Dream Boats

Anyone passing through Old Forge on the third weekend in May could hardly have missed the event. The entire town beach on Old Forge Pond, the foot of the Fulton Chain of Lakes, and the full length of the waterfront beyond were covered end-to-end with canoes and, to a noticeably greater extent, with kayaks. 

Adirondack Paddlefest, organized by Mountainman Outdoors, 2855 Route 28, Old Forge, the local wilderness outfitter and paddle sports vendor, is the largest on-water canoe and kayak sale and demonstration event in the country. A walk through the myriad of choices would make that claim hard to dispute: Most of the major canoe and kayak manufacturers, and some small ones, were represented with fleets of boats to try and to buy. 

Old Town, Necky, Ocean, Wilderness Systems, We-No-Nah, Current Designs, Liquid Logic, Swift, Perception, Native, Wave Sport, Impex, Mad River, Hurricane and others offered a daunting spectrum of choices to prospective paddlers along with expert technical advice on design, materials, paddling technique and the latest innovations in personally powered watercraft. 

The size and scope of Paddlefest notwithstanding, canoes and kayaks are nothing new to the recreational public. Canoeing, especially, experienced a vibrant vogue during the Gilded Age of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the iconic Canton designer and builder J. Henry Rushton provided wood canoes for the socially notable and the anonymous woodland traveler alike. 

Many of Rushton’s core design concepts (slim, lightweight solo hulls with a seat centered on the bottom and propelled with a double-bladed paddle) resonate in the high-tech, composite solo canoes being made today. Yet kayaking, by comparison, sat on the back burner and would have to wait another half-century, with the advent of new materials and manufacturing techniques, to begin to realize the same measure of public enthusiasm. 

Things have changed. Conversations at Paddlefest between industry representatives cited a sizable disparity between canoe and kayak sales, with one estimate placing the latter at 10 to 15 times that of canoes. In fact, the Outdoor Industry Association, a group that crunches numbers on a wide variety of outdoor gear, pegged 2011 kayak sales at $186.7 million, an increase of 9.1 percent over the previous year, while canoe sales declined 6.3 percent for the same period. 

A bird’s-eye view of the beach at Paddlefest would have verified this trend. With the exception of some high-end composite (Kevlar and carbon fiber) canoes from Swift and We-No-Nah, and a lonely 12-foot “Pack” canoe from Old Town, kayaks could have served as stepping stones from one end of the beach to the other. 

Plastic Makes Perfect

The ascendancy of kayaks as the preferred method of self-propelled water travel began in the 1970s when the burgeoning use of plastics coincided with the maturation of a manufacturing process called rotational molding. Before that kayaks were either the original frame-and-skin design (wood frames and canvas or wood skins) or fragile fiberglass models, usually meant for whitewater. While the frame-and-skin model has worked well since its genesis in the Stone Age, rotomolding changed everything. 

Almost anything that’s hollow can be made this way: Pellets of polyethylene are tossed into a clamshell-type mold which rotates inside an oven that rocks back and forth. The melted plastic coats the inside of the mold, and when it’s opened out pops a garbage can, a pink flamingo for your lawn, or a kayak. After retrofitting a seat, deck hatches, adjustable foot pegs, and bungee-cord deck rigging and grab loops, the kayak is ready for action. 

In spite of the elitist dismissal that “Friends don’t let friends paddle plastic,” poly kayaks are ubiquitous. With pricing as low as $300 for an entry-level model, they are far cheaper than their lightweight composite cousins, which use more expensive materials (fiberglass, Kevlar and carbon fiber) and require labor-intensive hand construction. Plastic hulls are heavier and more flexible than composite models, but they are tough and resilient, have a memory for their shape and require no maintenance. So stepping from one to another along the beach might raise some eyebrows, but would likely cause no appreciable damage. Don’t try that with those $3,500 carbon touring boats.

Choosing a kayak is a multifaceted process. As with any piece of sports equipment, the intended use, purchase price and the fit of a kayak are important issues. Designed for casual, short-term day use, the smaller, wider models (9-feet-6-inches to about 13 feet and 25 to 28 inches wide) claim the largest market share, and have high initial stability, providing a reassuring sense of steadiness in calm water. 

