Inflatable Kayak Blog

The key to kayaking in the ocean, no matter what type of kayak you have, folding or otherwise, is more about the paddler than about the kayak. Ocean currents and waves create more of a challenge than the water in most lakes and rivers. Conditions can change more quickly and the power of the ocean’s deeper water is much more formidable. If the water is calm and the forecast is good, most everyone can kayak. The decision making process becomes more crucial when those conditions are borderline and the waves are a little higher, etc. At that point, paddling experience and confidence in your paddling abilities is really the key to whether you should attempt an ocean or sea-kayaking paddle. You can gain some experience by ‘testing’ your kayak in light waves, gradually progressing to see how your skills match up with larger waves. Stay in areas where conditions are more predictable and close enough to shore to feel secure in the ‘testing’ process. Over time, you’ll be able to decide what types of ocean conditions you’ll be confident to kayak in.

I’ve spoken with the manufacturers of the PakBoat and TRAK folding kayaks that we sell at PortableKayaks.com and they have assured me that all their kayaks are safe for ocean kayaking as long as the paddler has experience enough to handle them. So, if you know you can handle it, “happy ocean paddling!”