximum manoeuvrability and safety in mind – they sell for $800 to $1,200 and standard accessories (whitewater paddles, PFD, spray-skirt, flotation bags & helmet) will add $300 or more.
White water kayaking is obviously a specialised area of kayaking and as such, so too are most of the other pieces of kayak equipment, none more so than the paddles. Whitewater paddles are specifically designed for this aspect of the sport with manufacturers designing their own particular features into the paddles. Some of the features that are taken into account are strength, weight, blade angle, blade shape and many more. The onus is then on the kayaker to find the design that works best for them.
Kayaks
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