These recreational, or “rec” boats, in industry parlance, also have large cockpits for easy entry and exit and, beginning at 39 pounds, are manageable by most reasonably fit adults. Many also come with dry storage hatches and padded, adjustable seats. These comfort features and the competitive pricing give rec boats a high appeal, but there are also disadvantages. 

When it comes to performance in kayaking, size matters. Small kayaks are affordable and fun but they don’t track (hold their course) well and suffer from anemic hull speeds. It’s not uncommon for small-boat owners to complain that they can’t keep up with their friends in their longer, leaner boats, which track better and travel farther per paddle stroke. For those serious about paddling it makes sense to buy the longest kayak the budget allows, the one that will paddle the most efficiently. 

Larger, leaner kayaks, 14 feet to 18-feet-6-inches, have a different purpose in life. The greater length alone translates to greater efficiency, higher hull speed, more storage capacity and increased final stability, or seaworthiness. These “sea” or “touring” kayaks are also significantly narrower and lower in volume, some as skinny as 21 inches and featuring smaller, confining “keyhole” cockpits with integrated thigh braces for greater control. 

Some also feature retractable skegs for even better tracking or rudders for steering. These features and proportions give the boats a more dynamic personality, with lower initial stability than the wider rec boats and a need for more advanced paddling skills. But the payoff is performance, the ability to travel farther, faster, into a bigger, more challenging water world. While the smaller rec boats are almost always plastic, touring boats are typically offered in both plastic or composite. Today’s composite kayaks, many of them now made offshore (Thailand, to wit) are svelte, gleaming, lightweight and efficient but, at $1,500 to $4,000, will put a major divot in your budget. 

Sitting Pretty

Sit-on-top kayaks, an alternative to the traditional sit-inside cockpit design, have recently grown into a significant slice of the kayak market. Originally developed by a diver to haul his scuba gear (his idea morphed into the company Ocean Kayak), these boats are stable enough to dangle your legs over the side without taking a swim, and come with scuppers (holes in the hull) to let the water drain. Best suited for warm-water use (you are going to get wet), they can be surfed, by catching a wave, and are available in tandem models, referred to as “divorce boats” by industry insiders because the cooperation required to paddle them can often reveal chinks in the marriage.

Other sit-on-tops come tricked out for fishing, equipped with rod holders, bait wells, options for fish-finding electronics, cushy seats, anchor systems and other features. These designs provide access to both blue water and fertile backwaters where larger boats don’t go, and have become popular enough to spawn a kayak-fishing micro-culture. For more details on these “anglers,” pick up a copy of Kayak Angler magazine or go to
kayakangleronline.com. 

 

If sitting isn’t your thing you can opt for a stand-up paddleboard, the latest rage in paddle sports. Like the sit-on-tops these SUPs are derived from surfboards, widened and lengthened to achieve a high degree of initial stability. Fun and challenging, they’re great for summer entertainment, if you don’t mind taking a spill now and then.

Whatever kayak you choose, you’re going to need some other stuff to make the sport work, including a double-bladed paddle and a personal floatation device (PFD) or life jacket. Kayaks come with built-in floatation so they won’t sink, but the PFD will keep you from disappearing in case of the unscheduled swim, and are legally required in many states. New York state requires life jackets from Nov. 1 to May 1, but they're always a good idea. Kayak PFDs are typically short-waisted for comfort and start at about $40. 

Like the kayaks themselves, paddles come in a vast plethora of choices. A decent paddle, which has three blade pitch options (parallel or feathered left or right) and breaks apart for travel, typically starts about $60. Ultra-light, 25-ounce, carbon fiber paddles, adjustable in both length and pitch, can cost as much as $400, but there are many options in between. The more you paddle the more that weight becomes an issue, so the lightest paddle that the budget allows makes sense. 

