Ocean kayaking is very different from flat water or river kayaking. If you’re out on the ocean, you have many more factors influencing the environment, and you’re usually further away from help. You need the right equipment and training to get out onto the sea.
However, when you master handling the conditions, ocean kayaking is one of the most enjoyable forms of the sport. From fishing to distance paddling, the ocean offers you the most demanding conditions in kayaking.
You’ll need to be fit and capable of handling yourself in the ocean. If you have a background in swimming or surfing, then you’ll find it easier to slide into the comfort zone with ocean kayaking. This guide gives you everything you need to know about the basics of ocean kayaking for beginners.
Contents
Ocean Kayaking Equipment Basics
Let’s start with gathering your gear. Ocean kayaking requires a set of basic equipment for you to participate in the sport.
The kayak is the first concern. You have options for fishing kayaks in different designs, from thin and long, to wide and sort. The shorter and wider the kayak is, the better it handles in rough water and waves.
The longer and thinner the kayak, the better it cuts through the chop, making it ideal for traveling distances. You have ocean kayaks available in single and dual seater models, with some manufacturers producing triple-seat kayaks.
Wetsuit and Booties
After selecting the right kayak, you’ll need a wetsuit and booties. Unless you’re in tropical waters, it will get cold with all the spray and splash.
A 2mm spring suit will suffice if you’re in warm waters. However, if you’re kayaking in cold water, you might need up to a 4mm full suit, hood, and booties. Speak to locals in your area to find out what equipment they use.
Personal Flotation Device (PFD)
A PFD can mean the difference between you making it back home alive or drowning in an accident. A PFD is like your seatbelt in a car, if you don’t wear it, that’s up to you, but the slim chance of something going wrong could end your life.
Fishing and Dive Gear
Ocean kayaking is popular for distance racing. However, most people choose it for fishing. You have the choice of fishing or spearing from the boat. Most fishing kayaks should come with all the holders and accessories you need to accommodate your rods, gear, and catch.
Dry Bag
A dry bag is essential for taking along electronics like your car keys, cellphone, camera, and GPS. Dry bags are available in different sizes and models to accommodate your gear.
Anchor
The anchor is important if you’re thinking about securing yourself to a fishing spot in shallow water. Use a claw anchor with collapsible flukes that allow for compact storage on the bow compartment of the boat.
Top Tips for Ocean Kayaking
To get the most out of your ocean kayaking experience, you’ll need to ensure you understand the basics of the sport. Here is a brief explanation of what every good waterman needs to know about ocean kayaking.
Understanding the Weather – Wind, Rain, and Waves
The weather is the single most important component of being an ocean kayaker. The climate controls your opportunities to get out on the water. It’s not suitable to go kayaking every day, and nature only gives you so many opportunities to hit the water every year in perfect conditions.
To assess the forecast for your area ahead of time, we recommend downloading an app like Windy. Windy will show you the weather for your location and the ocean conditions, including the size of the swell.
The wind plays a significant role in conditions, and going out in anything above five the seven-mph will dampen the experience. The less wind, the better. Low or no wind means less current, less powerful waves, and glassy conditions that make it easier to see the bottom when fishing or diving.
It’s worth waiting for the right conditions before you decide to go kayaking. Typically, an app like Windy will give you accurate information for 72-hours to 48-hours before the day you want to go out kayaking.
We also recommend avoiding ocean conditions where the swell is bigger than four to six-foot. It will be rough out there in deep water in this size swell. Unless you’re specifically going out for the challenge of rough water ocean kayaking, then it’s best to stay home.
Speak to Locals if You Don’t Know the Area
If you don’t have any experience with the ocean in your area, or you’re visiting a new location, ask the locals about the water conditions. The lifeguards will point out the dangerous areas of the beach and the swimming areas you need to avoid when launching and landing the kayak.
Prep Your Equipment the Day Before the Trip
Don’t wait until the morning of your trip to prepare your gear. Have everything ready to go the night before. Check that you have a battery charge in your cameras, GPS, Fishfinder, and phone. Get your sunblock ready, and pack your supplies for the day.
Stay Hydrated and Bring Snacks
Being out on the water for four to six hours on a fishing trip can get you feeling pretty hungry. It takes plenty of calories to power the kayak through the ocean, and that builds up an appetite. Instead of resorting to making sushi with your catch on the boat, bring along some energy bars and a few cold drinks for the trip. Paddling drains your energy and makes you thirsty. Make sure you bring water along for the journey.
Wear Sunscreen
Sunscreen is one of the most forgotten pieces of their kit kayakers leave behind. Having to ask people for sunblock at the beach is frustrating, and going out with no sunscreen will age your face ten years overnight.
Ocean Kayaking Essentials – What to Expect
So, what can you expect from the ocean kayaking experience? While that’s kind of hard to express in an article without placing you in the situation, we’ll give it a try.
Launching the Kayak in Waves – When In Doubt, Don’t Go Out
Launching the kayak from the beach is the most challenging aspect of ocean kayaking. There are plenty of kayakers that tried to launch their boat five or six times into solid four-foot surf and failed, sending them home with their tail between their legs.
The most crucial aspect of learning how to launch effectively is learning to time the wave sets. The ocean operates on a rhythm, and understanding that rhythm helps you identify your window of opportunity to launch.
