What does Kayak vs canoe mean. If you are into water sports and love the water adventures, you must know what kayak vs canoe means. However, what you most probably don’t know is the technical differences between the two. Not knowing these differences, you cannot say which craft is the best for your paddling. In this article, we will talk about the key differences between Kayak vs canoe, helping readers determine which one they should go for.

The Background on kayak vs Canoe

Americans usually use the word “canoe” to define a paddle craft having an open deck and the seats situated level with, or, just below, a gunwale (also called gunnel); while the term “kayak” means a paddle craft having a closed deck and a seat positioned adjacent to the bilge (the interior bottom of a hull).

Both Brits and Canadians refer canoe as a “Canadian canoe” and to a kayak as a “canoe”. However, irrespective of the terminology used to designate each kind of this paddle craft, there are certain differences between the two, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

If you’re thinking about spending a few hundred dollars on a kayak or canoe, you must understand the fundamental differences between them. Even though the fresh paddler might use these terms interchangeably, these watercraft are quite different from each other.

The Design of Kayak vs Canoe

Canoes sit higher in the water, having an open, wide hull, and the person sits on a bench when paddling. On the other hand, a Kayak sits closer to the water, contains an enclosed, narrow-body (cockpit), and the person can either sit or kneel while paddling.

Or, if you need a quick mental visual on this, it can be that Native Americans would have used canoes while Inuits would have used Kayaks. The first kayaks were made from frames of wood or animal bone. Then animal hides were extended over the frame and lastly waterproofed with the whale fat or any other available animal fat. Most prominently, a Kayak has an enclosed body, called the cockpit.

The very first canoes were merely the hollowed-out logs – or what we now say a dugout canoe – and can be traced back to ancient civilizations throughout the world.

Your choice types of Kayak vs Canoe

1.Canoe Types

The first type is recreational canoes that are easy and fun to paddle. These canoes are the most commonly used canoe. These are the ones you see in big-box sporting goods stores, as rentals at the tourist attractions, and in the fleets at summer camps. If you need a versatile canoe that you can paddle around your nearby lake, you should choose a recreational canoe. This is usually up to 17-feet in length and gives a stable, easy to control craft for, for fishing, birding, and photography. They are usually made of either aluminum or plastic and contain no frills.

Another kind is expedition canoes that offer better maneuverability and more capacity than recreational boats. These are usually 18′-20′ in length, powered by more than two paddlers, and are developed with longer trips in mind. They have advanced design, to handle everything whitewater rivers.
The third kind is the whitewater canoes. Though whitewater sports are typically reserved for kayaks, there are the canoes made for such environments too. Some basic features of a whitewater canoe include flotation bags, higher sides, and a more curved profile – something called a rocker. This canoe type is more maneuverable in difficult water.

2.Kayak Types

The first kind is called recreational kayaks that are best for tourist attractions and lake rental shops. They have a closed cockpit and are usually shorter than most other kayaks, usually measuring approx. 10-feet. This means they don’t track as well as a longer version, but because they’re made for open water, quick turning and tracking is a secondary consideration for them.

Another kind is the sea kayaks. Sea kayaks are essentially bigger forms of recreational kayaks with some significant distinctions. A sea kayak has a robust bow and stern lines that you can hold onto if you capsize.

These are vital, particularly in heavy waves or when the wind picks up. Usually, the sea kayaks will have sealed hatches in the front and the back, and some of them will also have a day hatch. A day hatch is a little section that is easily reachable when you’re sitting in the cockpit. These are best for storing your gear but they are also made to keep the kayak afloat in case the cockpit is flooded, which could easily occur in a heavy ocean, even with a spray skirt.

You could be filled with water where you’re sitting but still, remain afloat since the rest of the kayak has sufficient buoyancy to keep you floating. Another feature that makes sea kayaks exclusive is that they often come armed with a rudder which is controlled by the foot pedals. This makes it very easier to steer in open water.For kayaking in warm weather, the sit-on-top kayak is a popular kind.

Sit on tops are slower so you can’t cover as much distance as you can with a sleek-hulled ocean kayak, but for leisurely kayak camping trips, they are the perfect solution.

Sit-on kayak is typically only used in warmer countries or regions. The reason for this is your entire body is exposed because there’s no cockpit. These kayaks are also typically wider than a standard kayak, so they are stable enough to stand upon, even in open water.

If you are looking for something cheaper and short term, an inflatable kayak is a kind. Inflatable kayaks are inexpensive and more portable. While they can be used on flat water, they very seldom compare to the performance, durability, stability, and speed of a hard-shell model, particularly on open water.

The Seating of Kayak vs Canoe

Canoes usually have at least one elevated bench in the center, letting you sit in an upright position during paddling. At the rear end, you don’t get wet, and you have easy access to any things you have onboard. Traveling by kayak implies either sitting or kneeling on the floor, efficiently on the hull of the craft. A water skirt can help keep water out, but if any water does get inside (and it can) then you’re looking at several hours of sitting in a puddle of water with soggy clothing, feeling miserable

The Comfort of Kayak vs Canoe

Canoes are developed to get you where you’re going in relative safety and comfort. They’re better suited to the family activities as they can carry more than one paddler. You have good space for a picnic, other paddling gear, or even a pet.

Kayaks, on the other hand, can cut through even the craziest water like a hot knife through butter. The disadvantage is that they’re developed for speed and not for comfort, so these are the sports cars of the personal watercraft world.

The Paddling of Kayak vs canoe

Canoe paddles contain a single blade (the flat bit at the end), and the person paddling can either alternate their stroke on either side of the canoe or use a precise type of stroke on just one side. Most canoeists use their body weight, with a J-stroke, to keep the canoe tracking straight. These paddles typically measure from 48-inches to 54-inches in length, based on your physical size.

Kayak paddles contain two blades, one on each end of the paddle shaft. This design lets the paddler in the kayak to keep a straight course (track) with alternate strokes in the water. The length of the paddles is based on the paddler’s height, up to a maximum length of 7.5-feet.

The Travelling of Kayak vs canoe

You steer the kayak by paddling but it’s also a “whole body” experience, which makes them very maneuverable, even in rough water conditions, which is why whitewater enthusiasts love them.

A canoe, on the other hand, is far calmer in one way, but also needs more skill to control properly. Canoes move more gradually, but they also have more mass, so you must plot your course out and stick to it. Making unexpected turns in a canoe isn’t impossible, but it’s very difficult and physically difficult even for two people.

The Storage of Kayak vs Canoe

You can store many supplies and equipment in both kayaks vs canoes. But due to their sheer sizes, canoes are better in the volume of storage space they have. Kayaks have less storage space, but the great advantage they have over the canoes is simply that this storage space is waterproof.

The Verdict

The famous question; Kayak or Canoe? Well, there is no RIGHT choice. It is based on the purpose, location, and which one you find most comfortable. Both Kayak vs canoe have options for recreational and professional purposes; however, in the end, it all comes to your personal preferences as well as skills.