You’re also going to need a way to get your kayak from your garage to the water, and that usually means putting it on top of your car. The $40 foam block carrying kit will do, but the aftermarket car-top rack makers Thule, Yakima and Malone all make both load-bearing racks (typically $125 to $300) and a variety of appliances designed to carry your boat, like the popular “J” saddles you see on that Subaru Outback in front of you. Most of these devices will also fit on a factory rack, the one that came with your car. Prices for the gear that will carry at least one boat start at about $100.

Choosing your destination is the next challenge, and there are many options. In addition to local lakes and rivers, the Adirondack Park has 2,500 miles of navigable waterways, including the Fulton Chain, beginning in Old Forge Pond, the site of that giant demo. The best single source of information in New York is the comprehensive guide Quiet Water New York by John Hayes and Alex Wilson (Appalachian Mountain Club Books, Boston; 445 pages; $19.95/softcover). Find it at most kayak dealers or at outdoors.org.

While modern materials, designs and manufacturing methods have made kayaking fun and affordable, the real appeal, the root cause of its ever-expanding popularity, is its inherently independent nature. Once you have a boat, a paddle, a PFD and some way to transport all of it, you’re on your own. No license, no fuel, no maintenance, no trailer, no mooring fees, no partner required. Just you, your kayak, and the water. Got a better deal?             

 

Float Your Boat

New York state is home to hundreds of lakes, rivers and state parks, making it the ultimate kayaker’s paradise. New kayakers never have to look farther than a few miles to reach the perfect getaway. Some popular places across the state map include:

Beaver Lake Nature Center, 8477 East Mud Lake Road, Baldwinsville; 638-2519. Open 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m.

$3 per car

Beaver Lake hosts several kayak-focused special events throughout the summer. You must use one of Beaver Lake's watercraft and preregistration is required. They are:

Kayak Basics. Saturday, June 9 & 23 and Thursday, June 28, 8-10 a.m. This course will help you stay safe and have fun on the water. Kayak rental is included and preregistration is required. $15. 

Kayak Day. Sunday, June 10, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Eastern Mountain Sports will have a variety of kayaks on hand for the curious to try.  The event is free.

Sunset Kayak Tour. Saturdays, July 7, 14 & 28, 7-9 p.m. Kayaks can accommodate one individual, and canoes are available as well. $15.

Cross Lake Inn and Marina, 

12946 Dugar Road, Cato; 626-6718.

Open sunrise to sunset. 

Free.

Delta Lake

8797 Route 46, Rome; 337-4670.

Open 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Vehicle entrance fee: $7

Emerson Park

6914 East Lake Road, Auburn; 253-5611.

Open sunrise to sunset. 

$2 per vehicle.

Gillie Lake

Sands Road, Camillus; 487-3600.

Open noon-7 p.m. 

$2 per person.

Green Lakes State Park

7900 Green Lakes Road, Fayetteville;
637-6111. Open Sundays to Wednesdays, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Thursdays to Saturdays, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

Vehicle entrance fee: $8

 

Jamesville Beach County Park

4110 West Shore Manor, Jamesville;
435-5252. Open 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

$4 per vehicle, Mondays to Thursdays; $6 on Fridays to Sundays and holidays

Oneida Shores

9248 McKinley Ridge Road, Brewerton;
676-7366. Open 6 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

$4 per vehicle, Mondays to Thursdays; $6 on Fridays to Sundays and holidays

Onondaga Outlet at Long Branch Park

Longbranch Road, Liverpool (near the Syracuse Chargers boathouse); 453-6712

Open sunrise to half an hour past sunset

Free

Sandy Island Beach
3387 County Route 15 Pulaski; 387-2657.

Open sunrise to sunset

Vehicle entrance fee: $7

Syracuse Inner Harbor
400 W. Kirkpatrick St.; 448-2244.

Open sunrise to sunset

Free

Another special event takes place Saturday, June 9.

Paddle to the Dickinson Conservation Area on Skaneateles Lake. David Diaz, director of Land Protection for the Finger Lakes Land Trust, will lead the group to the Staghorn Cliffs. You must bring your own kayak or canoe. Meet at the town of Scott Family Park at the south end of the lake, just off Glen Haven Road. This event is free. For more information, visit fllt.org or call (607) 275-9487. 

—Aubrey Zych