Don’t launch as the waves break; wait until there is a lull, and then paddle like crazy to make it out to the backline past the impact zone. It might take you two or three attempts to get it right, so start in small surf under three feet.
Managing the Kayak in Waves
When you’re launching and moving away from the shore, paddle with your body weight as far forward as possible to generate speed.
When you reach a wave, and you have to go over the whitewater, lean back as far as possible. If you capsize, get away from the boat as fast as possible, and protect your head by covering up with your arms for protection.
When you’re coming into the shore for the landing, lean back as the wave picks the boat up and use the paddle to steer yourself along the shoulder. Avoid letting the wave pitch you into the flats as it could swamp the boat. Don’t let the wave turn you broadside along the shoulder as it could capsize you.
Ocean Kayaking Dangers – How to Stay Safe and Enjoy the Experience
Kayaking out in the ocean requires you to be as safe as possible. Those kayakers that take risks are playing with their lives.
Some people might mock you for being overly precautious with safety, but ensure you stick to maintaining a strict safety protocol before and during any ocean kayaking trip.
Always Wear Your PFD
Your Personal Floatation Device (PFD) could end up making the difference between you coming back home safe and sound or drowning at sea.
If a rogue wave pitches you and you knock your head on the boat, you could land in the water unconscious. Without a safety jacket, you’ll sink to the bottom of the sea, and no one will find you until days later.
If you’re wearing a PFD in that scenario, it keeps you afloat, with your chest and head facing the upward position. As a result, you have a better chance of someone finding you and less drowning risk if you’re unconscious.
- U.S. COAST GUARD APPROVED: This USCG-approved Inflatable Life Jacket inflates automatically upon water immersion or manually pulling the inflation handle. Includes a back-up oral inflation tube. Approved for users 16 years or older, and over 80 lbs. Fits 30”-52” chest
- HIGHLY BUOYANT: Provides 22.5 pounds of buoyancy when fully inflated, keeping you safe and afloat. Its buoyant material offers the necessary support to keep your head above water, providing peace of mind when boating, fishing, paddling
- MANUAL INFLATION OPTION: Easily converts to MANUAL ONLY inflation mode when paddling, fly-fishing, or other activities where there is good chance you may get wet or end up in the water. Simply pull the inflation handle, providing buoyancy to keep you safely floating. Manual conversion cap included
- COMFORTABLE FIT: This inflatable PFD incorporates an adjustable body belt, front buckle closure, and a comfortable neoprene neckline, ensuring a secure and personalized fit
- REARMING KIT: Inflatable life jackets can be reused after each inflation. Always read your Owner’s Manual for the proper way to initially arm your life jacket, and how to re-arm it after it has been inflated. Use Onyx Rearming Kit #1352 for this product. It is recommended to purchase an extra rearming kit to try out your inflatable life jacket and become familiar with its operation
Don’t Go Out Alone
Don’t go out alone. Even the best kayaks hesitate at the thought of going out alone, even in perfect, flat, windless conditions. If you don’t have a buddy that can go with you consistently, then think about joining a kayaking club.
Tell Someone Where You’re Going
Before you head out for your trip, tell someone where you’re going. A simple text message telling someone like a family member or friend where you’re going and when they can expect you back is all you need.
If something goes wrong and you’re not back on time, the neighbor or nominee can call the coast guard to start a search for you.
Be Careful in Strong Currents – Read the Water
When you’re launching from the beach, look for the rip. The rip is the current moving away from the beach out beyond the back of the waves. The rip helps you with less paddling when launching through the waves, and it usually washes out the peaks, forming a “channel,” making it easier to get out the back.
However, avoid the rip when beaching the boat. Instead, look for the swell to push you out through the impact zone. Head to the edge of the channel as you come out of the water and land the boat.
When you’re out on the water, learn to read the surface and what’s going on. If there is wind chop, how is that affecting the current? Learning to manage the current helps you set up drifts when fishing and diving, helping you conserve energy.
Stay Calm in Surprise Thunderstorms
When you’re out on the water, it’s common for the weather to turn on a dime. One minute you have sunny skies with a few clouds on the horizon. The next, you have thunderclouds surrounding you, and it’s starting to rain. If you’re out on the water in a thunderstorm with buckets of rain coming down, don’t panic.
Typically, the rain flattens the waves, making it easier to paddle for shore. If visibility is low, drop anchor and sit out the storm. Be careful with dropping anchor in rough water as you may end up swamping the boat and sinking.
Don’t Venture Too Far and Be Aware of Shipping Lanes
It’s tempting to venture far out to sea on calm days when the water is flat. However, we recommend you don’t go too far from shore. The best fishing spots are usually closer to shore than you think anyway.
Make sure you have the shipping lanes plotted on your GPS. If you decide to take a trip to deep water, being in a shipping lane could cost you your life. It takes around 15-minutes for a ship on the horizon to reach your location. So, stay out of the shipping lanes.
In Closing – Do I Need to Worry About Sharks?
The reality is, if the water is salty, there are sharks around. However, humans typically aren’t on the dinner menu. Sure., we’ve all seen the videos of aggressive hammerheads attacking kayakers. However, this is very rare, and most kayakers that stay on the boat will never come across a shark the entire time they are on the boat.
The only way you could attract sharks is if you’re spearfishing or fishing from the kayak. Spearos already have the skills they need to handle shark encounters underwater. If you’re fishing from the boat, then chances are most sharks will leave you alone
