Sea Kayaks
Sea kayaking: This category holds the sea going craft for advanced sea kayaking adventurers, as well as those for easier lake and sheltered shore trips and everything in between. Some will allow you take take the family kayaking with you - including light and easy to learn sea kayaks that are good for families and kids. There are some very versatile kayaks, with most models fitting into multiple categories - below is a listing of the best in each category rather than a complete list - so use the information below as a guideline to help narrow the field to best suit your needs, not to limit the possibilities.
- Racing / Multisport:
Thinking about doing the Coast to Coast, but want a kayak that is more versatile than a dedicated multisport kayak? You are not alone. The best kayak in this category, hands down, is the Barracuda Beachcomber Ultralight. It is very light and fast enough to keep up with the Eclipse/Barracuda Saracen level dedicated MS kayaks through the Waimak gorge. It's manoeuvrable on all water types and has the hatches, decklines and sea kayaking conveniences you want for day tripping and weekend touring. Another choice in this field is the Paddling Perfection Slingshot - a very high performance sea kayak made for racing. - Weekender / Daytripper:
Are you wanting to explore Quail Island & the bays of Bank's Peninsula or go camping for the weekend on your local lake? Many people start with the popular plastic, easy to learn in and very stable Contours. The Mission Kayaks Contour 480 for larger people or those with gear, and the Mission Kayaks Contour 450 for lighter paddlers. For those wanting something a little faster and more suited to longer trips, see the composite choices from the rough water star the Paddling Perfection Euro-X, to the smooth paddling Barracuda Albatross, to the fast Barracuda Beachcomber Ultralight. The Mission Kayaks Eco-Bezhig 540 is an expedition kayak that is often paddled as a daytourer, allowing the option of long distance trips for their owners if the desire arises in the future. - Family / Kids / Recreational:
Recreational kayaks are the most common sea kayak type for beginners or for those who had a sit on top kayak and now want something drier but just as stable. Being shorter and lighter, they are a favourite with families who want to paddle in the sheltered waters of bays and inland lakes and rivers. The Mission Access 280 has wide appeal. Kids alone, parents of young children who want to take their little ones kayaking in the cockpit along with them, those who can't bend their knees and need a large cockpit, those who have fishing gear that they want easy access to without having to worry about it falling overboard, to those who simply want a very light kayak to get on the roof of their car. The Necky Manitou 13 is similar, but is longer and tracks considerably better, making it much easier to go a further distance with less effort, they have a smaller cockpit so they are for only one person, and they are still easy to get on the roof of a car - these are one of Necky's top selling sea kayak in New Zealand. For single child families, the Mission Kayaks Eco Niizh XLT Tandem (plastic) and Sea Bear II Tandem Packhorse (composite) both allow your entire family to do whatever type of sea kayaking you please, by using the centre hatch as a third cockpit for your little one - turning it into a full ocean going triple sea kayak. - Expedition kayaking:
Want to throw everything into your kayak and escape? The Mission Kayaks Eco-Bezhig 540 is your kayak if you want the freedom of plastic kayaks - read the page to understand why this is such an awesome kayak, and a popular choice with our customers. Composite kayaks offer a smoothness to the feel of their paddling that rotomoulded plastic simply can't reproduce. Long distance composite choices include the Paddling Perfection Sea Bear Waitoa for long distances such as circumnavigations, and the Paddling Perfection Polar Bear for extreme adventures - Antarctica, Ocean crossings, etc. - Performance Sea Kayaking:
Fancy surfing, but not in a short kayak? Do tidal races make your heart race, and the swells in the harbour call you to fly along their smooth surfaces? Watch any of Justine's DVDs ex. This is the Sea Two DVD by Justine Curgenven to understand the appeal of performance sea kayaking. The kayaks I'm listing here in this category are Neckys, and thus heavily subject to availability, but when they are available, they are highly sought after and include the Necky Chatham 17. - Tandems/Triples:
The kayaks in this section are very different from each other, making it easy to narrow down to one choice if you are looking for a sea kayak for multiple people. The Mission Kayaks Contour 490 Tandem is our best seller in this category as it is light to carry and holds enough gear for two weeks away, but also makes a great day paddler. The Mission Kayaks Eco Niizh XLT Tandem is for those who want a centre cockpit for a child or for easy gear storage in a plastic boat, and the Sea Bear II Tandem Packhorse suits the same needs but for those who prefer the feel and weight of composites. Lastly, the Necky Amaruk is for adventure racing - a very fast and stable kayak even in rough conditions with cockpits that are far enough apart to keep paddles well apart if they temporarily get out of sync without having to slow or stop your strokes.
