Where ever you live you will know people who cannot swim. In fact, according to the red cross, 54% of Americans can’t perform the basic core skills involved with swimming. In the UK, around 27% of the population cannot swim. While most clubs will ensure that you can swim before you begin, if you are thinking about starting kayaking and cannot swim, then there are multiple steps you can take to ensure your safety.
So, is kayaking safe for non-swimmers? Swimming, although a very useful skill to have when kayaking, is not necessary. Capsizing a kayak is inevitable, and sooner or later you are going to get wet. Investing in a PFD (Personal Floatation Device) or buoyancy aid is very worthwhile, and keeping away from areas above your skill level will help keep you safe and dry.
Your buoyancy aid is your best friend when kayaking as it will always keep you afloat. That is, as long as it is fitted correctly. And what PFD you purchase also depends on what type of kayaking you are going to do.
What are the main types of kayaking?
In general, there are main 4 types of kayaking each with varying degrees of difficulty:
Recreational Kayaking – The most common form of kayaking, great for beginners. Normally recreational kayaking takes place on still / slow-moving rivers or lakes. Because of this tipping over is very unlikely and most buoyancy aids will do the job.
Sea / Ocean Kayaking – Takes place at sea and is, therefore, more challenging. On the water, you will be prone to currents and waves which could capsize you if you’re not careful. Even so, it is still good for beginners as long as you have a life vest. In this case, where the water is deep you want to ensure that your PFD is secure and snug.
Whitewater Kayaking – This form of kayaking is extremely challenging and needs plenty of practice before it is safe. You need to know how to wet exit, brace and have full control over your boat. Generally, whitewater kayaking takes place on dedicated courses but you can also find rivers with stretches of whitewater. If you are a beginner then make sure that you have an experienced paddler with you if something goes wrong. When selecting your buoyancy aid for whitewater it needs to fit perfectly and not move around. Personally, most palm buoyancy aids do the job brilliantly but they come with a hefty price tag.
Playboating – Similar to whitewater kayaking, playboating takes place on whitewater or fast-moving rivers. The form of playboating/freestyle kayaking involves performing skills and tricks. In this type of kayaking, you are very likely to capsize and even go underwater to perform some tricks. You could take on playboating if you cannot swim but it is not recommended.
Do kayaks tip over easily?
Kayaks normally are quite stable on most water and you would have to be trying very hard to flip a recreational kayak on flat water however on whitewater in a playboat the risk of capsizing is much greater. Although it sounds terrifying it isn’t that dangerous as long as you know what to do. There are many ways to prevent flipping over and getting back up but the simplest way to get out is the wet exit.
Learning to Wet Exit
No matter if you can swim or not learning to wet exit is necessary for getting out of a capsized kayak. When you first learn this do it in a controlled environment like a pool. The basics are very simple and only vary slightly depending on what kayak you own. For a sit-on-top kayak when you flip you are already in the water and your buoyancy aid will push you to the surface.
In a recreational or whitewater kayak, you will most likely have a spray deck, in which case it is only slightly harder. When you capsize you will want to reach forward for your pull loop and pull it forward then back. This will release your spray deck. From there you can bring your knees up and push out.
Once you’re floating you can grab your kayak and use it as a floatation device or flip it back over and get in.
The video below is a brilliant example of how to wet exit.
Related Questions
Will a kayak sink if filled with water? So long as your kayak has airbags in then it will only become swamped (submerged). Even if your kayak is full of water it will not sink as long as it has some form of floatation device.
Can you drown whilst kayaking? The only reason you could be in danger of drowning is if you act irrationally or foolishly when you tip over. If you are paddling a sit-on-top kayak then you will just float.